Myth: Your only chance to achieve lasting financial security is by saving every last penny and living a life of austere frugality.
Reality: You can achieve long-term financial security and live your best life. Let me show you how!
Decisions that involve money often intimidate people to the point of indecision. Or you may rush into a decision without thinking through all the consequences only to regret those actions later.
My new book, Buy This, Not That is here to help you make better choices. Not only will you develop greater courage to act after reading my book, BTNT will also help you achieve financial freedom sooner than later.
Pre-order a hardcover copy of Buy This, Not That by clicking one of the retailers below. As a thank you for placing a pre-order, you’ll get access to my behind-the-scenes interview as a free bonus. Simply fill out this form with the details of your pre-order purchase. And if you pre-order multiple copies, please scroll down to see the additional incentives below.
The easiest way to never again think, if I knew then what I know now, is to learn from someone who has been through what you are about to go through or where you want to go.
I’ve been through the meat grinder of working at a top investment bank, going to business school part-time, and finally negotiating a severance at age 34 to be free.
Over the past 26 years, I’ve made and lost plenty of money in various investments. Oh how I wish I had an easy-to-read book to knock some investing sense in me to prevent so many past blowups.
As an entrepreneur who has lived in San Francisco since 2001, I’ve experienced firsthand the side-gig and startup life. From consulting with Series Seed to Series C startups to building my own 8-figure online business, I understand the pains of surviving the J-curve and the many dilemmas you will face.
Finally, as a father of two young children, I know the pressures of juggling family and work responsibilities. From the guilt of not spending enough time with our children to the desire to earn as much as possible to provide, working parents need as much help as possible.
In Buy This, Not That, I tackle some of life’s biggest dilemmas to help you make positive expected-value decisions. The chapters are meant to be read with loved ones and friends and discussed over a nice meal, drinks, or both!
Some of the following dilemmas the book explores include:
- Pay for private school or public school
- Join a startup or work for an established company
- Job hop or stay a loyal soldier
- Live in an expensive coastal city or move to a low-cost area
- Invest in real estate or stocks
- When to rent or buy
- When to invest in tax-advantaged versus taxable accounts
- Angel invest or don’t
- Dividend stocks or growth stocks
- Buy a fixer or a fully remodeled home
- Marry or cohabitate
- Marry for love or marry for money
- Have children early or late
- Return to work or be a stay-at-home-parent
- Combine your finances or keep separate accounts
- Get a divorce or stay married
- Seek fame or stay low key
- Buy or lease a car
- Keep The Bank Of Mom And Dad open or closed
Instead of making decisions that could set you back thousands of dollars and years of your time, why not prepare with as much perspective and knowledge beforehand?
Ultimately, my goal is to help you feel more confident about your big decisions so you can lead a happier and more fulfilling life. I want to help you minimize regret even if things don’t go according to plan.
Early Praise For Buy This, Not That
“This book has prepared me for life after basketball! A straight-forward guide to live a balanced, financially free life.” – Shaun Livingston, 3X NBA champion
“A no-nonsense guide to living your best life now while also ensuring a financially independent future.” – Emily Chang, anchor and executive producer of Bloomberg Technology, and bestselling author of Brotopia
“A one-of-a-kind book! Bold advice from someone who’s not just done the math, he’s lived it. A must read!” – Kumiko Love, founder of The Budget Mom and nationally bestselling author of My Money My Way
“Step by step, chapter by chapter, Sam shows how to make optimal money choices that focus on wealth building—not just saving for saving’s sake, but for living life on your terms.” – David McKnight, bestselling author of The Power of Zero and Tax-Free Income for Life
The 70/30 Philosophy
Too many times we get paralyzed by indecision. We need to feel 100% certain before sending an e-mail, asking a person out, or making an investment. As a result, we end up missing out on amazing opportunities.
The reality is, it is impossible to have 100% certainty when making any choice that involves risk. There is always an unforeseen variable that can knock you down.
Therefore, instead of thinking in absolutes, I encourage you to think in probabilities using my 70/30 decision-making philosophy. In other words, once you believe you have at least a 70% probability of making the right choice, you take the leap of faith.
At the same time, you understand that 30% of the time, you will make the suboptimal choice and that’s OK. Over time, you will learn from your mistakes and improve your odds.
Think of Buy This, Not That as one big cheat sheet for life. It synthesizes all the research I’ve conducted with thousands of various viewpoints and the mistakes I’ve made to help you make better choices on things that matter.
Buy This, Not That (BTNT)
Pre-order a hardcover copy of Buy This, Not That by clicking one of the retailers below. And please see details and instructions for pre-order incentives below.
