From the money nerds behind the award-winning Stacking Benjamins podcast, a new kind of personal finance book to get your house in order.
Rich. Wealthy. Well-heeled. Moneyed. Affluent. Not bad--but why not get Stacked instead? If you've ever dreamed of a basic philosophy of money that'll help you live bigger, be bolder, and laugh harder, you need this book.
In these uncertain times, the basics matter more than ever. But for most of us, concepts such as investing, budgeting, and getting out of debt just don't float our boats (or 150-foot yachts)--and so we put them off longer than we should. Joe Saul-Sehy and Emily Guy Birken are here to tell you that personal finance can be a lot more fun than you think. (No haberdashery, maritime knowledge, or specialized flatware required.)
Learn about everything from side hustles, to hiring a legit financial adviser, to planning for emergencies, to what's new and exciting--and actually worth your time--in financial apps and software. If you're looking for the same old get-rich-quick clich�s, avocado toast shaming, or alphabet soup of incomprehensible financial terms, you won't find them here. Instead, Saul-Sehy and Birken take you step by step along the way to financial success, with their signature blend of shrewd financial information and wacky humor.
I get wanting to bring in humor and make finance more accessible, but this book doesn’t quite hit either mark. Sometimes it works, but the humor is often distracting rather than complementary, resulting in a lot of passages that are not as clear as they should be. Was looking for a straightforward and engaging finance book that I could give as a gift to the youths, but the search continues.
Great book especially for a beginning investor or someone new to finances. Not a lot of new information for people who are fairly well versed in finance but still a fun read.
This is solid, comprehensive basic personal finance advice told in an irreverent, accessible style. It covers all of the major pillars of financial health--goal-setting, budgeting, income, investments, insurance, estate planning, etc. Each section includes action steps and exercises as well as interviews with various people relevant to the topic at hand. This saves it from being a dull, dry wall of text.
This would be a great gift for a teen/young adult just starting out, or anyone who needs the fundamentals of personal finance explained in a relatively painless way. Frankly, any book that can make you chuckle while explaining the finer points of living wills is worth picking up!
Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review!
This humorous book helped me become more familiar with financial concepts I wish I learned more about in school. Some chapters went a bit over my head since the topics discussed were rather new to me, but I'm glad I got the exposure to them (this is why I gave the book only three stars. If I were older and more financially established, I may have given a higher rating). I particularly appreciated the little actionable checklists the authors put at the end of each chapter - it helped translate what they said into real steps.
A funny, common sense approach to teaching the fundamentals of money management, with great, practical advice on how to set yourself up for long term financial stability and success. I’d recommend this savvy personal finance guide to readers looking to get their financial house in order—and, in time, to get stacked!
Want to understand your money better, but dread reading boring books about personal finance? Time to pick up Stacked. It covers everything you need to know to build wealth without acting as a sedative. It's always easier to learn while laughing, and this book builds on that principle by teaching you money lessons with fun anecdotes, clever word play, and dick jokes.
2.5 For the content and information I would give this 4 stars. For presentation and enjoyment it would be a 1. The humour was tedious and grating. I can't recommend the audiobook. The physical copy wouldn't be as bad as you can just skip all the nonsense (though I don't believe any of the details are actually unique to this book so what would be the point). I guess one benefit of the audio is that there's several clips from their podcast which seems like it would be good depending on the guests but I wouldn't be listening for the author's humour or personality. I don't know how many times I told Joe's mom to Fuck off (sorry Joe's mom) and rolled my eyes at the whole 'print your badge, have your parents sign and date it, and hang it on the fridge' bullshit at the end of each chapter. It felt so fake and the nerd references didn't feel genuine. In the synopsis it says this: Learn about everything from side hustles, to hiring a legit financial adviser, to planning for emergencies, to what's new and exciting--and actually worth your time--in financial apps and software. --- but while it does go over hiring an advisor in depth and raises some really good conversations about estate planning, wills, insurance, etc for emergencies I don't think it had anywhere near enough on side-hustles or financial apps. I think there was maybe a sentence on robo-advisors (which is something I really wanted more info on).
