The Money Book for Freelancers, Part-Timers, and the Self-Employed: The Only Personal Finance System for People with Not-So-Regular Jobs [Paperback]

Joseph D'Agnese (Author), Denise Kiernan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 2, 2010

This is a book for people like us, and we all know who we are.
 
We make our own hours, keep our own profits, chart our own way. We have things like gigs, contracts, clients, and assignments.  All of us are working toward our dreams: doing our own work, on our own time, on our own terms. We have no real boss, no corporate nameplate, no cubicle of our very own. Unfortunately, we also have no 401(k)s and no one matching them, no benefits package, and no one collecting our taxes until April 15th.
 
It’s time to take stock of where you are and where you want to be. Ask yourself: Who is planning for your retirement? Who covers your expenses when clients flake out and checks are late? Who is setting money aside for your taxes? Who is responsible for your health insurance?
 
Take a good look in the mirror: You are.
 
The Money Book for Freelancers, Part-Timers, and the Self-Employed describes a completely new, comprehensive system for earning, spending, saving, and surviving as an independent worker. From interviews with financial experts to anecdotes from real-life freelancers, plus handy charts and graphs to help you visualize key concepts, you’ll learn about topics including:
 
• Managing Cash Flow When the Cash Isn’t Flowing Your Way
• Getting Real About What You’re Really Earning
• Tools for Getting Out of Debt and Into Financial Security
• Saving Consistently When You Earn Irregularly
• What To Do When a Client’s Check Doesn’t Come In
• Health Savings Accounts and How To Use Them
• Planning for Retirement, Taxes and Dreams—All On Your Own

Editorial Reviews

Review

“‘The Money Book’ lays out the key issues for workers who don't have benefits. It hits on the major themes of saving regularly, planning for retirement, and managing your taxes when you, the worker, are ultimately responsible. Its conversational tone makes it easily accessible for readers who aren't inclined to read about how to crunch numbers and budget.”
—Associated Press


"The Money Book" is an indispensable survival guide that belongs on the desk of every independent worker who is willing do whatever it takes to achieve success.
— Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
“Through trial and error, veteran freelancers D'Agnese and Kiernan worked out a money-management system that allowed them to save for emergencies and retirement, pay off debt, buy benefits, cover their taxes and survive the droughts in business that seem an inevitable part of working for yourself.
They convey all this in a book that's irreverent and hugely entertaining.”
—MSN Money

“Developed from the personal experiences of the authors, this book is fun and relevant, with no other recent work quite comparable. Recommended for anyone who is self-employed now or is facing a new work-life situation.”
—Library Journal

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Three Rivers Press; Original edition (March 2, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0307453669
• ISBN-13: 978-0307453662
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.7 x 8.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #69,500 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you are not already doing this, you are doing it wrong., November 10, 2010

By 

Gwendally "Dally" (Western MA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Money Book for Freelancers, Part-Timers, and the Self-Employed: The Only Personal Finance System for People with Not-So-Regular Jobs (Paperback)

I am a CPA who works principally with the self-employed. I just finished reading "The Money Book for Freelancers, Part-Timers, and the Self-Employed: the only personal finance system for people with not-so-regular jobs." I recommend it for anyone who feels their finances are mysterious or out of control or who suffers from a variable cash flow.

It's a nice little book, compactly throwing in nearly every lesson I would want my clients to have as a foundation. It talks about fixed monthly expenditures and how to get more aware of the monthly discretionary expenditures. It talks about the need to address savings AND debt repayment at the same time while keeping in mind that quarterlies are a fact of life. It talks about basic tried and true budgeting methods like using the envelope method but updates it to the 21st century with references to Get Rich Slowly, mvelopes.com, mint.com, irs.gov and online banks.

The strength of this book is that there is no hook. It's just the plain unvarnished truth laid out in a well-written readable fashion. You have to set up your finances as a self-employed person in essentially this way, with very little variation possible. Essentially, if you are not already doing this then you're doing it wrong. This book could serve as mandatory financial literacy for anyone who has a variable cash flow. As such, it could be enormously important to someone who hasn't figured this all out yet... like, say, anyone in business who doesn't happen to already be a financial advisor themselves.

I could find a few things to add to this, but nothing to take away. And the things I could add are things that a reasonable editor might cut for brevity or to keep me from sounding too insane a Doomster. But that's okay, this means that I can still add value to my clients even AFTER they've read the core of my teachings that this book neatly lays out.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars So glad I found this book!, April 23, 2010

By 

PurpleSong "Thriver books" (Northeast, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Money Book for Freelancers, Part-Timers, and the Self-Employed: The Only Personal Finance System for People with Not-So-Regular Jobs (Paperback)

Whether you're living off an unemployment check, disability or found household items auctioned off on E-bay this book is for anyone trying survive in the hard times of today's economy. The authors point out the little known fact that everyone on the planet is working for ourselves, our families and our futures. How we spend and how we save IS within our control.

Even if you are drowning in debt or simply trying to eat less in order to afford health insurance this book, written from the perspective of two freelance writers and authors who for years have practiced what they preach, offers hope. Hope that we can make ends meet even when clients are late paying us, we can survive on part time or permalancing(contract-based) income. I like that the authors let our checking account be referred to as our Spending account and all we need to commit to saving is a mere 10 % (divided three ways to an emergency account, retirement and a cushion for when the tax man comes calling.)The authors also help us to draw the line between our wants vs. needs and encourage us to put our goals and dreams into action even while we are still paying off our credit card debts.

With useful tips sprinkled throughout and detailed charts and lists this book is resourceful and encouraging to anyone wondering if they can do what they love, make a comfortable living and still plan for their future. I highly recommend this book!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best Money You Ever Spent, March 14, 2010

By 

Donna Cutting (St. Petersburg,, FL United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Money Book for Freelancers, Part-Timers, and the Self-Employed: The Only Personal Finance System for People with Not-So-Regular Jobs (Paperback)

Let me first say that while I am an author, I do not know the authors of The Money Book personally. So, this is not a "friendship" recommendation. I write this review because I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this book and I encourage all freelancers, self-employed people and people who are even thinking about starting their own business to buy The Money Book and take action on its contents!

How I wish this book had been available when I started my own business 11 years ago! Mr. D'Agnese and Ms. Kiernan lay out a step by step plan to keep the entrepreneur fiscally fit. While most financial books are written for the person with a regular paycheck, this book gives those of us with irregular incomes a plan of action for saving money, getting and staying out of debt,realizing dreams, and keeping our businesses (and lives) financially sound.

Anyone who is in business for themselves long enough knows that the joy of being your own boss also comes with the burden of being completely responsible for generating the paycheck. When the cash is flowing - life is great! When it's not (and there are always times when it's not) life is terrifying, stressful, and not at all what you dreamed being self employed would be like. The beauty of the plan in this book is that it works with your cash flow! If you put it to work right now, you'll be ready for those lean times because you'll have the money to get through them. I've learned it's not how much money you make - it's how much you keep. The Money Book shows you the best way to start keeping more of your money. And...It's chock full of financial resources you may have never heard of that can help you grow the money you do make!

If I had read this book 11 years ago I might have saved myself a lot of heartache and sleepless nights. How grateful I am to have found it now! It's an easy, fun read - I devoured it in 2 days! In the next two days I took immediate action and am already in a better financial position than I was before I read the book!

I can't recommend The Money Book enough. If you are a self-employed person - or a person who is thinking about going into business for yourself - buying this book may be the best money you ever spent!

Donna Cutting

Author of The Celebrity Experience: Insider Secrets to Delivering Red Carpet Customer Service