I recently listened to this book on audio for the second time. For my hsuband’s Christmas present, he asked all of our adult children and me to read/listen to it and 20 of Dave’s podcasts. He gave us the deadline of this birthday, which just happened. I am happy to report that I completed the gift. I enjoy listening to Dave, whether to his podcast, or his books, because I always feel a supreme sense of order. This is “core phase” for adults. I always feel encouraged and organized by listening. It’s always fun to play “what will Dave say?” as I listen. I hear the caller’s scenario and predict how Dave will reply, and usually I’m right or pretty darn close. I’ve called in and been on his show twice but that’s another blog post for another day.

This book is what inspired me to start our own Total Money Makeover. Which was a long time in coming. I “read” (really listened to it) on audio, borrowed from the public library, in the spring of 2012. It took us awhile to get serious about the principles, but we finally applied them starting in January of 2016, and then got debt-free in June of 2019.

This book is so wonderful! I give it five out of five stars! If you are in debt, I highly encourage you to read/listen to it. Even if it seems impossible or overwhelming because of all your debt, just listen or read to it and you will plant the seeds. They might take a long time in bearing fruit, as it did for us, but it will be worth it in the end!

You will learn why debt is so bad, how to get out of debt, and how to stay out of debt. The audio is extra fun because you hear it narrated by Dave himself so you hear all of his passion for avoiding debt!

Borrow it from your library on CDs or get it free in digital format using Scribd.

Here are some great quotes from the book:

“For your own good, for the good of your family and your future, grow a backbone. When something is wrong, stand up and say it is wrong, and don’t back down.”

“Change is painful. Few people have the courage to seek out change. Most people won’t change until the pain of where they are exceeds the pain of change.”

“You must walk to the beat of a different drummer. The same beat that the wealthy hear. If the beat sounds normal, evacuate the dance floor immediately! The goal is to not be normal, because as my radio listeners know, normal is broke.”

“Years ago, in a motivational seminar by the master, Zig Ziglar, I heard a story about how mediocrity will sneak up on you. The story goes that if you drop a frog into boiling water, he will sense the pain and immediately jump out. However, if you put a frog in room-temperature water, he will swim around happily, and as you gradually turn the water up to boiling, the frog will not sense the change. The frog is lured to his death by gradual change. We can lose our health, our fitness, and our wealth gradually, one day at a time. It might be a cliché, but that’s because it is true: The enemy of ‘the best’ is not ‘the worst.’ The enemy of ‘the best’ is ‘just fine.’ ”

“The typical millionaire lives in a middle-class home, drives a two-year-old or older paid-for car, and buys blue jeans at Wal-Mart.”

“Someone who never has fun with money misses the point. Someone who never invests money will never have any. Someone who never gives is a monkey with his hand in a bottle.”

Disclosure: the link to Scribd is my affiliate link. If you sign up for Scribd, you can get two free months. The cost is the same for you and I get another free month. If you are a bibliophile like I am, you will love it! It gives you unlimited access to thousands of audiobooks and books in text format, more so than Audible. I have Audible too and love both platforms. Often I can find a lot more of what my children are reading for their homeschool subjects/classes in scribd than in Audible. I can also get sheet music, documents, magazines, newspapers, and picture books in Scribd. I can also get all the Little House books in audio and text, and many other read aloud chapter books for the kiddos, that I see recommended on readaloudrevial.com, on Scribd. I hope you sign up and enjoy it!