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Money is Not a Math Problem: The Real Reason You're Broke and What to Do About It
Money’s Not a Math Problem isn’t like the other books you’ve read about money.
It’s not a book about numbers, percentages or decimals. It’s a book that drives to the heart of the money problems many people deal with—because those problems are usually symptoms of a bigger issue. The issue is our inaccurate beliefs, fears and flat-out lies about budgeting.
Ramsey Personality and debt elimination expert Jade Warshaw candidly shares how she and her husband, Sam, shifted their mindset around money and paid off over $460,000 in debt—including $280,000 of student loans!
In this Quick Read, Jade uncovers five lies we tend to believe about budgeting. Then, she counters those lies with five truths that will rock your world—and change your attitude toward budgeting. Here are some of the things you’ll
An easy way to take control of your financesThe key to get past the “we ain’t got no money” mentalityA budget is a powerful money toolHow to stop seeing yourself as a victim and an exception to the rulesIn just 70 pages, this entertaining Quick Read will help you change your mindset about money and give you practical ways to reach your money goals with control and confidence.
It’s not a book about numbers, percentages or decimals. It’s a book that drives to the heart of the money problems many people deal with—because those problems are usually symptoms of a bigger issue. The issue is our inaccurate beliefs, fears and flat-out lies about budgeting.
Ramsey Personality and debt elimination expert Jade Warshaw candidly shares how she and her husband, Sam, shifted their mindset around money and paid off over $460,000 in debt—including $280,000 of student loans!
In this Quick Read, Jade uncovers five lies we tend to believe about budgeting. Then, she counters those lies with five truths that will rock your world—and change your attitude toward budgeting. Here are some of the things you’ll
An easy way to take control of your financesThe key to get past the “we ain’t got no money” mentalityA budget is a powerful money toolHow to stop seeing yourself as a victim and an exception to the rulesIn just 70 pages, this entertaining Quick Read will help you change your mindset about money and give you practical ways to reach your money goals with control and confidence.
70 pages, Paperback
Published January 2, 2024
49 people are currently reading
284 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
January 4, 2024
The only reason I finished it, was because it was short. Basically, it's a Ramsey product advertisement, but lacks any real content.
May 24, 2024
I love reading books published by the Ramsey Team. Being an extremely short quick read, I wasn't expecting it to be revolutionary. So, it's hard to give the book more than 3 stars. However, it does contain useful insights into the psychology of money, and why people spend, invest, and save more/less than others.
January 12, 2024
As someone who already budgets, I found this book to be a waste of two hours. It’s good for people who need encouragement to start budgeting or to get over their “budgeting fears”. I’m rating 2 stars instead of 1 as I did find the list of basic things to consider when filling out a budget to be helpful.
January 10, 2025
So good I it twice, back to back! It’s under 100 pages and I listened to it on Everand on 1.8x at 58 mins!! This book gave me the sucker punch I needed. Plain English. Bottom line. Relatable!! Jade feels like a friend giving you straight up real talk and I highly recommend listening to this book! I started implementing things I learned from her asap and I’m excited about our future in this new year!! We are paying down debt, and have raised our score over 150 points over the last 5 months! We are paying off remaining debt this year and praying that piece of property in for this year!! Mindset is everything and once you make up your mind to make the changes, nothing can stop you!!
@jadewarshaw , thank you for sharing your journey and process with us! I love your page and I’m so grateful that I took the time to listen to this gem! God bless🙏🏽♥️🫶🏽
@jadewarshaw , thank you for sharing your journey and process with us! I love your page and I’m so grateful that I took the time to listen to this gem! God bless🙏🏽♥️🫶🏽
February 10, 2024
Short but lacks content. She has a nice voice, probably because she is an on air personality. The content she did give us was repetitive in a short 2 hour audio. But if you grab this one to figure out how to get out of debt or budget, skip it.
You’ll have more success with books like Get Good with Money: Ten Simple Steps to Becoming Financially Whole by
Tiffany Aliche and Financial Adulting: Everything You Need to Be a Financially Confident and Conscious Adult by
Ashley Feinstein Gerstley or even RichAF by Vivian Tu.
You’ll have more success with books like Get Good with Money: Ten Simple Steps to Becoming Financially Whole by
Tiffany Aliche and Financial Adulting: Everything You Need to Be a Financially Confident and Conscious Adult by
Ashley Feinstein Gerstley or even RichAF by Vivian Tu.
February 24, 2024
This book is all about the lies and the truths about budgeting. In this quick read, I appreciate Jade bringing to light which of the lies may be halting each person’s debt-free success story. I found the book and the questions to be helpful.
