You're Broke Because You Want to Be: How to Stop Getting By and Start Getting Ahead [Hardcover]

Larry Winget (Author)

Book Description

Release date: December 27, 2007

Now in paperback: The New York Times bestselling author and star of A&E?s reality series Big Spender, Larry Winget, cleans up America?s personal finance crisis

More than 40 percent of families today are feeling financial pressure: spending more than they earn, and worrying about retiring and being dependent on the government, family, or charity. Larry Winget knows. He grew up poor, then made and lost a fortune when a business in which he?d invested went bankrupt. But he worked his way back from rock bottom to become a multimillionaire.

In You?re Broke Because You Want to Be, Winget expands on the ideas that have made his popular television show Big Spender a hit and offers straightforward talk about coming to grips with your finances, such as:

· Feel bad. Have remorse. You need to feel deep emotion to take action. So start crying and take responsibility.
· Figure out who you owe and how much you owe. It?ll be a scary number to face, but you need to know where you are and what you have.
· ?People are stupid, lazy, or they don?t give a damn.? You already know you need to do something; Larry will help you finally do something.
· Are you more interested in looking cool and being cute or providing a financially secure future for your family? How you spend your money will tell you that. With a boot-camp regimen that is steeped in personal accountability, Winget cuts through the double-talk contained in most finance books and presents a simple, guided program that is sure to motivate anyone out of their money problems.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Larry Winget is a great guy—he’s tough, talks straight, and has a big heart. Read this book if you need a good kick in the butt!”
—Robert T. Kiyosaki, investor, entrepreneur, teacher, and author of Rich Dad Poor Dad

“Go Winget, go! Larry tells it like it is (in his trademark style), and gets in your face to make you FACE your financial reality (or lack thereof). Stop thinking and acting broke, and get with his program. It can change your life.”
—David Bach, author of the #1 New York Times bestsellers The Automatic Millionaire and Start Late, Finish Rich --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Larry Winget is one of the country’s leading business speakers and a member of the National Speakers Association Hall of Fame. He is the author of the New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestsellers You’re Broke Because You Want to Be and It’s Called Work for a Reason!, and the Wall Street Journal and BusinessWeek bestseller Shut Up, Stop Whining, and Get a Life.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Gotham (December 27, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1592403344
• ISBN-13: 978-1592403349
• Product Dimensions: 5 x 0.9 x 7.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (158 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #174,377 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #54 in Books > Business & Investing > Personal Finance > Credit Ratings & Repair

More About the Author

Larry Winget (Paradise Valley, AZ) is known as "The Pit Bull of Personal Development." Larry is one of the most successful speaking professionals in the country today and the author of five bestselling books with in-your-face titles like Shut Up, Stop Whining, and Get a Life; It's Called WORK for a Reason; You're Broke Because You Want to Be; People are Idiots and I Can Prove It and Your Kids are Your Own Fault. Larry teaches universal principles that work for anyone, in any business, at any time, and does it through simple examples, understandable, easy-to-implement ideas.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

65 of 74 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book, Great Material, Great Writer! January 9, 2008

By Robert L. Stinnett VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

When is the last time you sat down and read a book cover-to-cover without stopping? That is just what I did the other day when I got home and found Larry Winget's book waiting for me from Amazon. In "You're Broke Because You Want To Be..." Larry Winget uses this in your face style of self-help coaching to let you know that there is a way out of this debt hole you are in. Given the current state of the economy, this book couldn't have come out at a better time.

Larry puts it on the line and basically says that all of us have the power to make our lives better and stop the financial bleeding if we want to -- and you know what he is right. He states, for example, to get off your rear end and stop watching television and take a class or learn something new to help advance your career which helps you earn more money. He's dead on in that regard -- I personally stopped watching the idiot box over 2 years ago and started taking night classes towards an MBA. It has helped me more than I could ever have imagined.

The problem with this book is that most people, just as Larry says, won't want to do what he tells you to. They don't want to give up their cable TV, they don't want to get a 2nd job to pay off the bills, they don't want to stop eating out every other day. They just want a magic bag of money to drop into their lives. Well wake up folks, it isn't going to happen. The theme of this book can best be describes as "It's All About You!" -- YOU have to sacrifice to get out of the hole and if you aren't willing to or don't want to make tough choices then save your money and don't buy the book and continue living in your financial nightmare.

After reading this book I got the extra "boost" I needed to continue working my 2nd job (my own small business) to help it grow even more. My goal is to be debt free by the beginning of 2009 and I know I can do it -- I got my shot of reality from reading this book. Now I'm ready to hunker down and make it happen!

25 of 27 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic Book on Managing Money! January 2, 2008

By William Jenkins

Format:Hardcover

Why is this book different? First, it gives you a proven, simple step-by-step process to dramatically improve your financial situation. None of those fancy, complicated theories are included. Instead, the techniques in the book are very specific and you can begin applying them immediately. Second, this book will actually inspire you to start taking action right away.

Don't just "skim over" the book hoping for that one-sentence "magic pill" that will make you rich and famous without any effort. That "magic pill" doesn't exist. The simple fact is this book WILL work for you if you READ IT and DO IT.

Of course, there are always those people who will never take personal responsibility for their financial problems. They'll complain about their physical problems or say how their husband was raked over the coals by his ex-wife's lawyer. Their excuses are endless.

Larry confronts ALL excuses head on. It's fairly easy to find people who have experienced extreme hardships and yet still able to become financially successful. He even gives some very inspiring and detailed examples in this book.

Here are the three steps to follow if you want to improve your financial situation:

1. BUY the book.
2. READ the book.
3. DO what the book recommends.

Another reviewer mentioned the excellent video download you'll receive without cost when you buy the book. I totally agree with her. The download video is an extremely valuable supplement. You might even feel the download video is worth many times the price of the book.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Hard nosed truth January 23, 2008

By John Chancellor TOP 500 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

This book is no different from Larry's other books. He tells it like he sees it without pulling any punches. Larry is an in your face, Dutch uncle that tells you what you know to be the truth but don't want to hear.

There are no real secrets to getting out of debt and getting ahead. Just like losing weight requires you to eat less and exercise more, getting even financially requires you to spend less and earn more. It is as simple as that.

If you truly want a guide to achieve a financially sound life, this book is a great start. But do not look for an easy way out or some magic bullet. Larry is a very straight shooter and does not sugar coat any of the medicine. The book gives very straight-forward steps to get control of your finances, get out of debt and get ahead.

The book is well written and easy to read. He gives some very good exercises for the reader to do that will certainly get you on the road to financial freedom. However as he makes it clear very many times, it will not be easy. It probably took you a long time to get where you are and you will not get out of debt overnight. It takes work and discipline.

If you truly want a no-nonsense guide to getting your financial life straight, this would be a good book for you to read and follow the instructions. If you are looking for a quick fix or a secret method, look elsewhere.

Larry finishes the book by giving five examples of his friends who all started with little or nothing and made it big. There are some common threads among their stories. It is a path anyone can follow if they put everything they have into getting ahead. It is simple but not easy. As Larry points out, most people are too lazy to really follow his advice.

Even if you don't have financial problems, it makes a good read and you probably can think of someone to give it to.