Debt-Free by 30: Practical Advice for the Young, Broke, and Upwardly Mobile (Paperback)

~ (Author), Karl Cluck (Author)
Key Phrases: debt pyramid, debt each month, overdraft protection, Sallie Mae, American Express, New York City (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In their 20s and way over their heads in debt (despite having good educations and comfortable jobs), Jason Anthony and Karl Cluck did something about it. Now they're Debt-Free by 30, and offer practical advice for the young, broke and upwardly mobile in a book that's as slick as it is solid. Most books about managing debt make for dry and guilt-ridden reads. Here readers (even those over 30) can cheer up and take charge of decisions about credit, health insurance, financing a car, where to bank and spending money.
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Anthony and Cluck start with the premise that, even with comfortable salaries and good jobs, young people today enter adulthood already in debt. There are student loans, postgraduation moving expenses, car costs, security deposits, credit card-financed household furnishings, etc. They also complain that none of the personal money management books currently available address this problem. Anthony is a freelance personal finance Web consultant, and Cluck is an associate creative director at an entertainment brand agency. Together they have already eliminated $27,000 in debt of their own and now they want to show others how to do the same. Anthony and Cluck's tips are, in fact, your father's--and mother's--standard financial advice disguised by the duo's hip delivery. It will catch off guard those who may be resistant to earnest sermons about budgeting and financial planning. There is even a chapter hinting that it is cool to be frugal, with suggestions for "cheap dates," recipes for eat-in meals that replace restaurant fare, and a listing of Web sites where one can avoid "paying retail." David Rouse
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Plume (January 2, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0452282136
• ISBN-13: 978-0452282131
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #242,715 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #22 in	Books > Business & Investing > Personal Finance > Money Management for Young People
  #78 in	Books > Business & Investing > Personal Finance > Credit Ratings & Repair

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Practical, easy to read and down right funny, June 10, 2001

By	Sheri O. Zampelli "Author & Podcaster" (LA, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

My chances of becoming debt-free by 30 have passed. However, as I perused the aisles of my local bookstore in search of a common sense book about getting out of debt, this one was clearly the winner. The book is filled with common sense advice on how to cut expenses and prepare for the future. It's all outlined in an easy-to-read fashion and delivered with a witty sense of humor. The authors offer a variety of on-line resources which I promptly accessed as I read through the chapters.

Prior to reading the book I was sure I had analyzed my budget completely and was paying off as much of my debt as possible. However, after reading some of the stories and examples in the book, I reworked my figures and discovered an extra $200 a month I can contribute to debt-reduction.

Anthony and Cluck have a "come on, you can do it" attitude that makes debt reduction seem a little less painful. I sure wish I had this book when I was twenty-something. However, with a little motivation I was able to establish my own debt-free day which will be well before I'm 40. Some of us take longer to learn. Wherever you are on your debt reduction efforts, this book can help.

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The stuff you wish they had taught you in college..., January 30, 2001

By	Sarah M "smelnyk" (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

For a subject that can potentially be as taboo as it is lethally boring... this book rocks. Q: What 24-year-old that has a social life would actually enjoy reading a finance book on a Saturday night? A: The one that has this one on their coffee table. I am a twentysomething who isn't in horrible debt, but I find myself mysteriously living paycheck to paycheck. Debt-Free By 30 doesn't talk down to me in the least to get a clue about some basic and not-so-basic money strategies, so that someday I may graduate to scary "adult" money (stocks, Roths, etc.) that celeb financial people are always writing boring books about. I'd recommend this book to anyone in my age bracket who is in debt or just needs to find ways to hold on to more of their hard-earned money. And even if you're not in debt, this book's still a trip to read.

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Simple advice and realistic situations, January 17, 2001

By A Customer

It is great to finally find a financial book that dispenses advice for people whose paychecks hover around $20,000 annually. So many people in their 20's are like those in the book -- over-educated, under-employed and in-debt as a result. This book speaks to us. My friend and I spent about 2 hours in the bookstore going over the advice in this book (we plan to buy it--when the budget allows). Some of it was common sensical but worthy of reiteration, and all of it was presented very realistically. This book covers taxes, car insurance, student loans, 401k plans, etc. I would definetely recommend it to anyone who is, as the authors put it, stumbling towards 30 one minimum payment at a time.