Synopses & Reviews
How happy would you be if you had all the money in the world? The universal lament about money is that there is never enough. We spend endless hours obsessing over our budgets and investments, trying to figure out ways to stretch every dollar. We try to follow the advice of money gurus and financial planners, then kick ourselves whenever we spend too much or save too little. For all of the stress and effort we put into every choice, why are most of us unhappy about our finances?
According to Laura Vanderkam, the key is to change your perspective. Instead of looking at money as a scarce resource, consider it a tool that you can use creatively to build a better life for yourself and the people you care about.
For instance, the average couple spends $5,000 on engagement and wedding rings, making these pricey purchases largely because everyone else does. But what if you decided to spend $300 on rings and apply the rest to future date nights, weekend getaways, and thinking-of-you bouquets over the next ten years? In he long run, what would bring more joy to your marriage? Likewise, will owning a home with a pristine lawn and a two-car garage—the American Dream—really make you more satisfied? Or are you saving up for this investment just because financial planners tell you it’s worth it?
Vanderkam shows how each of us can figure out better ways to use what we have to build the lives we want. Drawing on the latest happiness research as well as the stories of dozens of real people, Vanderkam offers a contrarian approach that forces us to examine our own beliefs, goals, and values.
Among her advice:
- Laugh at the Joneses: It’s human nature to compare yourself to those around you, but you can create lifestyle hat rings you personal satisfaction without copying your neighbors.
- Give yourself the best weekend ever: Studies show that experiences often bring more pleasure than material goods. With a little planning and creativity, you can give yourself a memorable getaway without leaving town or going broke.
- Embrace the selfish joy of giving: Giving back not only helps you build karma, it also helps you build a community—which is much more fulfilling than a tax deduction. All the Money in the World is a practical and inspiring guide that shows how money can buy happiness—if we spend it wisely.
Review
“Money is one of the most complex, emotionally charged issues within the larger subject of happiness. In this engaging and thought-provoking book, Laura Vanderkam explains how we can get the most happiness bang for our buck--right here and now, in the way we live our ordinary lives.”
-Gretchen Rubin, author of The Happiness Project
Review
“
All the Money in the World offers a total rethink on personal finance. Instead of prescribing the same-old hard-to-follow rules, Vanderkam encourages you to take your own values and goals into account when it comes to saving and spending. It is packed with creative ideas on how to get more, spend less, and most importantly, better use what you have. This book shows you that it’s not dollar signs that are standing in the way of what you want in life.”
-Adelaide Lancaster, author of The Big Enough Company
Review
“Bravo! Laura writes another thoroughly-researched and thought-provoking book! Whether you're an extravagant spender, a frugal coupon-clipper, or anywhere in between,
All the Money in the World will challenge your longheld financial beliefs and practices. This book is guaranteed to make you think long and hard about how to allocate your money to bring you true fulfillment.”
-Crystal Paine, founder of MoneySavingMom.com
Review
“With extensive research and rare insight, Laura Vanderkam reveals the financial mindset that can lead to lasting happiness.”
-Zac Bissonnette, author of Debt-Free U
Review
“In this engaging and thought-provoking book, Laura Vanderkam explains how we can get the most happiness bang for our buck, right here and now, in the way we live our ordinary lives.”
—Gretchen Rubin, author of The Happiness Project “If you have been awake for the last five years, then you know money is emotional. Most of the time we make these massively important decisions about how to earn it, spend it, and save it without pausing to think about how these decisions affect our lives. Laura Vanderkam brings a fresh dose of common sense to this madness by urging us to step back and reexamine the role money plays in our lives. Unlike most personal finance books, which leave you feeling stressed,
All the Money in the World will empower you to live a truly richer life.”
—Carl Richards, author of The Behavior Gap: Simple Way to Stop Doing Dumb Things with Money
“With extensive research and rare insight, Laura Vanderkam reveals the financial mind-set that can lead to lasting happiness.”—Zac Bissonnette, author of Debt-Free U and New York Times bestseller How to be Richer, Smarter, and Better-Looking Than Your Parents
Synopsis
A contrarian guide to using your money to create the life you want.