Solid personal finance book, and great for readers needing a refresher. I also like the humor and funny way they approach topics, BUT if you’re someone pretty familiar with personal finance segment, this may not provide that new approach you might be looking for.
Another book about finance except this one is based on a podcast with the same name. There are some good tips in here but there are too much transcript of the podcast used as example and makes this feel like a promotional material.
I finished this book quickly, partially due to skimming some pages. I understand the intent was to make finance topics digestible and “fun” but i felt this missed the mark. I like both authors and will continue listening to them as podcasters but this writing was not top notch.
Unlike most personal finance books, this book truly covered everything from soup to nuts, though only occasionally with some detail.
I liked the goal setting example, which would be useful for both short term financial goals (such as a new gizmo) and longer term goals, such as the the down payment on a house; a car; and, retirement.
I wasn't thrilled with the interview format; they were a bit snoozy. That is, until I got to David McKnight's. He discussed the value of paying taxes now vs later -- now being when income taxes are historically low (and not likely to last). For that reason, he touted Roth conversions now. Also, he pointed out that SS income is taxed for most people, and by lowering other income, you can often avoid that taxation. I had to think for a bit on that one. The lightbulb went on for me again: get as much as possible into not-taxable accounts (such as Roth IRAs) so what you're drawing doesn't count as income -- and require taxation on SS income.
The tax schedule on p268 left off the fact that we all get exemptions from income: singles get to exempt (deduct from gross) over $12K, and marrieds over $25K in 2021. So, singles who earn $10K (the example) don't actually pay federal income taxes. Sixty-one percent of Americans don't pay *any* federal income tax.
I disagree with the idea of there being an opportunity cost to having a paid off mortgage. That'd be like saying paying off a car with a low interest low makes no sense (albeit cars depreciate rapidly). The point of having absolutely no debt -- besides the incredible sense of relief and freedom it provides -- is that you have a lot more to invest. Plus, if you are laid off OR are retired, you have fewer expenses if you're mortgage-free. I don't know if that came up in the book -- how smart it is to pay off your mortgage before retirement -- because I skimmed a bit.
I loved the chart on investment growing season; it was a great visual. I also really appreciated the section on saving vs. investment. That needs to be beat into people's heads! Earning 1-2% interest is going backward. It is pitiful how many people don't understand compound interest.
Lastly, I would expand the advisor section. My own recent experience is that most want 1% of managed assets per year. That may be OK for some; I find that ridiculously expensive for confident investors who wouldn't gain much. I am more interested in an advisor who would charge $200-$500 an hour for advise.
I've read a lot of money books in my time, mostly for professional reasons. At some point one might ask oneself, "Do I need to read one more?" But I am SO GLAD I picked this one up on audiobook. For one thing, the authors narrate it, and Joe is not only hilarious, but imbued with the kind of energy that makes things as dismally dreary as insurance and financial advisors shockingly interesting. There's a reason his podcast is so popular. For another, the interviews in the book are excerpted from the podcast, and you get to hear those snippets in the interviewees' own voices in the audiobook.
So that's an endorsement for the format. But also? Every time I read a new money book I learn something new. Or at the very least, I learn a new way of thinking about money that hadn't occurred to me before. And getting lessons repeated in a way that resonates with me just... helps. Everyone's learning style is different. And for those who like their money management a little absurdist, a lot self-aware, and with joie de vive (FRENCH WORD ALERT), this is the right book.
I think my biggest takeaways from this one were as follows:
1. Cheap does not mean better or even inexpensive. This goes for money products like brokerages along with everything else. Low fees are fine and all... but are you actually getting good returns? You get what you pay for after all. 2. "Stacking" really is the right verb for building wealth. You have to accumulate wealth from the bottom up, building yourself a solid foundation before you can leverage more debt, take bigger risks for bigger rewards. Don't skip the fundamentals first. 3. A lot of money nerds put a big emphasis on habits and mindset. Which is great!... but you absolutely need to use those things to take practical, actionable steps. Having a growth mindset does fuck-all if you're not using it to ask for a raise, collect new clients, or apply to higher-paying jobs.
