Customer Reviews

The Total Money Makeover: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness

5 star:		(29)
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Dave Ramsey is not interested in your excuses. His Total Money Makeover begins with planting the responsibility squarely on your own shoulders for rescuing yourself from the debt addiction most Americans carry. He doesn't ever try to make it sound easier than it is, but the book does outline in wonderful detail the steps to go from paycheck to paycheck worry over bills to saving and retiring without financial worries. As Ramsey puts it "If you'll live like no one else today, you can live like no one else tomorrow". The book is so compelling I read it in a day, something rare for me. You will go from building an emergency fund to paying your debts, increasing your emergency fund, paying for new acquisitions with cash, establishing savings, investing, building college funds and finally paying off your home and retirement. Dave Ramsey has truly thought of it all. As he points out, there are a whole lot of broke financial experts, he himself has been a self made millionaire twice. His words will work if you follow them.

A two-tape set that takes less than 3-hours to complete. 7 detailed steps to get you 100% debt-free, (including your mortgage), build an emergency fund, fund college, and fund retirement. 97% of Americans over age 65 can not write a check for $600. If you want to be in the other 3%--get this tape!

I was honored enough to meet Mr. Ramsey and he was honored to leave me a copy of his book to read. I went home, read it front to back and our lives have changed...we are no longer paycheck to paycheck, this book and all of its contents have changed my life and marriage for the better. This did not come without sacrafice...living on beans and rice for 2yrs...gave us the life we long dreamed of. For example, our paid off car broke down and was $1200 to repair 4 weeks later our dog got sick $600.00. Being debt free...all that had to happen was move around some paychecks and dip into our EMERGENCY FUND. Paid CASH for these two bills...What a concept! Read this book open minded & it WILL change your life...

I read another review stating that the plan was not in the book. I do not understand this review... obviously someone who did not read it or both reading the chapter titles. Things like "save $1000 fast" really don't need much more explanation. Dave says that he is not advocating anything new or intellectually challenging, it is just difficult. He walks very meticulously through the steps for getting out of debt his way: stop using debt, get a mini emergency fund set up, pay down your debts in the debt snowball... which he explains in concept why it works and practically how it is done, building the emergency fund to full 3-6 month funding, retirement and college saving, further wealth building, and beyond. If I can glean all of this from the book, the whiners about this being full of nothing have not done their homework or have another motive in their review. Dave is also very clear about the fact that his book is very motivational, not a book about math and strategic nuances. How many other books offer a "read this before buying" section to tell you what to expect? I guess the credit card companies, debt collectors, and other industry experts who thrive on America's debt addiction do not view this as a sound resource. All the more reason to buy it, learn it, live it, love it!!!

Halfway through this book, I knew that my life was going to change. I found myself in many of the categories described, and I got great advice. You are given a step-by-step plan that tells you exactly what to do to make a better life for yourself, and I realized... after doing things my way for so long with bad results, why not try this way?? I got nothing to lose. Everything makes sense in this book when you think about it, everything is so straight forward that makes you think why didn't I ever see things this way before?? Love the book, easy and fast to read, love the author. Finished the book the same day I got it, the next day I ordered his other book 'Financial Peace' because I just needed to hear more.
This is a must book in every household, but you really have to be prepared to go Dave's way. Great book to give as a gift as well, this is the best thing you can do for somebody that's having financial difficulties, even better than giving them $5000... seriously.

He is a superb human being, and the world would be a better place with more humans like him. His plan is really easy, but requires "gazelle intensity" to follow without a doubt. People can't believe I do not own a credit card. I always believed they were like stealing...shoplifting! Thank you Dave Ramsey!

Dave Ramsey has a wonderful message in this book, "Live like no one else, so later you can live like no one else." If you apply his principles to your life, you will get out of debt, achieve wealth, and be able to give to worthy causes. This book is super easy to read and understand. Enjoy!

This is an excellent book if you are looking to get out of debt! Dave Ramsey is very motivating and helps you to take baby steps so you can get excited about your accomplishments. It's easy to read and comes with great examples.

My husband and I have been married for 16 years and for the first time in our married life together we can say that we have no credit card debt, and soon will have no car payments either. We owe this accomplishment to Dave Ramsey and ALOT OF HARD WORK. This is not a get-rich-quick or get-outta-debt-easy book. If you are looking for that, you need to check out the science fiction or fantasy section. This is a get real, look in the mirror, you created this mess, book. If you are really serious about changing your financial health, and really serious about doing what it takes to get out of debt, then this is your answer. It is not easy, and you must be willing to put pride aside and work the plan. Are you willing to trade in that expensive car for a beater? Are you ready to stop eating out and start cooking? Are you ready to live on a budget that doesn't include designer clothes or designer coffee or acrylic nails? Are you ready to live on LESS than you make? Do you understand that if you can't afford to pay cash for it, then you can't afford it? OUCH!!! If you are sick and tired of being sick and tired, then read the book and give it a try. We did and I cannot explain how wonderful it feels to be free from Chase, Citibank, and Capital One. Soon, we will be moving on to setting up our emergency fund and financially planning out the rest of our lives and it is AWESOME!!!!!!

I Give this book to the young people I know who are just starting out in life. The concepts in this book can save adults who are drowning in Debt but if a young person can understand the futility and fatality of the Debt Cycle and see the powerful potential benefits of saving and sacrifice multiplied by years, you can truly build wealth over time that will lift you far far above the Joneses!