The Money Book for Freelancers, Part-Timers, and the Self-Employed: The Only Personal Finance System for People with Not-So Regular Jobs [Paperback]

I am a CPA who works principally with the self-employed. I just finished reading "The Money Book for Freelancers, Part-Timers, and the Self-Employed: the only personal finance system for people with not-so-regular jobs." I recommend it for anyone who feels their finances are mysterious or out of control or who suffers from a variable cash flow.

It's a nice little book, compactly throwing in nearly every lesson I would want my clients to have as a foundation. It talks about fixed monthly expenditures and how to get more aware of the monthly discretionary expenditures. It talks about the need to address savings AND debt repayment at the same time while keeping in mind that quarterlies are a fact of life. It talks about basic tried and true budgeting methods like using the envelope method but updates it to the 21st century with references to Get Rich Slowly, mvelopes.com, mint.com, irs.gov and online banks.

The strength of this book is that there is no hook. It's just the plain unvarnished truth laid out in a well-written readable fashion. You have to set up your finances as a self-employed person in essentially this way, with very little variation possible. Essentially, if you are not already doing this then you're doing it wrong. This book could serve as mandatory financial literacy for anyone who has a variable cash flow. As such, it could be enormously important to someone who hasn't figured this all out yet... like, say, anyone in business who doesn't happen to already be a financial advisor themselves.

I could find a few things to add to this, but nothing to take away. And the things I could add are things that a reasonable editor might cut for brevity or to keep me from sounding too insane a Doomster. But that's okay, this means that I can still add value to my clients even AFTER they've read the core of my teachings that this book neatly lays out.

Whether you're living off an unemployment check, disability or found household items auctioned off on E-bay this book is for anyone trying survive in the hard times of today's economy. The authors point out the little known fact that everyone on the planet is working for ourselves, our families and our futures. How we spend and how we save IS within our control.

Even if you are drowning in debt or simply trying to eat less in order to afford health insurance this book, written from the perspective of two freelance writers and authors who for years have practiced what they preach, offers hope. Hope that we can make ends meet even when clients are late paying us, we can survive on part time or permalancing(contract-based) income. I like that the authors let our checking account be referred to as our Spending account and all we need to commit to saving is a mere 10 % (divided three ways to an emergency account, retirement and a cushion for when the tax man comes calling.)The authors also help us to draw the line between our wants vs. needs and encourage us to put our goals and dreams into action even while we are still paying off our credit card debts.

With useful tips sprinkled throughout and detailed charts and lists this book is resourceful and encouraging to anyone wondering if they can do what they love, make a comfortable living and still plan for their future. I highly recommend this book!

Let me first say that while I am an author, I do not know the authors of The Money Book personally. So, this is not a "friendship" recommendation. I write this review because I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this book and I encourage all freelancers, self-employed people and people who are even thinking about starting their own business to buy The Money Book and take action on its contents!

How I wish this book had been available when I started my own business 11 years ago! Mr. D'Agnese and Ms. Kiernan lay out a step by step plan to keep the entrepreneur fiscally fit. While most financial books are written for the person with a regular paycheck, this book gives those of us with irregular incomes a plan of action for saving money, getting and staying out of debt,realizing dreams, and keeping our businesses (and lives) financially sound.

Anyone who is in business for themselves long enough knows that the joy of being your own boss also comes with the burden of being completely responsible for generating the paycheck. When the cash is flowing - life is great! When it's not (and there are always times when it's not) life is terrifying, stressful, and not at all what you dreamed being self employed would be like. The beauty of the plan in this book is that it works with your cash flow! If you put it to work right now, you'll be ready for those lean times because you'll have the money to get through them. I've learned it's not how much money you make - it's how much you keep. The Money Book shows you the best way to start keeping more of your money. And...It's chock full of financial resources you may have never heard of that can help you grow the money you do make!

If I had read this book 11 years ago I might have saved myself a lot of heartache and sleepless nights. How grateful I am to have found it now! It's an easy, fun read - I devoured it in 2 days! In the next two days I took immediate action and am already in a better financial position than I was before I read the book!

I can't recommend The Money Book enough. If you are a self-employed person - or a person who is thinking about going into business for yourself - buying this book may be the best money you ever spent!

Donna Cutting
Author of The Celebrity Experience: Insider Secrets to Delivering Red Carpet Customer Service