Anyway I dug it. But I'm already a fan of the Stacking Benjamins podcast and Joe and Emily in general, so maybe I'm biased. It's delightfully nerdy and fun.
I'm not sure why, but I love reading books on personal finance. The advice rarely changes except for the rare books that have links to cutting-edge apps, so the material is largely the same from book to book. This means that presentation is the key to setting a book apart. This book sets itself apart with humor and with expert interview transcripts from the Stacking Benjamins podcast.
Stacked: Your Super-Serious Guide to Modern Money Management is funny. It takes the math of financial management seriously, but everything else is a big goof, like the author Joe Saul-Sehy. He and his writing partner, Emily Guy Birken, use colorful metaphors to make personal finance make sense. My favorite example from the book is the concept of marginal tax rates, a topic that is dry and which most people fail to understand. In a matter of two paragraphs, Saul-Sehy and Birken manage to make the mechanism colorful and clear.
Although this book would be an ideal read for a college or just-out-of-college young person, it's certainly applicable to just about anyone (in the U.S.) up through the pre-retirement period. The focus is on fixing one's finances (getting clarity, reducing debt, managing credit) and stabilizing them (investing, risk management/insurance, estate planning).
It would be great to see this pair write a similarly explanatory and amusing book about financial issues for older adults — more expanded estate planning discussion, Social Security, Medicare, etc. I'd love to see them give a similar treatment to all of the complex, eyes-glazing-over issues, like health insurance, blockchain, NFTs, etc.
This book does a good job covering the basics of a wide range of financial topics. It feels more geared towards a younger audience who's just getting their financial journey started, but the reality is the information they cover is relevant to everyone. The material they cover is solid; the depth of each topic isn't that deep, but the number of topics they cover seem rather wide.
The part of the book that I personally didn't appreciate was their attempt at humor. I found it to be distracting and honestly tiresome. How many "dad jokes" do we have to endure before we can get the crux of the topic they are trying to cover? For some, this will be welcomed and entertaining, but for me I just found it too annoying to be enjoyable.
However, don't let this stop you from giving the book a read, especially if you are new to the finance world and want a resource that lays a solid foundation for getting you started.
This wasn't a laugh-out-loud-funny kind of finance book, but it was lighthearted and entertaining while still relating some serious info. It was a quick read and while I don't think I learned anything new, I did reimagine some of my old strategies and created a small to do list of things to change. Such as, perhaps instead of putting away as much pre-tax dollars as I can into the supplemental account I have at work, maybe I should cut back a little. Yes, it will slightly increase my taxable income at the end of the year, but I think I can handle a small increase.
But with the extra money I'll be bringing home, I can then open a Roth IRA and put it there instead. I'm still contributing just as much to retirement, but I'm doing it with a different mix of pre-tax and after tax dollars. Which is always good for retirement. A mix is good! Options are good! Having an account that doesn't have a required minimum distribution is good!
Do you find yourself constantly avoiding conversations about money?
Let today be the day that ends and embrace the steps to put yourself in the best financial position.
Co-host of the award-winning Stacking Benjamins podcast, Joe Saul-Sehy and Emily Guy Birken are here to take you step by step along the way to financial success, with their signature blend of shrewd financial information and wacky humor.
Their new book, Stacked: Your Super-Serious Guide to Modern Money Management is the book for you if you are seeking a new kind of personal finance book and want to live bigger, be bolder, and laugh harder than ever!
Learn everything from side hustles, to hiring a legit financial advisor, to planning for emergencies, to what’s new and exciting + worth your time in financial apps and software!
I know he is trying to keep it entertaining by providing cheesy references to pop culture but I found myself getting irritated and skipping the corny jokes and references just to get to constructive parts of the paragraphs. When we spend money to read a book on investing, we don’t our time wasted reading inserted jokes within the main event. This book is also extremely overloaded with unnecessary words.
