If you're a fan of The Frugal Friends podcast, you will love this book written by the hosts, Jen Smith and Jill Sirianni. They cover all aspects of spending that you can think of, including marketing tactics, impulse shopping, habit spending, values-based spending, contentment, saving, and so much more. It was both interesting and informative. This self-help book is one that everyone can benefit from.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for proving me a copy in exchange for my honest opinion and review.

This is fine. It didn't really teach me anything that I didn't already have a decent grasp on. I was hoping to learn some new financial and budgeting skills but instead this reads more like a self help book: budget edition. This could be a really great resource for someone who is just getting into budgeting and managing their finances but it just wasn't what I was looking for.

This was incredibly helpful and had great information! I'm not someone who usually reads finance books, but I found it to be very straightforward and easy to understand with both practical and insightful tips.

Helpful book about budgeting and prioritizing what matters. A lot of folks struggle with feeling "left behind" and not being able to afford the life their peers have. The author reminds them the importance of spending money on what matters and how to budget for that.

The authors introduced financial concepts based on value spending. Jen and Jill write different sections of the book and introduced themselves each time making it easy to follow their distinctive financial journey and motivations. What I love about this book is that it focuses on the “why” we spend and not “how” to spend. It is refreshing to read a book that understands the social complexities behind spending but this book empowers the reader to make the necessary changes to their finances


Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

I haven't been a part of their community, but the title alone caught my attention. Their take on personal finance was refreshing, honest, and they came from a space of knowing that there can be a disconnect between what you can afford and what you want, but you CAN bridge that gap if you make good decisions and are real with yourself and what you are willing to do about your finances.

Solid 4.6, rounded!

After discovering the Frugal Friends podcast a while back, I was eager to dive into Buy What You Love Without Going Broke by Jen Smith and Jill Sirianni. I find myself in that spot of having budgeted and decluttered--and knowing that I'm a "moderatist" (if that's a thing) when it comes to the balance between owning items and having clear spaces in my house. Now, as I have room in my finances and life, I'm wanting to break free from the cultural guilt of spending money where I want to spend it on vacations or other non-necessities that are planned, I had hoped this book would give me guidelines and tips.

It does--and it doesn't. There are a lot of anecdotal stories, Values-based spending isn't new and for those who have already budgeted before, the idea of a 90-day transaction inventory is a bit been there/done that. I already have budget categories, know where money is being spent, etc. Some of their stories go a little too far into the weeds, for example, the pages dedicated to explaining Bernay's marketing design could have been far shorter. Then, there was a bit of a re-hash of Dr. Anna Lembke's book, Dopamine Nation (which I recommend), but I'd rather read that from Lembke that read another book re-stating what her book covers.

For someone entirely new to the concepts, this is a good introduction and covers a lot of topics and other authors' works. It's also a lot of personal anecdotes that might be of interest to someone who hasn't already met the two authors via their podcast. For me, there wasn't anything new in this book that I hadn't already read elsewhere. I didn't feel like it ever got to the heart of the matter in a meaningful way.

This book is a breath of fresh air – literally! I was starting to feel suffocated by the constant barrage of "buy now, pay never" ads. Thankfully, " Buy What You Love Without Going Broke" helped me realize that spending is a skill, not a curse.

The book emphasizes finding your "spending sweet spot," the balance between deprivation and reckless abandon. It reminded me that "frugal" doesn't have to be synonymous with "miserable." This book cuts through the noise of influencers and deinfluencers to deliver straight-up, actionable advice. It helped me appreciate the things I already own and truly value them.

The book is divided into three digestible parts:
"Buy What You Love" – This section tackles the emotional side of spending, exploring the psychology of behind our shopping habits.
"Say No to What You Don't" – This part provides practical strategies for resisting temptation and cultivating self-control.
"Don't Go Broke" – This section offers realistic budgeting tips and strategies for building a healthy financial foundation.

I love that each chapter ends with a "lightning round" of reflective questions and action steps, making it feel more like a fun game than a boring book.

Bonus: The book comes with valuable resources like templates and worksheets. It's like they're reading my mind!

If you're tired of feeling like a hamster on a wheel of consumerism, this book is a must-read. It's a game-changer, and I can't recommend it enough.

Okay, I listen to Jen and Jill's podcast, so I've already been indoctrinated into their community. With that said, this book is so similar to their podcast, which is great for those who want to dive into their findings, but don't want to hear their voices. I absolutely love that Jen and Jill are very practical and understanding that depriving yourself and trying to follow the Financial Independence, Retire Early (FIRE) movement or listening to Dave Ramsey are not for everyone. They also acknowledge the hinderance that an individual's identity can play in achieving their financial goals, i.e you are a woman of color who gets paid less than a white woman, regardless of the field. This acknowledgement of the social factors that weigh us down, in addition to not wanting to deprive ourselves of starbucks coffee and avocado toast, is why I continue to listen to Jen and Jill. When I first graduated from college, I was ready to deprive myself in order to save, but as my post-grad life went on, I said, "Fuck that" because I want to enjoy my life, but that doesn't automatically mean I am depriving my future self of financial security. Similar to Tori Dunlap of the Financial Feminist, they (Jen and Jill) don't make you feel bad about wanting things and experiences, or provide cookie-cutter advice that doesn't take into account external (social roles) and internal (debilitating autoimmune disorder) factors that make your wealth journey different from the next Tom, Dick, or Harry. Honestly, this is a book for everyone because Jen and Jill are just like everyone else, they share how THEY paid down their debt, respectively, and are diversifying their wealth sources while continuing to work their respective jobs (Jill is a social worker and we all know social workers don't get paid a lot; I forgot what Jen said she does). Get this book, read this book, bookmark pages, highlight the hell of it, just add it to your knowledge collection (library) and you can thank yourself later.

