The Financial Diet is one of the most straightforward and easily digestible books I’ve seen for people setting out to understand their finances for the very first time.
If you’re in a sales role in the energy field, you spend a good portion of your time convincing people to make intelligent financial decisions. It only makes sense that you should make a concerted effort to exhibit the same thoroughness and care for your own finances. One of the core concepts we teach in our Selling Energy workshops is the importance of acquiring market segment-specific business acumen, and of understanding how your prospect prospers. In fact, a holistic view of how your energy project could produce value for the customer would consider not only the utility bill pre- and post-retrofit, but also other financial impacts on their business overall… Could your proposed project allow them to rethink their spending on repairing inefficient equipment that’s past its useful life? Or perhaps to spend less on payroll, thanks to the higher productivity that will be supported by greater thermal comfort, better lighting, etc.? Bottom line, financial analysis isn’t just concerned with saving money; it’s about rethinking your spending, and this happens to be one of the key take-aways of The Financial Diet, albeit in the context of personal finance.
Be aware of your habits, whether you’re spending a lot of money on your morning brew or overestimating the amount you’re able to set aside for your goals. Being financially sound is good not only for your pocketbook, but also for your physical and mental health. And as noted above, it’s practicing what you preach, given that you are well-positioned to be a prudent financial advisor to your customers in the energy space.
Here is the summary from Amazon:
“The Financial Diet is the personal finance book for people who don’t care about personal finance. Whether you’re in need of an overspending detox, buried under student debt, or just trying to figure out how to live on an entry-level salary, The Financial Diet gives you tools to make a budget, understand investments, and deal with your credit.
“Chelsea Fagan has tapped a range of experts to help you make the best choices for you, but she also knows that being smarter with money isn’t just about what you put in the bank. It’s about everything―from the clothes you put in your closet, to your financial relationship habits, to the food you put in your kitchen (instead of ordering in again). So, The Financial Diet gives you the tools to negotiate a raise and the perfect cocktail recipe to celebrate your new salary.
“The Financial Diet will teach you:
- How to get good with money in a year.
- The ingredients everyone needs to have a budget-friendly kitchen.
- How to talk about awkward money stuff with your friends.
- The best way to make (and stick to!) a budget.
- How to take care of your house like a grown-up.
- What the hell it means to invest (and how you can do it).”