Set for release on July 19, 2022, Buy This, Not That will help you navigate through most of life’s biggest financial decisions.
Based on early feedback from my newsletter subscribers and readers, interest is high. Buy This, Not That is a #1 New Release for many categories on Amazon. Therefore, in order to secure your hardcover copy, please pre-order today.
As a free bonus, if you pre-order one copy of the hardcover edition, you’ll get exclusive access to a behind-the-scenes audio interview that shares my thoughts on creating this book, unique discussion points, and personal insights. Simply fill out this form with the details of your pre-order purchase to gain access.
If you pre-order multiple copies, I’ve shared some additional incentives below.
Perspectives From All Over
Since I started Financial Samurai in 2009, over 90 million people from all over the world have visited the site. During this time, over 200,000 comments have been left, sharing various opinions and perspectives.
To make better decisions, understanding a diversity of perspectives is paramount. Otherwise, we’ll just end up in a self-serving echo chamber that ultimately hurts our ability to move forward.
Buy This, Not That takes into account our many viewpoints to help elucidate our blindspots. We all have them. The key is to make sure we find them and learn what we are missing.
After writing over 2,500 personal finance articles, the one clear theme is the reader’s desire to optimize their lifestyle with the money they have. Accumulating wealth is not the end goal. Using your money to live the way you want is.
The ah-hah moments from reading Buy This, Not that will help you see the world better. And who knows? You might even befriend some people with completely different viewpoints from your own. Goodness knows the world could use more love and harmony today.
My Value Proposition To You
By the time you finish reading Buy This, Not That, I firmly believe you will have gained at least 100X more value than the cost of the book. Over time, the value you receive will only increase as smart decisions compound to create enormous gains over time.
Each of the 15 chapters is filled with critical data and logical analysis to help you make the best decision possible. Using my 70/30 decision-making philosophy, I will tell you what I think is the right move and why. Each chapter has a course of action.
I encourage you to read Buy This, Not That with a friend or partner. The book was designed so that you can have a candid debate about each topic based on the rationale I’ve provided. BTNT is the perfect book club book! It is often through an open dialogue that we learn the most.
Bonus Incentives For Multiple Pre-Orders
For those who pre-order multiple hardcover copies, here are some gifts I have for you.
- 2 or more hard cover copies: A free signed bookplate by Sam Dogen and access to the behind-the-scenes audio interview. Please fill out this form after completing your purchase to submit your purchase details and mailing address.
- 5 or more hard cover copies: A free copy of the latest edition of How To Engineer Your Layoff: Make A Small Fortune By Saying Goodbye, a $97 value. Plus, get one signed bookplate by Sam Dogen and get access to the behind-the-scenes audio interview. Please e-mail your purchase receipt and mailing address to sales AT financialsamurai DOT com for access.
These pre-order incentives will only be available for the first edition of Buy This, Not That and expire at midnight on June 10, 2022.
As a collector of old books, coins, and art, I plan on including a unique signature stamp on my bookplate for newsletter subscribers only.
Corporate Speaking / Meetup: Order In Bulk For Your Team
Interested in a bulk-buy (100 hardcover copies or more) for your team or organization? Contact me at sales AT financialsamurai DOT com. I will route you to the proper resource.
- 100+ hard cover copies: A private virtual hour-long talk with your employees. We can talk about any subject from the book or what I’ve written about on Financial Samurai.
Pre-order multiple hardcover copies of Buy This, Not That by clicking one of the retailers below.
Book Information
Buy This, Not That by The Financial Samurai, AKA Sam Dogen
- Release date: July 19, 2022
- Genre: Business & Personal Finance
- Publisher: Portfolio, a Penguin Random House Imprint
- 15 Chapters plus Introduction And Conclusion
- Original artworks in each chapter by acclaimed illustrator, Colleen Kong-Savage
- 336 pages
About Sam Dogen
Sam Dogen founded FinancialSamurai.com in July 2009 during the depths of the global financial crisis. His goal was to find a cathartic way to make sense of the chaos at the time. To date, more than 90 million people have visited Financial Samurai, and tens of millions more have read his work on publications such as CNBC, Yahoo Finance, and Business Insider.
One of the pioneers of the modern-day FIRE movement, Sam was previously at Goldman Sachs and Credit Suisse for 13 years. In 2012, at the age of 34, Sam retired from corporate finance after negotiating a severance so he could be free. Today, his investments generate over $300,000 in passive income so both he and his wife can spend more time with their two young children.
When Sam is not writing or playing with his kids, you can find him on a tennis court or softball field in San Francisco. Sam is a graduate of The College of William & Mary and received his MBA from UC Berkeley.
