Debt-Free Living: How to Get Out of Debt and Stay Out [Paperback]

Larry Burkett (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 2000

Credit applications are a dime a dozen. Unfortunately, the easy access to credit has led many into deep debt without any idea on how to get out. Debt-Free Living has the solution. This updated bestseller now comes with the Snap-Shot God CD-ROM, a powerful tool that creates a customized plan to help anyone get out of debt.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Debt has dominated the financial direction of our society over the past sixty years. Credit card offers flow into our mailboxes virtually every day. Countless families give the false impression of being wealthy while drowning in a sea of debt. In fact, nearly 80 percent of divorced couples between the ages of twenty and thirty report that financial problems were the primary cause of their marital breakdown. Many people are not even sure how they got into their financial predicament, let alone how to get out. Understanding the origin of most financial difficulties is the key to escaping the "debt cycle" for good. Debt-Free Living was designed to equip individuals with sound biblical principles and solid practical advice so they can dig out and stay out of debt. Best selling author Larry Burkett skillfully teaches these principles through the real-life experiences of several couples on the brink of financial ruin. As these couples climb out of debt, you will receive helpful advice on a wide variety of financial issues you face every day. In Debt-Free Living you receive answers to questions such as

Is it better to own or to rent?
Is borrowing a sin?
When is bankruptcy a good idea?
What types of credit should I avoid?

Debt-Free Living teaches you what God has to say about debt and assists you in achieving a life that is debt free.

About the Author

Larry Burkett is founder and president of Christian Financial Concepts, a non-profit ministry that teaches biblical principles of finance and trains others to counsel and teach, using these principles. He hosts two radio programs, heard on 1,100 radio outlets, and has written more than forty books, which include the best sellers The Coming Economic Earthquake, Debt-Free Living, Women Leaving the Workplace, and The Financial Parenting Workbook. He lives with his family in Gainesville, Georgia.

Product Details

• Paperback: 232 pages
• Publisher: Moody Pr; Pap/Cdr edition (January 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802442293
• ISBN-13: 978-0802442291
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,204,645 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Larry Burkett 1939~2003, Biographical Information

Widely Known For His Economic Warnings

In The Coming Economic Earthquake (Moody Press, Chicago, I11. * 1991), Burkett delineated growing federal deficits and the ever increasing use of debt by business and households out of control. Burkett points out those severe economic times will appear sometime shortly after the millennium unless current polices are changed. Burkett believed that Keynesian economic policies, with ideals for continuing federal deficits and the implicit preference for higher levels of credit and consumption, reduced saving, and a larger role for government in the economy are a means to disaster. As Burkett states in the book that as interest on the debt consumes a larger and larger portion of the yearly federal budget, and more money is borrowed each year to pay the interest on what was borrowed in previous years, there will be a temptation to "monetize" the debt at an increasing rate leading to a calamity not seen since the Great Depression. Burkett questioned whether or not elected leaders would take action in time to prevent fiscal chaos, and believed they would not. Larry gave no time-line for this prediction, other than a forewarning, foreshadowing current events of the time, with a little common sense added for good measure.

Early Years


Larry Burkett (March 3rd, 1939~July 4th, 2003) was an American author and leading Christian radio personality whose work focused on financial counseling from a Christian point of view. Larry was born in Winter Park, Florida on March 3, 1939, the fifth of eight children. After completing high school in Winter Garden, Florida, he entered the U.S. Air Force where he served with the Strategic Air Command. Upon completion of his military duties, he and his wife Judy returned to central Florida, where he worked in the space program at Cape Canaveral, Florida. He spent the next several years at the space center (NASA) in charge of an experiments test facility that served the Mercury-, Gemini-, and Apollo-manned space programs. While working at the space center, Larry earned degrees in marketing and finance at Rollins College, Winter Park, Florida. Larry left the space center in 1970 to become Vice President of an electronics manufacturing firm.

A Turning Point


In 1972 Larry put his trust and faith in Jesus Christ to guide his life, through the influence of his wife Judy and persistence of Dr. Peter Lord, Titusville, Florida--an event that had a profound effect. In 1973 he left the electronics company to join the staff of a nonprofit ministry, Campus Crusade for Christ at the request of Dr. Bill Bright, as a financial counselor. It was during this time that he began an intense study of what the Bible says about handling money, and he started teaching small groups around the country.

Ministry Is Formed


In 1976 Larry Burkett left the campus ministry to form Christian Financial Concepts, a 501C(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to teaching the biblical principles of handling money. CFC was used as a vehicle to produce audio, video and written Work's for helping individuals, the local Church and main-line Denominations World-wide disseminate God's word with regard to Stewardship principles. In May of 1996, Southwest Baptist University conferred on Larry an Honorary Doctorate in Economics.

Radio Broadcasting


In 1979 Larry became a frequent radio guest of Dr. Jim Dobson founder of Focus On the Family with a widely listened to syndicated radio program. This exposure lead Moody Bible Institute Broadcasting division, Chicago, Illinois to help host, than start Larry's own radio ministry. Larry was a long time host of the four radio programs, "Money Matters," "How to Manage Your Money," "MoneyWatch," and "A Money Minute," which were carried on more than 1,100 radio outlets worldwide.

