Fabulous But Broke by Melissa Browne

With so many financial self-help books on the market, it’s a surprise that there are still so many people that struggle with their money and everyday living expenses. There are books that help with everything- from finding the best ways to save, budgeting plans, investment options and property purchasing to simple money-saving tips, yet you still hear about people living from pay packet to pay packet, with no savings and little chance of ever owning their own home.

Perhaps the reason for this is because it all looks too hard- people are stuck in a rut, believe there’s no way they can change their fortune and have decided to just give up before they’ve started. Or maybe they feel that their financial situation is too far gone to change anything now. Perhaps they have been deterred by the often-boring looking books that are available on the subject. Judging a book by its cover is a real thing- if the book doesn’t look good, you won’t want to pick it up (despite how important/relevant/ well-written it may be)!

Melissa Browne, an Australian business author, has noticed this trend, and unlike her fellow writers, has attempted to do something to address the issue. Rather than produce a dry, step-by-step guide on how to manage your finances, which is full of jargon and accountant-talk, she has instead created a pretty but useful fairy-tale compendium with a financial bent. Featuring gorgeous illustrations by the talented Mekel, the book takes a different approach to finance, recounting thirteen well-known fairy-tales that have been adapted to suit a money-savvy audience. Each story is introduced with the key character, money message, fantasy, fears and dreams, and an inspirational quote that is relevant to the story. Browne then writes the fairy-tale story, giving both a typical ending and an alternative ending. The alternative ending is obviously the one that you want to take on, as it provides the best option for the scenario and doesn’t fall into the horrific trap of financial failure that the typical ending usually comes to. This writing style is quite unique (for this genre anyway) and changes the experience of reading a financial-help book, approaching the (predominantly female) audience from a different direction. The character scenarios are realistic and believable, as are the consequences of a wrong decision. This book is perfect for people who want to learn to be financially stable but want to steer clear of confusing jargon and preaching-style language.
The story-telling format is easy to read and provides all the motivation you may need to get active in your own financial success.


Rating: 3.5/ 5
Published: March 2015

#Non_Fiction
#Self-help
#Finance
#Money
#Fairy_tale
#Illustrations
#Australian
#Women



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