The Dollar Code

Book excerpt: Before you can control your finances, save money, and get out of debt, you must first understand your spending habits. Sounds simple, right? But for most people it is not, because budgets are based on complicated monthly spending habits, which can be overwhelming, causing people to give up. Now, there's a different way that will revolutionize the way you look at personal finance. In an incredibly easy, comprehensible way, The Dollar Code shows you how to break down spending in order to pay off debt and achieve financial freedom--no matter how many other methods have failed you in the past. Jason R. Hastie's method is based on the principle of living within your means, but what makes it different is that it gives you just one number to remember—your own personal "Daily Digit"—the amount of money you can freely spend each day without going into debt. This one number is the key to financial freedom because it makes spending easy to understand, and when you understand spending, you can control it. Who will benefit from reading and applying The Dollar Code? Everyone who has ever identified with one or more of these statements: I can't understand why I don't have enough money at the end of the week. I've tried budgeting and failed because it was too complicated. I feel out of control of my finances. I get depressed about not having enough money. I have too much debt and feel like the world is caving in. I feel constantly bombarded by unexpected fees and expenses. Not only does Hastie's Dollar Code put those statements to rest, it also addresses a broad range of issues and scenarios that sometimes catch us off guard and, if we're not careful, throw us into a tailspin. Hastie also tackles head-on issues such as the benefits and pitfalls of credit cards, emergency funds, saving for the future, and "the fun bucket." His handy "twenty tips" and worksheets at the back of the book make applying the dollar code even easier and, once you unlock your code, you'll understand why it is the one and only number you need to achieve financial freedom. Really—it's that simple . . . and fun!