This was a solid and interesting book on personal finance. I've listened to the Frugal Friends podcast, and enjoy the dynamic between Jen and Jill, and feel like it came off well in the book, too. Their writing styles mesh well and the book definitely wasn't dry or boring like many other finance books. Would recommend, especially for people more in the beginner stages of learning about personal finance.

I’ve read a lot of finance-related books and this one is breath of fresh air - the radical middle, as the authors refer to it. Most finance books tout extreme changes, whereas this book really takes into account humanity and what it means to be human in all its complexities. Before I read this advanced copy, I preordered it because I also listen to the authors podcast - I highly recommend that too - and finally felt at home within the financial aspect of my life. Though, as explained, the values-driven practice can be applied across all areas of life. I’m inspired and ready to embrace this wholeheartedly. The writing is good, the layout is good, the analogies and stories are all helpful in understanding concepts and practices and why the authors recommend this way of living life. Your money is your power!! So so good!!

Overall this book was pretty obvious ways of saving money and being mindful. I think I would give their podcast a listen to every now and then. Thank you for NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve never heard of the Frugal Friends podcast when I picked up this book, but I may pick it up. The approach to spending and saving discussed in this book was revolutionary to me, asking one to look why they’re spending. Value based spending is something I’m going to look into more and I want to try some techniques discussed in the book. The writing is approachable, which I appreciated because finances tend to make my eyes glaze over. One thing that was distracting was the 1st person narrative, forcing asides that were unnecessary. Constantly reading “I (Jill)” and “for me (Jen)” put a spotlight on the fact that they approached this book like an episode of the podcast, talking in and out and made me lost focus because I was wondering who was talking. I feel like if they each took a chapter in their own voice and kept it that way consistently, it would help, or writing the whole book in 3rd person.

Probably one of the best finance books I've ever read--sublimely actionable and perfectly poised to meet the moment of the current financial needs of millennials and gen z. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy.

What an incredibly helpful book and a novel approach to finance. If you complete the exercises, I really think you will make true progress in a way you have not before. It changes my mindset in a way I needed and helped me discover what really matters to me so I can prioritize and say no to what is not important. Very much recommend. .

It’s always smart to work off a budget and develop ways to save money, but often hard to identify why you may be overspending in certain categories. This books dives into several simple but effective strategies for identifying how to understand where your individual spending habits are meaningful, and where they may not be (and an opportunity to cut). I wouldn’t say this information was new to me, but rather something I practice frequently after working through student loans and saving for a house in my 20’s. This would be a good book to recommend to a recent grad!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book.

Some good budgeting tips, especially for those who want to enjoy things but don't want to derail their better financial habits and planning.

(I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review)

From the title and description, I really thought going into it that this book would take a very different approach to the traditional budgeing model. I was slightly disappointed as the content really was just basically a classic overiew of budgeting and making financial choices. I felt overall like it was just like many other personal finance books I've read.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

Jen Smith and Jill Sirianni, hosts of the popular Frugal Friends podcast, bring their practical wisdom and relatable advice to the pages of “Buy What You Love Without Going Broke.” This personal finance guide offers a refreshing take on managing money, focusing on changing your spending habits without the guilt and shame frequently associated with traditional financial advice.

This book is structured around the idea that financial freedom doesn’t mean deprivation. Instead, Smith and Sirianni advocate for mindful spending—prioritizing what truly brings joy and cutting out the rest.

This book introduced the “Joyful Spending Plan,” which encourages readers to identify their core values and align their spending accordingly. This approach shifts the focus from what you can’t have to what you truly value, making budgeting a more positive experience.

Smith and Sirianni’s writing is engaging and accessible, filled with personal anecdotes and practical tips. Their conversational style makes complex financial concepts easy to understand and apply.

“Buy What You Love Without Going Broke” is particularly relevant in today’s consumer-driven society, where the pressure to spend can be overwhelming. The authors’ emphasis on guilt-free, value-based spending is a refreshing change from the often punitive tone of financial advice.

Jen Smith and Jill Sirianni have crafted a personal finance guide that is both practical and inspiring. “Buy What You Love Without Going Broke” offers a balanced approach to money management, emphasizing joy and mindfulness over restriction and guilt.

This book is a must-read for anyone looking to transform their spending habits and achieve financial freedom without sacrificing the things they love.

This was a good book. It was not the most unique book ever. But I think people could really use this book in their life.