Budgets Don't Work

Many people have tried to follow a budget and found that it simply does not stick. Melissa Browne argues that the fault lies with the advice, not with the person. Financial guidance has long treated everyone as though they save and spend in the same way, when in fact people differ widely in how they handle money. The book introduces what the author calls a "Financial Phenotype". It is a personal profile made up of your Money Story, your Money Environment and your Money Type. It also includes the habits, triggers and tricks that suit you in particular. Working these out is presented as the key to making a lasting change in how you manage money. The author points out that most of us already accept a personalized, multi-faceted approach to food and exercise, and asks why finances should be any different. Seeing that a one-size-fits-all system was never going to suit you can be a relief. It offers a rational explanation for why you keep sabotaging yourself, why money causes friction with your partner, or why you can't seem to stay consistent. The book is aimed at anyone who has tried budgeting and given up.