Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

My Money Journey is a refreshing break from the typical “how-to-get-rich” financial books. Instead of offering a step-by-step guide, it presents a collection of 30 personal essays from individuals across different careers, each sharing their unique path toward financial independence. Some are already there, others are still on their way, but all are candid about their wins, regrets, and lessons learned.

I appreciated the honesty and vulnerability throughout these stories. Money is often such a taboo topic, and seeing people open up about their mistakes and triumphs made the book feel grounded and relatable. It’s encouraging to realize that financial missteps are common, and it’s never too late to pivot and build a more secure future.

That said, this book may not be the best fit for readers looking for concrete financial advice or actionable tips. If you’re already familiar with the core tenets of saving early, investing consistently, and living within your means, there’s nothing particularly new or groundbreaking here. The strongest value lies in the variety of perspectives—some stories are more inspiring than others, and I did find myself skimming through a few that didn’t resonate.

One of the most compelling themes was the regret some contributors expressed about being too frugal. It’s a perspective we don’t often hear in FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) circles, and it was refreshing to read reflections that balanced financial discipline with the importance of living life fully.

Overall, this book is more about mindset than methods. It’s a thoughtful, honest collection of experiences, and worth picking up if you enjoy learning from others’ journeys. While it didn’t necessarily offer solutions to my financial concerns, it did leave me reflecting on the long game—and that’s still valuable.

The most insightful part of this book is the foreword, in which the editor recognises the white, male dominance of the world of money and wealth. He claims that the thirty stories in this collection are unique, but they actually aren’t very unique. Most of them start out with some privilege (even if it is living in a time where you can actually afford a house), and mostly ends with some kind of stock/fund/investment. At the beginning, it’s almost inspiring, but it becomes too much and too repetitive, and eventually feels unattainable. Also, very American-centric, so less helpful to me as a non-American reader.

Really enjoyed reading how everyday folk have achieved their wealth in different ways and what they would have done differently in hindsight. For example, the first section of the book is the stories of 'Fierce Frugality' and some sacrificed a lot to reach their goal at a early age and now look back wishing they had maybe not been so frugal and lived a little. I makes you think about what you want out of life instead of just aiming for a certain figure.
The other sections are 'Family First', 'Slow and Steady', 'Winding Paths', and 'Risk and Return'.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harriman House for the review copy of this book.

Good book to read on a cost evening especially if you are up to learn from others. There is a collection of stories from thirty people which can teach you many ways of gaining financial independence. Each story is unique and down to the ground, it provides an overview of the given situation, showcases circumstances and how the characters made certain decisions. I found the book interesting and engaging.

This one was not for me, sadly. US-focussed, which is obviously fine, but not relevant to my experiences.

My Money Journey is a series of essays broken down by categories written by people who share their financial history and experiences and what they learned. I’ve been on a save, hustle, budget, invest kick for the last six months. While I’m desperate to pay my children’s’ education while also saving for retirement, reading the lessons from others didn’t help me feel confident or helped me with my money issue. In fact, I felt a little more anxious than assured that all would be okay. If you enjoy reading the money quest of others, then My Money Journey by Jonathan Clements et al is for you.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Why did I like this book? Simple: I am nosey. It lets me get a look into many (many) financial stories, organized by larger categories.

Overall, most people got to their version of financial happiness by saving and investing. Nothing shocking there. They even mention that in the introduction, but it's really driven home by the multitude of actual examples from people about how they came to terms with their finances and found happiness, amongst some regrets.

A primary regret: saving too much and not enjoying life. OR not realizing until later that they should have gotten their you know what together a lot sooner because now they had to dig out of debt with a spoon and one hand (my silly anecdotal version).

Ultimately, this is worth reading because it makes me feel guilt about not knowing investments to save my life, just so much that I may just do something about that, and that's worth the read.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for the review copy!

Overall, this was a very insight if you are looking to help get your finances in order. My husband and I both went through this book together and found it very beneficial and it also gave us things to discuss that we never really thought about as a couple.

I am always interested in how people find their journey through money.

I was excited to read this book. Most of the chapters I could learn something from. Either from someones mistakes or just some knowledge that they may have. that I didn't know about.

Only a handful of stories, maybe 3, I could NOT relate to at all. Maybe some else can.

A few key takeaways... invest in index funds, be careful with money, and live your life.

I think that people should read this book to help understand that even if you make mistakes its not the end of your journey.