Larry's Publications


Larry published more than 70 books, sales of which now exceed 12 million copies and include several national best-sellers. Publications by Larry include What Ever Happened to the American Dream, The Coming Economic Earthquake, Your Finances in Changing Times, Business by the Book, The Financial Planning Workbook, Women Leaving the Workplace, Investing for the Future, Debt-Free Living, Great Is Thy Faithfulness, Hope When It Hurts, Nothing to Fear, in which he gave an update on his experiences with cancer and cancer treatments. Larry also wrote four novels: The Illuminati, The THOR Conspiracy, Solar Flare, and Kingdom Come (with T. Davis Bunn). Larry's final book before his death was The Burkett & Blue Definitive Guide to Securing Wealth to Last, and was written with Ron Blue and Jeremy L. White.

Larry also encouraged his eldest son, (Larry "Allen" Burkett, Jr.) as an author to write and produce thirty-two stewardship books and material "penned" under Larry's name. These Work's were for children, teen and parents under the banner: "Larry Burkett's "Money Matters for Kids", "Money Matters for Teens", "Larry Burkett's Stewardship for the Family ~ Time, Talents & Treasures". Some publications by Allen under Larry's name are Financial Parenting, What If I Owned Everything?, Money Planner for Kids, 50 Money Making Ideas for Kids, Teaching Your Child About Money Matters, Me Wonderfully Made, All About Money, Talent and Time Series, How Things Work Series, Pocket Change Series, Great Smoky Mountains Storybook Series, World's Easiest Pocket Guide Series,

His Legacy


Larry's memory is held dear by all those whose lives he touched: his family, his friends, and his ministry partners. He lived a life of Christian kindness and genuine humility. He was always extraordinarily generous. One of the central principles Larry taught is that we don't really own things; we are simply stewards and managers of what God has entrusted to us. In Larry's case, that included the ministry he founded.

Larry Burkett dedicated his life to teaching people biblical financial principles. He poured his life into serving the Lord through this ministry. He loved the ministry, he loved his staff which he believed was an extenuation of his own family... Caring for family first was foremost to laying a rock-solid foundation to ensuing a genuine love for the people who looked to the ministry for help in their time of need. Larry's compassion was so evident. His Radio Listeners could not see him, but could feel, his concern and even his tears for them.

Prior to his death, Larry founded the Larry Burkett Foundation®. The Larry Burkett Foundation® accepts donations to help needy individuals through and promoting organizations such as The National Christian Foundation®, Atlanta, Georgia and Helping Hands Ministries, Inc, Tallulah Falls, Georgia,. Please send your tax-exempt donation to:

Larry Burkett Foundation® 
1330 Old Woodbine Rd NE 
Atlanta, GA 30319-1040

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars On the road to debt free!!!, April 18, 2000

By 

C. Whitmore "Southerngurl" (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Debt-Free Living: How to Get Out of Debt and Stay Out (Paperback)

A blessing, a blessing, a blessing!!! This book truly blessed me in more ways than one. It made me take a true look at my issues of debt. Larry Burkett has the great ability to show you where scripture applies to debt and that there is a way out! He also confirms that the Bible is a "living" word and applies to things of the past, present and future. I praise God for this book and the author. I'm buying the workbook now!

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very profitable reading., April 15, 2005

By 

A. Hunyady - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Debt Free Living (Paperback)

I really liked this book. It is a classic book for those who are interested in managing their finances according to Biblical principles, and for those who have landed themselves into debt. Larry Burkett teaches biblical principles of debt-management by telling stories... stories collected over years of counseling thousands of struggling individuals and couples. Some of the previous reviewers have said that these stories are just anecdotal scare-tactics, but the intriguing thing is that I see highly-educated people around me making the same "anecdotal" mistakes with their finances (and reaping the consequences). Americans (in general) have no clue how much house they can afford, etc. and regard debt as a necessary evil... or even as a good thing. This book helps you to see debt in a more balanced light, and is highly recommended to anyone who struggles in this area.

As you can see by some of the other reviews, if you're not a Christian, you'll probably get hung up on some of the biblical principles: such things like keeping your word even when it costs you money, family leadership principles, living within your means, and the husband-wife relationship. So if you're not a Christian, I would suggest taking a serious look at the Bible (by studying what it says) and then compare it to the principles in this book. I think you'll find that the Bible is reliable and timeless in its guidelines for finances just as it is for every other area of life.

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book can help you save your marriage!!, August 31, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Debt-Free Living: How to Get Out of Debt and Stay Out (Paperback)

This is a great book on how to handle the debt you've accumulated and avoid falling into the same traps that led you there in the first place. It is great for those experiencing the marital stress that can be caused by "not making enough money." The solution is clear. More money will not solve the problem, only self-discipline and wise money management can help.

It is a good book to scare you into using the principles and guidlines Burkett offers in "The Complete Financial Guide for Young Couples" which despite it's name is great for the single and the married, and it is certainly not only for the young.