Book Review: "The Great Money Reset" by Jill Schlesinger
Jill Schlesigner holding The Great Money Reset with three fans

Money at 30: “The Great Money Reset” Audiobook Review

During the past three years, you didn’t have to look far to see headlines about Americans leaving their jobs en masse or otherwise making major life changes after growing introspective during the pandemic. Zooming out, this period in history has also been dubbed “The Great Reset” as the world and its economies look to recover after being upended. Playing off of that, a new book from CBS analyst Jill Schlesinger is dubbed The Great Money Reset: Change Your Work, Change Your Wealth, Change Your Life. Released last month, I came across the audiobook version of the title on Audible and decided to dive in.

The Great Money Reset by Jill Schlesinger

Over the past couple of years, there have definitely been at least a few COVID mentions in the books I’ve reviewed. Yet, I’m pretty sure that The Great Money Reset is the first one to make the topic a central focus. Although the topicality isn’t exclusive to our current age, it certainly is relevant to it.

With that said, throughout the book, Schlesinger covers a lot of the same things you’d expect from a personal finance book. In The Great Money Reset, you’ll hear about cutting back on spending, how to maximize your retirement savings, tax strategies, the importance of planning for the future (including after you’re gone), and more. Still, these basics aren’t just laid out for good measure and are, instead, perfectly incorporated into the main lesson at hand.

While you might assume that, given the “Money Reset” premise and emphasis on making big changes, the book would be all about why you should quit your job and live your dream. That’s true to some extent — but, more than anything, Schlesinger preaches patience and offers several steps that those considering a major life change should take before doing something rash. For example, she advises that individuals take a closer look at their ultimate goals and ensure that they’re actually what they seem. This isn’t to say that the author is dissuading folks from pursuing their dream. On the contrary, she simply provides or at least helps them devise a better blueprint for achieving their goals.

Something I really enjoyed about The Great Money Reset is that it was chock full of anecdotes that applied to Schlesinger’s teachings. Some of these came from the author herself but the majority came from listeners/viewers, friends, and — as she calls them — her faux nieces and nephews. Hearing these different perspectives and stories really helped emphasize the book’s points while also inspiring some additional thoughts on the part of this reader (well, listener, as it were).

Another section of the book that stood out to me as a member of the personal finance blogging community was one that presented the idea of FINE — a take-off of the FIRE movement. Instead of “Financial Independence, Retire Early,” FINE replaces the latter half with “New Endeavor.” As it turns out, this portion of the book was actually fairly short but I appreciated the concept and apt acronym.

In the end, although the subjects covered in The Great Money Reset aren’t far from what you’d find in other personal finance books, it’s the framing of these matters that makes the book unique and especially pertinent for these times. That’s why I found the book to be an interesting listen and one I think that a lot of people can benefit from in today’s post(ish)-COVID world. So, whether you’re actively considering a major life change or want to be armed with financial knowledge should your dreams change in the future, I’d recommend checking out The Great Money Reset: Change Your Work, Change Your Wealth, Change Your Life.

Author

Kyle Burbank

Head Writer ~ Fioney
Kyle is the head writer for Fioney. He is a personal finance nerd, constantly looking for new apps and services to test and incorporate into his own financial game plan. In addition to his role at Fioney, he's written for other publications including Born2Invest, Lifehack, and Laughing Place, as well as his own site Money@30. He also creates personal finance and travel-related videos for Money@30's YouTube channel, which has garnered more than 2 million views. Currently, Kyle resides in Springfield, Missouri with his wife of 10 years. Together, they enjoy traveling (including visiting Disney Parks around the world), dining, and playing with their dog Rigby.

Other Articles by Kyle Burbank

Robinhood Gold Credit Card

Robinhood Reveals New Credit Card, Reimagined Flagship App

During its "New Gold Standard" keynote event, Robinhood made some major announcements, including the launch of a new credit card. About the Robinhood Gold Card: The headlining announcement was the reveal of the new Robinhood Gold Card. In a bit that paid homage to Steve Jobs' iconic iPhone announcement, Robinhood co-founder and CEO Vlad Tenev teased plans to release three different cards (a starter card, an everyday card, and a...
holding an American Express Gold card in front of a table of food

How to Maximize All of the American Express Gold Card Credits

One of the most often-used cards in my wallet is the American Express Gold Card. Like its "big brother" the Platinum Card, the Amex Gold card commands a sizeable annual fee but attempts to offset that expense by including monthly credits. Of course, the card also includes some lucrative rewards categories and redemption options that further give it value. Having recently explored the best ways to maximize the Platinum card's...
US Bank Altitude Connect Credit Card

U.S. Bank Plans Major Changes to Altitude Connect Credit Card

U.S. Bank has revealed several major changes to its Altitude Connect credit card, which will arrive this September. About the changes: The first update is that the card will no longer carry an annual fee. Previously, the Altitude Connect card came at a cost of $95 per year — although this was often waived for the first year. Those who apply for the card now will enjoy a $0 introductory...
The "Email" field is empty, you must enter some text to proceed.The text you entered in the "Email" field appears to be invalid, please edit it and try again
Get the Latest News Delivered to Your Inbox

A Guide to Building Credit and Increasing Your Credit Scores

When it comes to credit, there’s some good news. The average credit score in the United States has been steadily rising in recent years, coming in at 715 in 2023. That may be because, today, consumers not only have more ways to access their credit reports and scores than ever before but also because there are an increasing number of options that Americans have for building credit in the first...

2024 SoFi Checking and Savings Review

Ever since I started taking an interest in the FinTech sector, one company whose name I’ve seen pop up over and over again is SoFi. Lately it seems as though that theme has been sent into overdrive as the company has not only become a household name thanks to its stadium naming rights deal but also because of the company’s continued product expansions. The most interesting development in my mind...
Chase Freedom Flex card

Chase Reveals Q2 2024 Freedom 5%(+) Bonus Categories

Chase has announced its bonus category picks for the second quarter of 2024 — including some interesting twists. About the categories: As April approaches, Chase has revealed what categories Freedom and Freedom Flex cardholders can earn bonuses on. From April 1st through June 30th, customers can earn 5% (or more) in three categories: Amazon.com, Hotels, and Restaurants. Similar to how Chase embraced a "New Year, New Me" theme last quarter,...

FedEx Announces Winners of 11th Annual 2023 Small Business Grant Contest

Nearly three months after the entry period ended, FedEx has announced the winners of its 11th annual Small Business Grant Content. This year's event saw more than $300,000 in funds going to a variety of small businesses across the nation. Last month, the company revealed 100 finalists, with that list now being narrowed down to just 10 winners. This year's grand prize winners included KindVR, The Cupcake Collection, Up In...
H-E-B and Central Market  credit cards

Imprint Launches Credit Cards from H-E-B and Central Market 

The FinTech Imprint is partnering with the popular Texas-based grocery chain H-E-B for a pair of new rewards credit cards. This week saw the launch of the H-E-B Visa Signature Credit Card as well as the Central Market Visa Signature Credit Card. With these two (nearly identical) options, customers will be able to earn rewards on groceries and beyond. First, both versions of the card earn up to 5% back on select...