I bought 4 copies of this book and for 2 people they commented that they did not like the writing style. I can understand that - however it has great thoughts on budgeting roadblocks. Press on to get the helpful content.
I bought 4 copies of this book and for 2 people they commented that they did not like the writing style. I can understand that - however it has great thoughts on budgeting roadblocks. Press on to get the helpful content.
September 28, 2024
Quick view on budgeting but felt it was mostly a sales pitch for an app
December 12, 2024
Money's Not a Math Problem: The Real Reason You're Broke and What to Do About It by Jade Warshaw
69-page Kindle Ebook
Genre: Nonfiction, Personal Finance, Budgets, Memoir
Featuring: Broke History, From Davish to Gazelle, Money Personality, Mindset Shift, 5 Lies, 5 Truths, Making a Budget, Ramsey Baby Steps, Keeping Your Money Safe From Unsafe Spouses, Budgeting with Apps - EveryDollar
Rating as a movie: PG
Quotes: Maybe it’s TV, maybe it’s media, maybe it’s credit card culture that has taught us to believe that spending is supposed to be without limit. You should be able to get what you want. Period. It’s “Hot Girl Summer,” and I want these folks to see me going all the way outside! Or you should at least be able to spend money on the things that make other people think you have money. Spending is how you prove your status, maintain your status, and manipulate others’ view of you financially. A budget would stop you from being able to do this effectively. In fact, it would do the opposite. A budget would expose you. People would start to view you as someone who can’t handle what little money you do have.
The alarm I’m setting off today is this: Budgets are best done together with accountably and trust. I’m hoping this is your wake-up call. And though you may feel a bit shell-shocked, don’t worry. I’ll show you exactly what to do next. My hope is that you and your spouse will be willing to create a tightly choreographed routine to manage your money together, along with a budget that works for both of you each day. So let’s get into it. But first I must say, this fifth truth is not the case for everyone. If your spouse has any sort of addictions that bleed into the money, this particular advice is not for you. In fact, if your spouse has an addiction, it’s the opposite: He or she probably needs restricted access to the money. You need to insure that you and your family’s finances remain safe, and I would recommend counseling to determine if or when the money should be shared again.
Songs for the soundtrack: "Luck of the Draw" by Bonnie Raitt, "We Don't Need Another Hero (Thunderdome)" by Tina Turner, "All Star" by Smash Mouth, "The Way We Were" by Barbra Streisand, "This Is Me" by Dream, "This Is Me" by Keala Settle, "Little Lies" by Fleetwood Mac, "Come By Here" by H. Wylie, "Holler If Ya Hear Me" by Tupac Shakur, "Hot Girl Summer" Megan Thee Stallion featuring Nicki Minaj and Ty Dolla Sign, "Karma Chameleon" by Culture Club, "Kiss On My List" by Hall & Oates, "Tiny Dancer" by Elton John, "Bills, Bills, Bills" by Destiny's Child, "Independent Women, Part 1" by Destiny's Child, "Truth Hurts" by Lizzo, "Talk That Talk" by Rihanna, "Don't You (Forget About Me)" by Simple Minds, "Sledgehammer" by Peter Gabriel, "Paper Problems" by Gucci Mane, "Sweet Freedom" by Michael McDonald
Books and Authors mentioned: Dave Ramsey, Joyce Meyer, The Bible, Rachel Cruze, John Delony
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️📱💲🏦🏧
My thoughts: 🔖Page 12 of 69 Chapter 1 Hey, Now, You’re an All-Star - So according to the introduction Jade was purposely over-drafting to buy groceries, this book is not needed but she's going to give it anyway. She's reformed and going to share how, by regurgitating Dave Ramsey mixed in with Millennial swag and focusing on the emotional and psychological reasons you overspend, in under 70 pages. I am stopping right here because I have some errands to run but I feel like this is going to be a book that I don't need because it doesn't tell you anything new but could be beneficial to somebody who needs to know and doesn't have the time to read a novel-length book.
This book is more like a memoir; it doesn't go into details on how you make a budget or pay off debt. It gives you the floor plan and moves on; it is mostly giving you friendly advice on changing your mindset about budgeting, saving, and spending. The last quarter of this book is where it shines; not only does it give you the information as quickly as possible, but she tackles the new generation issues like when you shouldn't combine money with your spouse (abuse, infidelity) and why paper and spreadsheets don't work for every budget.
Recommend to others: This is a good book for those who are learning about financial literacy or psychology, if you're already familiar with Baby Steps and Behavior Economics you may want to skip this, otherwise it's a quick read.
