Vicki Robin and Joe Dominguez are considered pioneers of the so-called “Financial Independence” movement. In Your Money or Your Life, they show you in an entertaining and practical way how to fundamentally rethink your relationship with money and lead a more fulfilling, independent life.
The book asks a central question: What matters more to you – your money or your time? It’s not just about saving money, but about understanding how work, consumption, and quality of life are connected – and how unconscious spending can actually diminish our satisfaction.
The authors guide you step by step through a system of nine clear rules. You’ll learn to honestly track your income and expenses, calculate your “real hourly wage,” and convert your spending into units of life energy. Practical tools – like the classic expense tracker – help you regain an overview: You’ll suddenly see how much of your lifetime you’re trading for things you might not even need.
The book is written in a very accessible way, and the step-by-step instructions are practical – though admittedly, putting them into practice requires quite a bit of discipline. Numerous anecdotes from people who managed to escape the rat race, along with many practical examples, make the theory tangible and easy to apply to daily life.
A recommendation for anyone who not only wants to get their finances in order, but also wants to live more consciously – provided they’re willing to consistently document their income and expenses.
🎧 Suitable as an audiobook? Yes – the clear structure and many practical examples make it easy to follow even on the go.
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