The Total Money Makeover: Classic Edition: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness Hardcover – September 17, 2013

I have read dozens of finance books and this is one of the best. I would put it up there with Automatic Millionaire, Rich Dad Poor Dad, and Pirates of Financial Freedom. It isn't perfect though which I will talk about later.

Who is this book for? Everyone can benefit from it, but it is great for married couples and those in their late 20s, 30s, and early 40s. Young adults could benefit tremendously from it, but I'm worried it might not be exciting or fun enough to hold their attention. It's not really meant for retirees.

--- The Good ---

* He says financial freedom is 80% behavior and 20% knowledge which is so important, and he emphasizes this by pointing out there are a lot of broke finance professors.

* There are many real-life success stories of real people which shows his method works, and they also provide inspiration.

* He lays out his seven Baby Steps and makes them simple to understand. He points out that living right financially is not complicated. It may be difficult, but it's not complicated.

* I really liked the quote, "If you worked for a company called YOU Inc. and you managed money at YOU Inc. the way you manage your own money now, would you fire you?"

* The book includes helpful budget forms and worksheet in the back of the book.

* He isn't all gloom and doom. He wants you to have fun and even approves of buying a $30,000 watch, but only after you reach step seven and can afford it.

--- The Not-So-Good ---

* He doesn't go into a lot of detail on how to increase your income. Dave Ramsey is rich because he is a business owner who can make money from his radio show, books, seminars, programs, etc. It would have been great to get his advice on that, but he probably didn't want to overwhelm the reader with too many topics.

* I feel his previous bad experience with debt (he was over-leveraged with his real estate investments) has made him overly zealous on not having any debt. College loans can be very appropriate for some people, business loans can be great in the right situation, and his statement that you should put money toward paying down debt rather than getting the company 401(k) match seemed too extreme to me.

* The book wasn't super entertaining. I found a few parts to be a little dry and repetitive. While it certainly wasn't boring, I wish more money management books would be like the new personal finance adventure novel, but I guess that isn't this book's purpose. Still, there were a couple parts that made me chuckle and he did have some interesting stories.

* He stressed putting 100% of your investments in stock-related mutual funds. First, I feel ETFs are probably better than mutual funds because they are cheaper and won't underperform the market. Second, recommending a 100% stock portfolio to everyone regardless of age, financial goals, or risk tolerance seems risky to me. Plus you wouldn't experience the diversification benefit of owning non-correlated asset classes.

* He doesn't talk about the benefits of setting S.M.A.R.T. goals or having an accountability partner, which have been shown to greatly help people achieve all kinds of dreams.

--- Conclusion ---

Overall it is a very good book with a lot of good advice and inspirational case studies. You certainly won't regret reading it.

Good book. Life changing! In 4 months, I paid off my car loan, all credit cards and doctor bills!!! About $6,000 total. I increased my credit score to a 747. Started at a 660.

This is a great read. I think it's a must-read for everyone who wants to be in control of their finances. Ramsey gives great advice and spells out how to become financially free. He explains commonly believed ideas and why they are wrong. Not only that, he provides alternative solutions. For example, I had always been told when I was young to apply for credit cards in order to start building my credit. I would love to see this book adapted into a high school course that would teach teenagers great financial habits so that they can get a head start in life. Highly recommend. Good, easy reading with a ton of information.

This book is amazing. I'm still working through it, but what I've learned so far is truly life-changing. Highly recommend for anyone from a teen learning about money, to an older couple that might have not learned the best ways to manage finances. Goes to show that it's never too late to make a positive change in your life when it comes to money. Love it!

Need to get out of debt and want to become a millionaire? Dave Ramsey has the plan if you are mentally ready to change your life, make sacrifices and take charge of your money. Anyone can do it....be brave enough to take the challenges Dave teaches us in this phenomenal book.

This is all the wisdom that my dad tried to teach me, but I had to learn the hard way. Our culture makes debt so easy, so commonplace, that I used to think my dad was just stingy and out of touch for saving up and buying things for cash. But if I start thinking of all the money I have paid in interest and fees over the years, it makes me sick to my stomach. No more! Dave's system is helping me set my priorities straight, be okay with not having every new car, new toy, and new blu-ray movie that comes out. You really want to get ahead? Stay out of debt. This book not only explains the how, but the why. I haven't even finished it and my perspective has completely changed. I can't wait to be debt free! My credit stinks, and I don't care! When I'm done, I won't need my credit! Who else is teaching this, besides Dave? Well, Dave and my dad.

BTW, I got this on Kindle. It is a little confusing, because the little "quote highlights" and the success story anecdotes are interspersed into the text without the formatting of the book. But you get the point pretty quick, as long as you're aware that's happening.

This came in good condition and the price was fairly low. As far as the content, I just started it, but it’s inspirational and helping us really consider getting her finances in order

I LOVE this book as well as the Guide to Money. I have learned sooo much from Dave Ramsey. Yes, it's all common sense, but reading it and applying it is difficult for most people and this book helps to get you on a plan (budget) that will ultimately (if you stick with it) help you reach your financial goals. I would recommend this book to anyone with any kind of debt. Great read, funny, informative...I couldn't put it down!