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The Recovering Spender – A Practical Guide for Taking Control of Your Money

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Do you work for your money or does your money work for you? I talk to my kids about this a lot because I want them to understand the power (and dangers) of money. Money provides many things we need and that make our lives better. It also has the power to derail our happiness if we use it irresponsibly or don’t manage it well.

a graphic with text reading Our values are reflected in how we spend our money

I recently met an amazing woman named Lauren Greutman from I Am THAT Lady who shared her inspiring story with me. She was an out-of-control spender who racked up over $40,000 in debt and managed to pay it all off and take control of her money. Through her Financial Renovation course she’s helped her “students have paid off over $250,000 worth of debt and put over $50,000 in savings accounts.” After much prodding from her loyal following, she’s finally published a book about her journey called The Recovering Spender. In my opinion, it’s a must-read for EVERYONE.

a lady holding papers next to a kitchen counter with more papers on it with title text reading The Recovering Spender

Who Should Read The Recovering Spender?

The book is written to help those whose spending is out of control and for those who are married to them. Unlike other finance and budgeting books, Lauren’s story is so relatable. She is astonishingly candid in the book, bravely exposing her personal aspirations to impress others, be seen as successful, and embarrassed to admit mistakes. As I was reading it, I thought to myself that some of the thoughts she reveals are ones I am sometimes even ashamed to admit to MYSELF when I have them. Why would she open herself up and be so vulnerable? Because she truly wants to help others!

“It was difficult for me to open up, but I felt it was well worth it for my readers.  I wanted the book to be so open and honest that anyone could feel like they could relate.” – Lauren Greutman

ocean water with text overlay reading I know first hand what it's like to be one of those consumers drowning in debt

If you feel like you are drowning in debt, The Recovering Spender is your lifeline. Every thought you’ve had, Lauren has thought too. Every doubt you’ve had, she’s had. Every guilty feeling you’ve experienced? Lauren lived through it too. You CAN turn your life around because she did and she’s going to walk you through how she did it. The best part is – she tried everything else. All that other budgeting advice that hasn’t worked for you? There’s a reason why, and she’ll help you understand it. She’ll help you into recovery where you’ll become creative and turn money management into a fun endeavor.

mountains with trees on them and the sky with text overlay reading A recovering spender learns to think creatively and loves financial challenges

If you’re a devoted saver who happens to be married to a spender, this book is even more important for you. Lauren gives you a peek inside the mind of a chronic spender. Much like other addictions, the behavior is illogical to outsiders. Until you understand why the spender you love can’t simply stop, you won’t be able to help him or her. The Recovering Spender helps bridge this gap. I’m certain that the sage advice provided in the book will save many marriages that would otherwise fail due to the financial stress. You can build a stronger marriage as partners, once you understand one another.

a graphic of a wallet on fire with text overlay reading to the average sue, keeping a debit/credit card handy may seem like a good thing, but to a spender it's like playing with fire

What If Out-of-Control Spending Isn’t a Problem in my Family?

In my family, my husband is more of a shopper and I’m more of a saver. However, I didn’t feel like either of us was extreme in our behavior. And yet, reading this book inspired us to do a complete overhaul of our finances. We realized that we were being sloppy with our finances, and consequently, wasting a lot of money! Even though I do annual check-ups on our finances as part of my annual get organized effort, we routinely go out to eat on a whim or drop extra items in the cart at the store. After reading The Recovering Spender, my husband and I sat down and went over our finances in detail, set up goals and action plans, and established a weekly meeting time to review and adjust.

a white text bubble on a green background with text reading do you know what day your bills are due? do you know how much money is in your bank account right now

I love having this one-on-one time with my husband that is solely devoted to planning for our family’s happiness and future. I also like the example we are setting for our children as we do it. So, even if financial stress isn’t tearing your marriage or life apart, The Recovering Spender is full of ideas and inspiration to align your money management with your personal values.

money with text overlay reading it's really about the vision, emotions, and values behind what you are doing with your money

I know it seems counter-intuitive to spend money on a book to help you save money, but I promise you that if you read The Recovering Spender and put its advice to work, you will get more than your money’s worth! If you’re an out-of-control spender, this book is life changing (and I don’t use that term loosely).

38 thoughts on “The Recovering Spender – A Practical Guide for Taking Control of Your Money”

  1. Seems like it would be really handy for me and also to loan to my parents who I inherited the habit from. I’ve been working on rehabbing my financial situation and this book sounds helpful.

    Reply
  2. I want to win this book because it looks like it has some valuable information in it. I know that I spend emotionally and buy things on impulse to make me feel better.

    Reply
  3. I would love to win this book for a friend of mine please. It looks amazing and helpful. kristiedonelson(at)gmail(dot)com Thank you for this giveaway!

    Reply
  4. We are working on our debt free plan and getting a little burned out. I found Laura’s site and have become a big fan. Love her style of relating to us and enjoy the podcasts.

    Reply
  5. I want to win a copy because I have taken on my son’s student loan so he doesn’t end up destitute because he choose to go to college. I want to win this book because I need guidance on how to get myself out of debt before I retire, I want to win this book because my grandchild derves to see more of her parents instead her parents always working.

    Reply
  6. Believe it or not, my husband and I are nearing retirement age and it scares me to think of what is ahead. We have not used the best judgement financially, and I’m looking forward to learning how to reinvent ourselves.

    Reply
  7. I would love a copy of this book because my husband and I are working on creating and sticking to a budget, decrease our spending, and pay off credit card debt.

    Reply
  8. This book would be helpful to our family meeting our goals. One part of that is to curb spending on things that we do not truly need.

    Reply
  9. As the parent of a college student I am on a tight budget and buying new books is not a “need” right now. I would love to win this book and learn how to keep our finances fit and on the right track!

    Reply
  10. I would love to win! I have read Dave Ramsey’s “Money Makeover” book, and we really try to only use cash, but we keep falling back into using credit cards and then continuously playing catchup to pay them off! I am a huge fan of Lauren, and her Aldi meal plans have helped us tremendously! I would love to read her book! Thanks for the chance to win!

    Reply
  11. Sounds like an amazing and useful book for so many parents that need help with their budgeting. I’d love to provide the winning copy to a family that I know that is struggling due to a layoff. Thanks for the giveaway!

    Reply

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