Getting a Life: Real Lives Transformed by Your Money or Your Life [Illustrated] [Hardcover]

Jacquelyn Blix (Author), David Heitmiller (Author), Joe Dominguez (Introduction), Vicki Robin (Introduction)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 1997

This companion to the bestselling Your Money or Your Life--considered to be the bible of the mushrooming "voluntary simplicity" movement--explains how the authors have gradually transformed their lives over the past six years by using the program.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Jacqueline Blix and David Heitmiller are a married couple who grew determined to downscale their fast-track world after reading the revolutionary bestseller Your Money or Your Life. Now self-described "reformed yuppies" who have been following that book's nine-step program of voluntary simplicity since 1991, they relate their experiences--and those of more than two dozen others--in Getting a Life. A dynamic companion to the work that spurred them to action, Blix and Heitmiller's book is packed with inspiring anecdotes as well as practical suggestions for transforming frantic, materialistic behavior into a slower-paced, more fulfilling existence.

From Library Journal

Many Americans are caught up in what the authors term "affluenza?the disease of the '90s," working hard at jobs to pay for "stuff" they ultimately have no time to enjoy. The authors, a married couple formerly employed by large corporations and living lavishly, explain how they found more meaning to their lives by following a nine-step program devised by Vicki Robin and Joe Dominguez in their Your Money or Your Life (LJ 8/92). (The authors were chosen by Robin and Dominguez to write this companion volume.) The program advocates "voluntary simplicity" and is designed to downscale one's lifestyle to reach financial independence by recognizing just what is "enough." The difference between the two books is that the newer one profiles individuals who have successfully followed the program. Parents will find a chapter on teaching frugality to children most helpful. Well recommended for public libraries.
-?Bellinda Wise, Nassau Community Coll. Lib., Garden City, N.Y.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 364 pages
• Publisher: Viking Adult; illustrated edition edition (October 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0670870498
• ISBN-13: 978-0670870493
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.3 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,182,635 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars good book but too yuppy for a poor artist like me, July 6, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Getting a Life: Real Lives Transformed by Your Money or Your Life (Hardcover)

I loved YMOYL and hoped this book would be as good. While I did learn a few things, I wished they had spent more time talking about others and less time talking about themselves. They were typical rich yuppie types with more money and stuff than they knew what to do with. The poor things have $9,000 a year in IRA interest alone besides the number of other investments they had. Not to knock having money, but I'm a starving artist type that had never bought into the yuppie dream. I would have liked to maybe hear about someone like me or more about people with lots of debts that need ways to get out from under them. (thankfully, I have no debts). :) It just seemed like they needed two books, one for the yuppies with lots of money, who suddenly become socially aware and want to divest themselves of their things, and one book for people who are naturally frugal, or poor, or in debt. If you're in the last category, this book won't appeal to you as much.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars excellent book, shows that you still can have a decent life, September 14, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Getting a Life: Real Lives Transformed by Your Money or Your Life (Hardcover)

I really enjoyed this book. It deals with two middle class people who lived a typical american lifestyle. they had high paying high stress jobs, a beautiful home and lots of toys. They decided to trade in the overconsumption lifestyle for a more fullfilling and more simple life without a paycheck and stress from employment. If you are looking for how to get by on $600 a month, this book will disappoint you (see other reviews below). The authors live on $3000/month which may seem outrageous if your current standard of living is half of that. Their lifestyle includes more than the basic necessities such as food and shelter to stay alive. They go on vacations and trips, have hobbies, own an economy car, go out for dinner occasionally, live in a normal house in a decent neighborhood, read the newspaper etc.. Their life is simplified but still includes most comforts and some luxeries of today's society. Living more simply does not mean deprivation to them, but removing clutter (especially "stuff") from their lives and focus on what they enjoy in life and have TIME. The book goes into detail on what kind of life they lead, standard of living etc. and detailed financial balance of their $3000/month budget. I would only not recommend reading this book if you plan to lead a complete bare bone life or if you are in a very low income segment. The only criticism I have is that they do not think inflation is an issue. Although that may be the case for some basic food items and electronics, I think the ever increasing healthcare premiums will skyrocket as you get older.

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Some good info, but annoying, April 3, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Getting a Life: Real Lives Transformed by Your Money or Your Life (Hardcover)

After I read this, I was left with a pretty sour taste. A lot of the book is taken up with "See how rich and extravagant we were, and now we're on the YMML program and see how wonderful we are", definitely not the kind of story I want to read if I'm stuck in debt trying to get out.