69-page Kindle Ebook
Genre: Nonfiction, Personal Finance, Budgets, Memoir
Featuring: Broke History, From Davish to Gazelle, Money Personality, Mindset Shift, 5 Lies, 5 Truths, Making a Budget, Ramsey Baby Steps, Keeping Your Money Safe From Unsafe Spouses, Budgeting with Apps - EveryDollar
Rating as a movie: PG
Quotes: Maybe it’s TV, maybe it’s media, maybe it’s credit card culture that has taught us to believe that spending is supposed to be without limit. You should be able to get what you want. Period. It’s “Hot Girl Summer,” and I want these folks to see me going all the way outside! Or you should at least be able to spend money on the things that make other people think you have money. Spending is how you prove your status, maintain your status, and manipulate others’ view of you financially. A budget would stop you from being able to do this effectively. In fact, it would do the opposite. A budget would expose you. People would start to view you as someone who can’t handle what little money you do have.
The alarm I’m setting off today is this: Budgets are best done together with accountably and trust. I’m hoping this is your wake-up call. And though you may feel a bit shell-shocked, don’t worry. I’ll show you exactly what to do next. My hope is that you and your spouse will be willing to create a tightly choreographed routine to manage your money together, along with a budget that works for both of you each day. So let’s get into it. But first I must say, this fifth truth is not the case for everyone. If your spouse has any sort of addictions that bleed into the money, this particular advice is not for you. In fact, if your spouse has an addiction, it’s the opposite: He or she probably needs restricted access to the money. You need to insure that you and your family’s finances remain safe, and I would recommend counseling to determine if or when the money should be shared again.
Songs for the soundtrack: "Luck of the Draw" by Bonnie Raitt, "We Don't Need Another Hero (Thunderdome)" by Tina Turner, "All Star" by Smash Mouth, "The Way We Were" by Barbra Streisand, "This Is Me" by Dream, "This Is Me" by Keala Settle, "Little Lies" by Fleetwood Mac, "Come By Here" by H. Wylie, "Holler If Ya Hear Me" by Tupac Shakur, "Hot Girl Summer" Megan Thee Stallion featuring Nicki Minaj and Ty Dolla Sign, "Karma Chameleon" by Culture Club, "Kiss On My List" by Hall & Oates, "Tiny Dancer" by Elton John, "Bills, Bills, Bills" by Destiny's Child, "Independent Women, Part 1" by Destiny's Child, "Truth Hurts" by Lizzo, "Talk That Talk" by Rihanna, "Don't You (Forget About Me)" by Simple Minds, "Sledgehammer" by Peter Gabriel, "Paper Problems" by Gucci Mane, "Sweet Freedom" by Michael McDonald
Books and Authors mentioned: Dave Ramsey, Joyce Meyer, The Bible, Rachel Cruze, John Delony
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️📱💲🏦🏧
My thoughts: 🔖Page 12 of 69 Chapter 1 Hey, Now, You’re an All-Star - So according to the introduction Jade was purposely over-drafting to buy groceries, this book is not needed but she's going to give it anyway. She's reformed and going to share how, by regurgitating Dave Ramsey mixed in with Millennial swag and focusing on the emotional and psychological reasons you overspend, in under 70 pages. I am stopping right here because I have some errands to run but I feel like this is going to be a book that I don't need because it doesn't tell you anything new but could be beneficial to somebody who needs to know and doesn't have the time to read a novel-length book.
This book is more like a memoir; it doesn't go into details on how you make a budget or pay off debt. It gives you the floor plan and moves on; it is mostly giving you friendly advice on changing your mindset about budgeting, saving, and spending. The last quarter of this book is where it shines; not only does it give you the information as quickly as possible, but she tackles the new generation issues like when you shouldn't combine money with your spouse (abuse, infidelity) and why paper and spreadsheets don't work for every budget.
Recommend to others: This is a good book for those who are learning about financial literacy or psychology, if you're already familiar with Baby Steps and Behavior Economics you may want to skip this, otherwise it's a quick read.
March 27, 2025
I enjoyed this short audiobook. I have come to love listening to other people's stories about their debt free journey and how they got to the otherside. this was that. she didn't claim to be giving info we didn't know but sharing her story and the principles that helped her. loved it
January 12, 2024
I fell in love with Jade's advice on Instagram and knew i had to read her words in book form. This was a super quick read. It really makes you think about what your issues are with money. I wish it would have been a bit more in depth about budgeting, but you do get access to their app's premium version for 3 months. I've always been a pen/paper/spreadsheet person. It's obviously not working, so I may need to give the app a try. 😂
January 25, 2024
I've been a Dave Ramsey follower since 2019 when a coworker told me about how she was doing the 7 baby steps to get out of debt. I love all the Ramsey's personalities and I love Jade so of course I had to get this book. If you are looking to get out debt, I think this is a good place to start with. I'm not new to this budgeting thing but I highly recommend it. It's only about 74 pages long but full of Jade's vibes and insight.
