Praise for Broke Millennial Talks Money
This is Erin Lowrys best book yet. She removes the taboo of talking about money by providing actionable advice, sample dialogues, and real-life examples for practically every financial conversation imaginable. After reading Broke Millennial Talks Money, youll no longer shy away from money discussions with your coworkers, friends, family members, or romantic partners. Youll be ready to talk!
Cameron Huddleston, author of Mom and Dad, We Need to Talk: How to Have Essential Conversations with Your Parents About Their Finances
Learning how to talk about money is the first step in making more of it. While the focus may be on money, this book is really about the relationships we have with one another and what we value in our lives. It is straightforward, engaging, and relatable. I highly recommend it for everyonenot just millennials!
Claire Wasserman, founder and author of Ladies Get Paid
Money conversations arent the sexiest tactic in personal finance, but theyre fundamental to reaching your financial goals. If youve been stalling, this book takes I dont know where to start off the table.... The scripts arent abstract or colorlesstheyre the kind of insights that can only come from thousands of thoughtful interactions over time. I walked away from this book feeling seen. I was able to recognize my own conversational shortcomings and gain a greater appreciation for the struggles that everyone faces. Theres no shortage of tips and tricks to get unstuck regarding financial goals, but a productive conversation remains unmatched. Ill be referencing this book every time I need to get out of my own head and just talk!
Kiersten Saunders, cofounder of Rich & Regular
In Broke Millennial Talks Money, Erin makes messy and awkward money conversations easy and straightforward. No matter if its talking money with our boss, friend, or parents, she gives us scripts we can use as a guide, shares important context about why talking about money is difficult to begin with, and cheers us on to have these important conversations (see ya, pay gaps!). We all need to read this book!
Ashley Feinstein Gerstley, founder of The Fiscal Femme and author of The 30-Day Money Cleanse
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Copyright 2020 by Lowry Media LLC
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Lowry, Erin, author.
Title: Broke millennial talks money: scripts, stories, and advice to navigate awkward financial conversations / Erin Lowry.
Description: New York: TarcherPerigee, Penguin Random House, 2020.
Identifiers: LCCN 2020021204 (print) | LCCN 2020021205 (ebook) | ISBN 9780143133650 (trade paperback) | ISBN 9780525505440 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Finance, Personal. | Self-confidence.
Classification: LCC HG179.L697 2020 (print) | LCC HG179 (ebook) | DDC 332.024dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020021204
LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020021205
pid_prh_5.6.1_c0_r0
To every person who engaged in an intense money discussion with me. I appreciate you.
Contents
Introduction
On a surprisingly warm New York City winter night in 2020, Peach and I were exiting a recording studio when he said, I think its important to make sure people know we dont always reach a clean, easy solution to our money disagreements.
The two of us had just completed a rare media interview together. Over the course of my then-seven years being Broke Millennial, Peachmy pseudonym for my husbandhad been a character in my work. He had the authority to decide if and how he wanted his image and information shared, but he usually wasnt the one being interviewed.
Wed been asked to do an interview for a podcast about the experience of getting a prenuptial agreementa highly taboo subject that almost always elicits an immediate reaction from people. (You probably just had one yourself.)
Before the interview, wed had several conversations about our own boundaries and what we were and werent comfortable letting the world know. I share a lot with you in my books and on social media, but, perhaps surprisingly, there are morsels I keep for myself.
Because wed gone into the interview knowing where we drew the lineand we were more than a year removed from our prenup processit had started to come off like wed just flawlessly navigated the experience with nary a speed bump. That was, of course, not the case.
We had disagreements that sometimes escalated to fights with hurt feelings. We learned things about each other and our relationships to money, possessions, and perceived ownership and entitlement. We still have one reoccurring debate that has yet to be settled. (Dont worry, were going to talk a lot more about prenups in part 4!)
Even though Peach and I dont always see eye to eye on finances, we do one thing a lot: talk.
Talking about money is critical.
WHY I WANTED TO WRITE THIS BOOK
A few years ago, I noticed a trend in what people were asking me to speak about at events and in the media. They really wanted to learn how to talk about money. Okay, no one phrased it that way. Theyd ask specific questions about awkward interactions that were seemingly only made uncomfortable because of money. For example, getting a Venmo request from a friend asking you to split the cost of the wine she purchased for the movie night she invited you to. Or how to travel with friends when everyone is on a different budget. Or whether you should help pay off your boyfriends student loans. Or whether you really need to [you can fill in the blank with anything about wedding season here].
This got me thinking about the fact that there really wasnt a definitive guide out there on how to navigate these conversations. There was a smattering of information here and there in other books, but none of them offered scripts and stories and advice on how to actually talk about money.
It took a long time to figure out how to explain this book to people (honestly, Im still trying to be more succinct). When you say, Its a book about relationships and money, people immediately translate that to romantic relationships.
So I pivoted to saying, Its a book about how to talk about money with all the important people in your life. The response? Blank stares.
Then I tried: Its a book that helps you talk about money at work, with family, with friends, and with your romantic partner.
Oh, I need that book! was the general response.
HOW ITS STRUCTURED
This book is split up into four sections:
Part 1: Talking About Money at Work