You're Broke Because You Want to Be: How to Stop Getting By and Start Getting Ahead

220 Pages·2008·12.97 MB·English

by  Larry Winget

Praise for You're Broke Because You Want to Be:
"Go, Winget, go! Larry tells it like it is (in his trademark
style), and gets in your face to make you FACE your finan
cial reality (or lack thereof). Stop thinking and acting broke,
and get with his program. It can change your life."
—David Bach, #1 New York Times bestselling author of
The Automatic Millionaire and Start Late, Finish Rich
"Larry Winget is a great guy—he's tough, talks straight,
and has a big heart. Read this book if you need a good kick
in the butt!"
—Robert T. Kiyosaki, investor, entrepreneur, teacher,
and author of Rich Dad, Poor Dad
"Classic Winget. Bold, brash, and exactly on target. If you
want to escape debt and get your life back, this book is your
game plan."
—Randy Gage, author of Why You're Dumb, Sick &
Broke . . . And How to Get Smart, Healthy & Rich!
"Larry Winget's no-nonsense advice will make a difference
in your life today. His plain talk and simple solutions—right
in this book—are what every American needs to go from
broke to making money and living life. If you're feeling
broke, get this book, now."
—Jennifer Openshaw, author of The Millionaire Zone
"I love this little book! Larry is authentic, sincere, and gen
erous in his advice. So shape up and STOP being broke . . .
FOREVER! Listen to this man. He is the ROCK STAR of
personal finance!"
—Keith Ferrazzi, author of Never Eat Alone
Larry Winget is one of the country's leading business
speakers and a member of the International Speakers
Association Hall of Fame. He is the author of People Are
Idiots and I Can Prove It!, the New York Times and Wall
Street Journal bestseller It's Called Work for a Reason!
and the Wall Street Journal and BusinessWeek bestseller
Shut Up, Stop Whining & Get a Life. He lives in Paradise
Valley, Arizona, with his family.
Larry Winget has already helped countless people
to get ahead in life. Here's what a few of them
have to say about him and his program:
"With Larry's help I got myself out of massive debt, quit
my underpaying job, and got my life in order. Larry's
harsh manner is a reality check and a swift kick in the
rear to get your life in order. While Larry's tough love
and advice is hard to swallow initially, he is a life-
saver!!!"
—JEWEL PENA
"Larry has a no BS approach. Some people might find
him rough around the edges, even offensive, but when
you think about everything he has personally overcome,
you'll see that he knows what he's talking about! We are
living proof that his philosophy works!"
— GREG AND SUE COSCINO
"He's not only been where we were, he's done what it
takes to fix it. He has this type of passion to help those
who are serious about changing their lives. Yes, Larry is
a very blunt, in-your-face hard-ass. But if you listen to
him, what he says makes sense and his ideas really work.
Before Larry, we didn't think we were ever going to get
ourselves out of our financial mess. But after listening to
Larry we could see the light at the end of the tunnel."
—NICK AND BECCA

YOU'RE
B R O KE
BECAUSE
YOU WANT TO BE
How to STOP GETTING BY and
START GETTING AHEAD
LARRY
WINGET
GOTHAM BOOKS
Published by Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014, U.S.A.
Penguin Group (Canada), 90 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 700, Toronto, Ontario M4P 2Y3,
Canada (a division of Pearson Penguin Canada Inc.); Penguin Books Ltd, 80 Strand, London
WC2R 0RL, England; Penguin Ireland, 25 St Stephen's Green, Dublin 2, Ireland (a division
of Penguin Books Ltd); Penguin Group (Australia), 250 Camberwell Road, Camberwell,
Victoria 3124, Australia (a division of Pearson Australia Group Pty Ltd); Penguin Books In
dia Pvt Ltd, 11 Community Centre, Panchsheel Park, New Delhi-110 017, India; Penguin
Group (NZ), 67 Apollo Drive, Rosedale, North Shore 0632, New Zealand (a division of Pear
son New Zealand Ltd); Penguin Books (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd, 24 Sturdee Avenue, Rose-
bank, Johannesburg 2196, South Africa
Penguin Books Ltd, Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England
Published by Gotham Books, a member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
Previously published as a Gotham Books hardcover edition
First trade paperback printing, January 2009
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Gotham Books and the skyscraper logo are trademarks of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
Copyright © 2008 by Larry Winget
All rights reserved
The Library of Congress has cataloged the hardcover edition of this book as follows:
Winget, Larry.
You're broke because you want to be: how to stop getting by
and start getting ahead / Larry Winget.
p. cm.
ISBN 978-1-592-40334-9 (hardcover) ISBN 978-1-592-40429-2 (paperback)
1. Finance, Personal. I. Title.
HG179.W5473 2008
332.024—dc22 2007033838
Printed in the United States of America
Set in Janson Text Designed by Sabrina Bowers
Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may
be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or
by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), without the
prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.
The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other
means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please pur
chase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage electronic
piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author's rights is appreciated.
While the author has made every effort to provide accurate telephone numbers and Internet
addresses at the time of publication, neither the publisher nor the author assumes any respon
sibility for errors, or for changes that occur after publication. Further, the publisher does not
have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party Web
sites or their content.
This book is for my wife, Rose Mary.
She stuck with me through thick and thin. (Even when the
thin was so thin it became transparent!) She watched me lose,
she watched me win. She believed in me when no one else did
and when I forgot to. She is my rock.

A party gives laughter,
And wine gives happiness;
But money gives everything.
—Ecclesiastes 10:19