Some money experts come across as professional scolds who harangue us about the bad things we’ve done and the good things we haven’t done.
No wonder some people prefer to unload their money woes to friends. Even if our pals gently point out our goofs, at least they’re not telling us how stupid we are.
The problem is that not all friends will hold us accountable, either because they don’t want to hurt our feelings or they don’t know much about money themselves. Thus we run the risk of getting advice that’s well-intentioned but not really in our best interests.
Ever confess to having gone a little off the rails at the mall only to have your BFF blithely chirp, “Oh, well, it happens to all of us!” Or fret about how you shouldn’t have gotten such an expensive car and have some other dude say, “Aw, come on! Live a little!”
Beverly Harzog won’t tell you anything like that. Instead, she’ll be the friend everyone should have: One who cares enough to convince you to get control of your spending and who offers to stand by you every step of the way.
Harzog recently released a new book, “The Debt Escape Plan,” and it’s up for grabs in this week’s giveaway.
The subtitle is “How to free yourself from credit card balances, boost your credit score and live debt-free,” a positive approach to money troubles. Harzog introduces readers to some hard truths but with a soft touch: Rather than berate you for having fallen behind, she encourages you to “look your debt in the eye and own it” and takes you through the steps of changing your own life.
This change may not be easy but it is almost certainly possible. Harzog speaks not from an ivory tower of money goddess-hood but from painful personal experience. The title of her first book was “Confessions of a Credit Junkie: Everything You Need to Know to Avoid the Mistakes I Made.”
She worked to get herself out of debt, and now she counsels and inspires others. Now imagine being able to fix your own money issues and then help friends who are slipping under.
If you win the book, you can teach by example or by offering specific advice. To enter:
- Leave a comment below
- Subscribe via e-mail or Feedburner
- Sign up to follow Surviving and Thriving on Twitter or Facebook
If you do any (or all!) of these things, please leave separate, additional comments to get credit for each entry.
The deadline is 7 p.m. PDT Tuesday, March 31. If I don’t hear back from the winner by 7 p.m. PDT Wednesday, April 1, I’ll pull another name. No foolin’.
An escape sounds great!
I receive & love your emails
Need that escape plan!
Like you on Facebook
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Receive your emails
So in need of this right now! 🙁
Subscribed via email.
Following via twitter (2ndheartmom)
Would like to read this. Out of debt, but would have like to have more in savings. Maybe the techniques could meet that goal as well.
Would like to learn more…..
Would love to have this plan to help plan our way out!
I love reading all of your info and would love to receive this book!
Would make good use of this book — thanks for the giveaway
I follow via email
I would really appreciate a book such as this. Count me in and thank you! PS is it open worldwide? 🙂
I happily and excitedly follow via email!
WOULD LOVE TO READ THIS AND LEARN!
Thank you for the opportunity. Hope I win.
Follow you on Facebook.
Thanks Donna for offering this as a resource. I can use it!
And I subscribe! And enjoy your posts!
I could use any help.
I find you on Facebook.
I subscribe via email.
Thanks for the opportunity. Sign me up!
Love your emails!
i can use a book like that right about now.
A friend on Facebook
An email subscriber as well
This sounds like something I could really use! Thank you for another great giveaway.
I would be happy to read and then share it with another reader.
Almost anyone (everyone?) could benefit from this.
Hi
I follow you via email, facebook And Twitter!
Thank you for the opportunity to win!
This would be helpful and handy to have and share
This is something I can share with my children.
It’d be awesome to win this book!
I follow on fb
I receive your emails
Sounds like a good book to get on the right track
An escape sounds good about now! Thanks, I really appreciate your efforts in trying to help all of us get out of debt.
I can really use this book right now. This is a great prize.
It’s a very tough balance to hold people accountable without coming off as a scold. I know I usually come down on the side of “scold” myself. I admire people who can walk that tightrope, though. I’ll see if we have any of her books at my library.
Sounds great:)
I only wish that she would have the right words for us older people who are living on very little.
A debt escape plan might help me.
Sounds like a great book. Thanks for the giveaway.
Would love to pass this book to my sister who seems to Live a Little all the time.
Would love this book to share with my twentysomething kids!
This would be a huge help to me right now! Donna, I really enjoy your style.
I read your site religiously, Donna! And I can always use help in keeping debt under control. Thank you!
Hey, Donna! Thank you so much for the awesome review.
I’m thrilled that so many of your readers are excited about my book. Since I’ve been in credit card debt, I know how awful it feels and that’s why I wrote this book. I want everyone to know that, although getting out of debt can be tough, there really is a light at the end of the tunnel. You can do it! I truly hope my book helps.
Thanks for the giveaway offer Donna! Always enjoy reading your posts!