March 18, 2024
So it was short and sweet. Honestly really the summary of the book is this: Make a budget. the end.
But for real Jade probably did more writing than George did on his book at least it wasn’t jsut word for word rehashed FPU stuff and she shared her own stories.
I’m quickly learning that once you know the Ramsey way you don’t gain much new. It’s the same stuff rehashed over and over. But that’s not a bad thing. There is a reason common sense isn’t common.
But for real Jade probably did more writing than George did on his book at least it wasn’t jsut word for word rehashed FPU stuff and she shared her own stories.
I’m quickly learning that once you know the Ramsey way you don’t gain much new. It’s the same stuff rehashed over and over. But that’s not a bad thing. There is a reason common sense isn’t common.
December 7, 2024
Just like the other reviews state, this is basically another Ramsey advertisement in quick digestible literature form without any real content. Disappointed.
March 19, 2025
I just read this in one sitting! I read it out loud so it would stick. Also laughing at how true to her personality it’s written.
I annotated, highlighted, answered the questions truthfully. I’m so fired up right now! And the chapter about EveryDollar totally convinced me to start using it. (I’m personally a spreadsheet kinda gal but Jade wrote a whole ad for the app and it worked on me lol)
Ugh and I can’t emphasize enough how emotional the “Sweet Freedom” section made me. I ended this book in tears and hope for my future.
Thank you, Jade!!!
I annotated, highlighted, answered the questions truthfully. I’m so fired up right now! And the chapter about EveryDollar totally convinced me to start using it. (I’m personally a spreadsheet kinda gal but Jade wrote a whole ad for the app and it worked on me lol)
Ugh and I can’t emphasize enough how emotional the “Sweet Freedom” section made me. I ended this book in tears and hope for my future.
Thank you, Jade!!!
April 5, 2025
Love listening to her on the Ramsey show, but wish she could’ve written about something else regarding money.
July 28, 2025
Quick read! Good book recommendation for someone that thinks budgeting is dumb. Felt like it was just to promote the EveryDollar app.
March 15, 2025
ReedIII Quick Review: Filled with Washaw's delightful personality and her personal story, this is a promotion of the value of BUDGETING in personal finance. Further it is a promotion of the Ramsey budging app Every Dollar. Short easy read.
January 27, 2025
3.5, rounding up. This is not a budget how-to book. This book is a friend walking you through how she ended up in a financial mess and the lies she believed that got her there. She uses those lies she has worked out in herself to offer guidance and ask questions about what may be going on in your heart in relation to budgeting and finances. It's helpful and a nice change of pace to your typical budgeting book. I do think this book would be better read in a community setting, either collaboratively with your spouse, or an accountability-buddy-in-budgets friend.
October 29, 2024
Socrates stated that the unexamined life is not worth living. So it is a good thing to read books that help us examine our own lives while learning about how others slayed their financial dragons.
This book inspired me to improve and refine my current budget plan and to set some new financial goals for myself and my family. This book (70 pages) is a quick read for most readers who enjoy learning about the struggles and challenges faced by those determined to pay off debt.
As I read the book, I took notes and underlined key passages for later review. I plan to revisit this book again towards the end of 2025 to see how much progress we have made in a year.
If I had any suggestions regarding the book, I wish that the author would have included more information regarding what motivated them to become involved with the Dave Ramsey plan and the insights they gleaned while going through the FPU plan.
We jump from Jade and her husband realizing they don’t have enough money to cover their grocery bill to them teaching FPU classes. There had to be some arguments and soul searching stories that would add to the book’s motivation factor.
But I think this book will appeal to most readers who want to learn more about getting out of debt which is almost everyone these days. And to fans of the Ramsey radio show and podcast as well.
This book inspired me to improve and refine my current budget plan and to set some new financial goals for myself and my family. This book (70 pages) is a quick read for most readers who enjoy learning about the struggles and challenges faced by those determined to pay off debt.
As I read the book, I took notes and underlined key passages for later review. I plan to revisit this book again towards the end of 2025 to see how much progress we have made in a year.
If I had any suggestions regarding the book, I wish that the author would have included more information regarding what motivated them to become involved with the Dave Ramsey plan and the insights they gleaned while going through the FPU plan.
