Recently, I tried (unsuccessfully, I might add) to sell an e-Book my wife and I came up with titled “How to Make a Budget”. Yep, hit the crapper hard. So, instead of selling it, we’re going to give it away for free here on this blog.
Yay! *the crowds rejoice*
I wondered if there was any market for something like this, tested it out, found out people didn’t want to pay for it, so instead we’ll give it away for free.
Now, full disclosure here. There are affiliate links inside this e-Book. They link to a website called Mvelopes (no affiliate link here). Now, their service is amazing (we’ve used it for years). However, I thought you should know about those links just because I hate tricking people. It’s not nice. Not that I don’t want you to use them. I hope that if you find the book and the service useful that you do use them. But, you should know that I’ll get a small finders fee if you do.
Anyway, back to the offer. Here’s the e-Book, complete with a free budget spreadsheet and instructions.
The contingency I asked for before releasing this book for free was that I wanted feedback. So, if you download it, please be sure to come here and give me feedback on it.
Is it too light? Not enough info? Too much info? Need better instructions? Did we leave something out?
Please, do the world some good and help us make this a better budgeting product for those millions, no thousands, no “over one Americans every year” who will download this book.
Cheers!
(Download link, or click the green arrow)
nate
Joao Carlos Caribe
Sérgio Rebelo
ankur sancheti
Posted by Daniel Nicolas on Dec 07, 2007 at 04:27pm
Under what license are you releasing this, if anything other than standard copyright?
Posted by Tom on Dec 11, 2007 at 04:03pm
Hi Nate, thanks for the free material. While I certainly think people should get “something” for their hard work, research and sometimes bad days, months or even years, I do appreciate the “freebie” every now and then.
“Sorry” to read about the difficult startup but it appears that you managed to steer things in the right direction. Sharing your experience and knowledge was a smart thing to do. A lot of people often find themselves in the same position but don’t have the courage (or don’t know how) to cry for help. This is your helping hand. (Like with that older person you helped a while back)
While I’m not really in financial problems right now, I think that you can never doe harm to create a budget just to get things under control. Sure I can buy cool stuff and get into debt and then use the Visa to pay off the checking account debt only to create another bottomless pit, or so it seems. This tool will help you to stay on track. The only hard part now is commitment. You have to engage yourself to stick to the plan, which is for most people I think the hardest part of creating a budget. Of course, you’re allowed to bend the lines every now and then but don’t make it a habit.
Posted by nate on Dec 11, 2007 at 04:34pm
Daniel, great question. The front page shows a copyright for now. I could be persuaded otherwise with the right arguments I suppose.
Tom, thanks for the kudos. I appreciate it. And yes, sticking to a budget is the most difficult thing, which is why we are recommending Mvelopes so highly. Instead of checking your bank, check Mvelopes. It downloads bank transactions once per day and you’re automatically budgeting. If you’re over in one category, a simple transfer of funds where you’re in the black will set your budget straight again. That way, by managing the smaller categories you are automatically managing the bigger category.. the account as a whole.
Anyway, needless to say I’m pretty excited about this way of budgeting. It’s been super successful for us and I’m a very lazy guy when it comes to finances (as you’ve read in the budget book).
Posted by robyn collins on Feb 23, 2008 at 08:19pm
I think this makes the idea of a budget far more palatable and approachable. And I found myself in some of the lines, personally shying from balances and information. I think this can be a powerful tool in freeing people. I will be investigating Mvelopes. Thanks for sharing your content. I’m interested in content that would be focused directly toward teens in business. I’d like to see a version of the budget that would take their particulars into account, and share it with the audience of Millionaire Blueprints Teen magazine.
Posted by Marissa on Mar 08, 2008 at 10:40am
Thanks for the free budget book. I thought is was perfect. To the point and just the right amount of info. Thanks Nate. found it by google.
Posted by Makumbi M Betty on Mar 12, 2008 at 03:27am
Hello thanks for free budget information ,but i think that on my side it’s very bad anyway. I need your help First of all they want my company profile
with a small budget may be i send you my company profile then you will help me in any way otherwise so many people are green about drawing the budget and the workplan as well