“Die with Zero” challenges readers to rethink their relationship with money and time. As someone who has read a few dozen books about money and personal finance, this was the first in a while that has shifted my perspective on money in any meaningful way. Perkins argues that we should aim to spend our money and time in a way that maximizes our happiness and fulfillment rather than simply accumulating wealth for the sake of it. Though on the surface, that’s kind of a shrug “yeah, I know” idea, the practicality of it is something that most people, myself included, don’t truly live by.
Perkins encourages readers to identify their core values and priorities and then use those as a guide for how they allocate their time and money. While many people accept this idea of allocating their time well and their money judiciously, the twain doesn’t always meet.
He also provides concrete strategies for how readers can implement his ideas, such as creating a “bucket list” of experiences they want to have or using a “time-energy-money” framework to evaluate potential investments of these resources.
The book is written for a particular audience of people who have achieved a certain level of financial security and are looking for ways to maximize their enjoyment of life. For those who are struggling to make ends meet or are focused primarily on building financial stability, the advice in this book may not be as relevant.
Truthfully the last 3rd belabors the point a little. But still enjoyed.
