Book Review: The Art of Money

Book: The Art of Money by Bari Tessler

Source: Borrowed from Publisher/NetGalley for an honest review

Publication: Available now

Description:

This is the book your money–savvy best friend, therapist, and accountant would write if they could. It’s the book about money for people who don’t even want to think about money, until the arrival of that inevitable day when we all realize we must come to terms with this thing called money.

Everyone has pain and challenges, strengths and dreams about money, and many of us mix profound shame into that relationship. In The Art of Money, Bari Tessler offers an integrative approach that creates the real possibility of “money healing,” using our relationship with money as a gateway to self–awareness and a training ground for compassion, confidence, and self–worth.

Tessler’s gentle techniques weave together emotional depth, big picture visioning, and refreshingly accessible, nitty–gritty money practices that will help anyone transform their relationship with money and, in so doing, transform their life. As Bari writes, “When we dare to speak the truth about money, amazing healing begins.”

Rating: 4 1/2 stars

Review:

The Art of Money is not the typical money management book, it's more of a self-help/therapeutic guide at how we look at money. The author who is a financial therapist walks the reader through her approach and goes over information that can help the reader sort through their troubles with money. And also to encourage the reader to celebrate and reinforce all the good ways we deal with money.

The author would like the reader to look inward as well as check your current mood or feelings because our feelings can affect how we approach financial matters. With many afraid to deal with their finances and choosing to avoid it. That is, until it gets to the point they have no choice but to deal with it. The author wants to help the reader deal with those feelings.

This book has a Zen/New Age/Spiritual feel to it, it's like yoga for your finances. It's kind of weird to explain but the author approach is very compassionate based. She found that in her experience feeling shameful, belittling or being strict or harsh usually doesn't work in the long run in trying to improve money management.

There is practical financial advice and information provided in the book with most of it described in Tessler's unique way. Such as instead of creating a traditional budget, the author suggest creating a Money Map, according to the author it is a more meaningful way of tracking your income and expenses. The book also includes personal stories from the author as well as stories from her husband and some of her clients in how they have dealt with money.

Although Tessler provides a sort of blueprint or plan, she encourages the reader to find their own way to figure out what works best for them. Not every piece of advice is going to work for everyone.

This was an easy read and I only had one issue with it. I found the writing at times to be rather repetitive. Perhaps, it's a way to reinforce the information but to me it just felt like I was reading something over and over again. But aside from that it's a good read with good advice.