In her last book, 168 Hours, Laura Vanderkam showed that when we really consider how we spend our time, it turns out we have more than we realize. Now she proves that the same is true for money. No matter how much we earn, there are smarter ways to apply every dollar toward the things that matter most.
For example, the average couple spends $5,000 on engagement and wedding rings, with little thought to resisting peer pressure. But what if they decide to spend $300 on rings and apply the rest to future date nights, weekend getaways, babysitters, and thinking-of-you bouquets? What would give more satisfaction in the long run?
Drawing on the true stories of individuals and families who've reached financial fulfillment, Vanderkam argues that perhaps money can buy happiness, if we spend it wisely.
Synopsis
How happy would you be if you had all the money in the world? The universal lament about money is that there is never enough. We spend endless hours trying to figure out ways to stretch every dollar and kicking ourselves whenever we spend too much or save too little. For all the stress and effort we put into every choice, why are most of us unhappy about our finances? According to Laura Vanderkam, the key is to change your perspective. Instead of looking at money as a scarce resource, consider it a tool that you can use creatively to build a better life for yourself and the people you care about. Drawing on the latest happiness research as well as the stories of dozens of real people, Vanderkam offers a contrarian approach that forces us to examine our own beliefs, goals, and values.
Synopsis
Three powerful mini e-books about high productivity, now together in paperback
Laura Vanderkam has combined her three popular mini e-books into one comprehensive guide, with a new introduction. It will help readers build habits that lead to happier, more productive lives, despite the pressures of their busy schedules. Trough interviews and anecdotes, she reveals . . .
- What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfastto jump-start the day productively.
- What the Most Successful People Do On the Weekendto recharge and prepare for a great week.
- What the Most Successful People Do at Workto accomplish more in less time.
Synopsis
From the bestselling author of What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast, powerful insights from 1001 actual days in the lives of high-achieving women. Balancing work and family life is a constant struggle, especially for women with children and ambitious career goals. Itand#8217;s been the subject of countless books, articles, blog posts and tweets in the last few years, and passions run high in all directions.
Now Laura Vanderkam, the acclaimed time management expert, comes at the and#147;having it alland#8221; debate by asking a very practical question. Given that we all have the same 168 hours every week, how do people who do have it alland#151;women with thriving careers and familiesand#151;use those hours? When you study how such women fit together the pieces of their lives, like tiles in a mosaic, the results are surprising.
If you work 40 hours and sleep 56 (i.e. 8 times 7) that leaves 72 hours for everything else. Vanderkam explains how her subjects use those and#147;everything elseand#8221; hours; why we work less and have more free time than we think; why itand#8217;s a myth that successful women get too little sleep; and how women can have demanding jobs, spouses, and kids, and still enjoy a healthy amount of downtime.
She shares the time-logs from 1001 days in the lives of women who make at least $100,000 a year and still make time for their families and friends, for sleep and exercise, and for leisure activities they love. Based on what she learned from the patterns in those time-logs, she provides a framework for anyone who wants to thrive at both work and life.
Synopsis
Three powerful mini e-books about high productivity, now together in paperback
Laura Vanderkam has combined her three popular mini e-books into one comprehensive guide, with a new introduction. It will help readers build habits that lead to happier, more productive lives, despite the pressures of their busy schedules. Trough interviews and anecdotes, she reveals . . .
- What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfastto jump-start the day productively.
- What the Most Successful People Do On the Weekendto recharge and prepare for a great week.
- What the Most Successful People Do at Workto accomplish more in less time.
About the Author
LAURA VANDERKAM is the author of What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast, All The Money In The World, 168 Hours, and Grindhopping. She is a frequent contributor to Fast Companyand#8217;s website, and a member of USA Todayand#8217;s Board of Contributors. Her work has also appeared in The Wall Street Journal, City Journal, Scientific American, Readerand#8217;s Digest, Prevention, and other publications. She lives with her husband and three children outside Philadelphia.