Customer Reviews

Debt Free Living

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

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!

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.

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.

Debt-FREE Living is not so much a "how-to-get-out-of-debt" manual as it is a "change-your-mindset-about-money" type of book. The book basically takes you through the stories of several couples' struggles with debt from the reasons they got into debt to how they eventually got out. It is written from a Christian perspective, so much of the advice is based upon the author's interpretation of key scriptural texts regarding money and debt.

While much of the information is good so far as it goes, it is often too general in nature to be of great use to those who are really seeking (and needing) specific advice. From the subtitle of the book, "How to get out of debt and stay out" some prospective buyers may get the impression that this is a "how-to" book--that is, that it will run through an exhaustive list of specific things they can do to get out of debt. Unfortunately, that is not the focus of the book. It does, however, have very good information on personal bankruptcy should you be contemplating that particular option, and it also comes with SnapShot Gold debt management software which should make the book/CD ROM combo worth the price.

This book is written from a Biblical perspective and non believers will find it hard to follow Larry Burkett's advice to tithe (give away 10% of your income to church or charity), one of the most important secrets for achieving financial independence. It also has a wealth (!) of information for people who are close to caling it quits before deciding on bankruptcy. And to the reviewers who found the stories corny, I can only say that any of these scenarios could easily happen to anybody who is less than savvy about their finances (80% of the general population?). I didn't give this book 5* because I wished there had been more information on how to whittle away at credit debt, and some of the optimal housing costs recommended totally ignore the reality for people living on the Northeast coast of the US (The West Coast proably, too!).

This book is a masterpiece that should be required reading. It is written simply and makes its point clearly. If this book doesn't motivate you to get out of debt, nothing ever will. But more importanly, this book will get you started toward that goal.

This is a great book to bring spending habits into "reality". The book has helped me tremendously and given me hope. I wish I had read this YEARS ago! It should be required reading in schools - young adults need to know these principals before they get in trouble with debt.

This book was the best financial planning book I have ever read. It had real life situations that helped out alot. I didn't realize how much in debt I was until I read this. I didn't have a problem with making payments and even paying extra on them. But I never planned for a disaster or loss of a job. If you spend a couple of years paying off your debt, that is years of happiness just knowing you don't others money. This book helped me realize this. Thank You Larry Burkett for this and all of your other books, God was really with you during your writting.

This book is full of good examples of how people get into debt and showing what you options are once you are there. The software is also helpful in showing how to use the "snowball" method of getting out of debt. But a guide to better budgeting or basic budgetting would be helpful here as well. As is pointed out, some of this can be attributed to the fact that many families don't budget properly so a budgetting software tool or guide on top of the information given would be the most effective tool.

This is a really good book concerning financial issues that face almost everyone.

Larry Burkett's easy-to-read advice is truly a blessing to the Christian community, and I highly recommend it. God does not want our lives to be financially unstable. The different couples in this book and the situations that they suffer through allow the reader to see how finances can spiral out of control.

The advice in this book is solid. It is not a get-out-of-debt-fast magic book. It is a book written by a man who understands the drastic changes in the way society sees debt. We have been bombarded with a "get it with credit if you can't afford it" attitude.

People who truly want to stop accumulating and accepting debt as just a fact of life now have a book to get them started on the road to financial freedom.

Stop the insanity of just paying off one loan with another loan, buy Burkett's book and get started on the road to financial happiness.

See ya next review!