We jump from Jade and her husband realizing they don’t have enough money to cover their grocery bill to them teaching FPU classes. There had to be some arguments and soul searching stories that would add to the book’s motivation factor.
But I think this book will appeal to most readers who want to learn more about getting out of debt which is almost everyone these days. And to fans of the Ramsey radio show and podcast as well.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 16, 2024
I have been listening to the Ramsey Show since 2019, I live the principles and am now weird!
Jade Warshaw is a great addition to the team. Jade and her husband paid off $470,000 of debt.
She absolutely knows what she is talking about.
"you can tell me you WON'T do it, but baby don't dare try and tell me you CAN'T"
This is a 74 page insight to the truth...I know, because my wife and I have done it!
We have financial freedom! The grass really does feel different now!
If you are serious about changing your life for the better, if you are done dealing with debt, this book will help you realise that the problem isn't the math, or in my case maths.
Read it, I dare you to become weird!
Jade Warshaw is a great addition to the team. Jade and her husband paid off $470,000 of debt.
She absolutely knows what she is talking about.
"you can tell me you WON'T do it, but baby don't dare try and tell me you CAN'T"
This is a 74 page insight to the truth...I know, because my wife and I have done it!
We have financial freedom! The grass really does feel different now!
If you are serious about changing your life for the better, if you are done dealing with debt, this book will help you realise that the problem isn't the math, or in my case maths.
Read it, I dare you to become weird!
March 22, 2024
As much as I love the Dave Ramsey plan and value many of the books put out by Ramsey Solutions, this book was an unfortunate letdown. The most interesting and helpful portion was in the first ten pages as we learn more about Jade's journey to financial peace. However, the rest of this short read becomes a long slog through reasons to budget, and better yet an Everydollar budgeting app advertisement.
Overall, I can't recommend this book because it lacks new and useful information. Anyone following the Ramsey steps has already heard the tips covered in this book, and already in greater detail.
Overall, I can't recommend this book because it lacks new and useful information. Anyone following the Ramsey steps has already heard the tips covered in this book, and already in greater detail.
June 11, 2024
I absolutely love the Ramsey Show and I think Jade has one of the best and most inspirational stories on the show. However, I thought this book would be more inspiring and would talk about how her and Sam accomplished their goals, their journey together and the hardships that they faced while paying off their massive debt. I think this book was okay if you are just starting your financial journey and is a very simple read.
July 11, 2024
I really like Jade Warshaw on the Dave Ramsey podcast, so I was eager to buy her book. I think her advice on the podcast was a little more helpful to me than this book, but there were a few nuggets in here and it's a quick read, so I would not discourage anyone who is interested in the topic from giving it a read.
January 17, 2025
I agree, 💰 money is not a math problem
Great fun, funny and real read.
Straight-talking to chasing very clear and understandable. AAAA
I recommend this book to any one ready to make the 1st step to financial freedom.
I rated high because it was clear and understandable
I liked the real life stories
Great fun, funny and real read.
Straight-talking to chasing very clear and understandable. AAAA
I recommend this book to any one ready to make the 1st step to financial freedom.
I rated high because it was clear and understandable
I liked the real life stories
December 22, 2023
This is a really good book to start with if you're new to the Ramsey way or are thinking about taking Financial Peace University. No new information if you've been following the Baby Steps but a good motivator to keep going if you feel stuck or if you've become Dave-ish.
January 11, 2024
The one is great for the younger generation. I'm only 34, but had to look up a couple words lol. Aside from Dave, she's my favorite personality on the show, so was excited to try her book. Really quick, easy read, with all the info you need.
May 14, 2024
Short read. Meant to make you think and change old perspectives on money habits. I love that the Ramsey group takes people who were in a bad spot financially and helps them out of it and then allows them to champion that for helping other people!
May 26, 2024
Real life
Jade lays it out in simple terms that everyone can understand and also shows there is hope when everything seems dark. Her writing is funny and straight forward. Great simple read.
Jade lays it out in simple terms that everyone can understand and also shows there is hope when everything seems dark. Her writing is funny and straight forward. Great simple read.
June 18, 2024
This is a terrific motivational companion to Financial Peace University and/or The Total Money Makeover. It is a great "kick in the seat of the pants" or "shove" for people hesitating to make a budget and "tell every dollar where to go."
January 10, 2025
I found this a great way of relating a budget to a mindset. How you think it is can be altered, if only you will change your thinking.
There were no practical tips however, which was a little disappointing.
There were no practical tips however, which was a little disappointing.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews