JUST THE FAQs
There are a bunch of scientific details on why three weeks works - things like nueroplasicity and habit forming that are covered in the book - but it boils down to three key things:
Studies show it takes about three weeks for us to break bad habits and build new ones - and The 21DBC is all about habit building.
Three weeks isn't instant gratficicaton, but it's attainable gratification - budgeting isn't at the top of everyone's to-do list and by breaking it into modules you can attack one at a time, it makes it more likely that you'll stick to it.
Three weeks means the finish line is in sight - it's not a goal you'll need to wait for months, or years to complete.
Anything that is a waste, leak, drain, etc. on your finances. This isn't like a diet where you have to abandon all your favorite foods - our goal is to make cleansing as simple and sustainable as possible. All gain, very, very little pain.
We tackle 21 different areas of typical household spending from how you watch TV and surf the web to how you insure your car, home and even your life. We'll hit the fun and interesting - food and shopping - and the mundane like water and trash. It's a 360 view of where your paycheck goes and how to keep more of it with minimal sacrifice.
Ted and Greg are an interesting combo, well paired to write The 21DBC.
Ted is a tried-and-true financial pro - a natonal expert not just on how to save for reirement, but how to get more out of your money each and every month. A regular guest financial expert on everything from HLN to CNBC and The Wall Street Journal, Ted knows how to save a buck or two.
The non-financial yin to Ted's yang, Greg brings an everyman's perspective to how the Cleanse comes to life, helping breakdown the information and strategies Ted's cooked up to life in a way that's accessible, useful, and maybe even a litle fun.
Together they deliver a budget guide that's effecive and accessible at the same time - no small feat in the world of budgeting.
Fantastic question which, sadly, doesn't have a concrete anwswer. What we can help you save has a lot to do with how in-shape or out-of-shape your spending is right now. For people who are already prety fiscally fit, it may just be a nip and tuck - a couple hundred bucks a month. For those who have a lot of bad budget habits, the results can be more dramatic. As an example, we had one single mom who makes north of $100K a year trim $1,300 a month from her budget. That's more than $15K a year. Results will vary, but with The 21DBC, it's all in your hands - and you can always start small and do a round two if you want to see results grow.
Simple - most financial planners are more focused on long term savings through things like IRAs than they are shaving a few bucks off your monthly grocery bill. Long term savings plans are super important for retirement, but saving in the here and now from week to week is a little less glamourous - and it's hard to attach fees. Hopefully, your financial peeps will give you a copy of this book for your birthday - or you can gift it to them.