This book didn’t really teach me anything new compared to the one other financial investing book I read. But it was a decent perspective and re-enforced what I learned from the other book. I would say there was pretty general and not as specific compared the other finance book I read. However, repetition is not a bad thing.
Saya lupa kenapa tertarik membeli buku ini. Tapi buku ini bukan tipe buku yang saya sukai. Ternyata, saya yang super serius tidak begitu suka buku yang diselipi banyak humor. Pembahasan dalam buku ini sebenarnya cukup berat, namun cukup lengkap. Bukan sekadar personal finance, namun memang lebih dalam mengenai money management (sebenarnya sesuai judul buku). Bukan tipe buku yang begitu saya rekomendasikan, meski ya lumayan juga. Pada dasarnya isi buku ini agak mirip-mirip juga dengan buku finansial lain yang saya baca dengan gaya bahasa dan penulisan yang mungkin saya lebih sukai. Jadi, saya belum menemukan nilai tambah dari buku ini untuk direkomendasikan dibandingkan dengan buku lainnya. Maaf.
I got a lot out of this book! I was interested in learning more about the basics of having a brokerage account, understanding types investments (mutual funds / index funds, ETFs, and REITs), and just knowing how to make my money work for me while avoiding any unnecessary fees. All of that was in here! Some reviewers mentioned the authors might be too goofy with their tone, structure, metaphors, jokes, etc..., but I really didn't mind it. I'm mostly an upbeat, funny person-- especially when caffeinated, so I felt at home. I'm finishing this book with a ton of useful notes, and I feel significantly more capable of becoming an investor! Huge win!
not complete, not sufficient, not deep. but still a wonderfully approachable guide to personal finance that can really help folks who feel aversive and complicated about it. like (im embarrassed to say) me.
I’m grateful i stumbled into it and i have a whole checklist of investment and insurance optimizations to look into now. a valuable quick read if you don’t know where to begin with personal finance.
The humor became annoying and overbearing. It was very difficult to stay engaged. I wanted to love this book but the attempts at humor fell flat, and felt outdated. Like my grandpa doing stand up. I’ve never wrote a book review before but this was just so bad. Worst personal finance book I’ve ever read, and I’ve read over 50.
It’s clear that the authors were passionate about financial literacy and they seemed to genuinely want to help people. It was entertaining, but not wildly informative. If nothing else - and this is a bit harsh sounding - it was just background noise. Sure, worthwhile to listen to, but not much different from a podcast, and I’m just not that into podcasts.
It was ok.. touched a lot of topics for retirement and money management. Got into to much post retirement stuff like wills, trusts , insurance , Medicare , etc .. the humor was mildly annoying at times , and I really didn’t come away with anything new here. It was pretty much regurgitating others. No real tools or tips here that were ground breaking.
You know I love money books! Often times there is similar advice in money books but I like to check them out and it’s always good to get a reminder how important it is to think about the future. This was a good one, and the audio was done well! If you like some humor when you are leaning, I recommend this one!
Joe and Emily do a great job of diving into all the topics for personal finance. I love the interviews that were included in the book. They make a topic most people don't want to talk about and make it entertaining.
I normally do not read non-fiction but I really enjoyed this book. I flew through it and learned so much. And learning is always easier and more fun when there are Star Wars jokes involved. Five stars, two thumbs up and I’ll be buying copies for all the young people in my life.
I appreciate what they are trying to do here by making complicated concepts easier with humor. But I almost wish there was a little more focus on certain areas and they had split up the parts into two books.
It was an okay book. It seemed more interested in being funny that giving advice. They are very vague in the advice they give. Still they include the basics of money. I do enjoy that they included scripts from people the interviewed in the podcast.
Very helpful if you know absolutely nothing about finance. The humor gets old quite quickly. I could have gone without it the last 90% of the book. I am pretty shocked at the mere whisper of a mention to index investing. The push for single investments was quite surprising.