Book Review: A Million Buckys by 30

After my last book review (with a similar title) was so unpleasant, I wasn't really looking forward to reading another personal finance book written about being a millionaire at 30. However, I am not one to turn down free stuff; so I agreed to read and review the book on my blog.

After reading the introduction, I was motivated to try to live more frugally and to keep reading. Corey starts out in NYC (after moving out of his mother's Atlanta basement) at 22 with $10k in the bank and a job paying $40k a year.

All of his personal finance advice is weaved into stories about his life and journey. I really enjoyed the part about living in the projects in Spanish Harlem. His advice doesn't come off as a lecture, and he's not trying to sell other products. Corey explains how he made his first million at 29 while keeping a reasonably low salaried day job ($40k at the beginning, up to $52k by the end of the book). He ended up making the majority of his money in the real estate boom; but there are plenty of other ventures including reality television, a Shaggy (from Scooby Doo) impersonator, and as a guinea pig for psychology experiments.

While I don't think Corey's advice will apply to everyone, I read this book in one sitting because it was so captivating. I'm motivated to look for cheaper housing options for my move (at least I won't be living in the projects) and try to look for fun ways to make a few extra dollars (I'm not cut out for reality TV).

While I wouldn't recommend this book as a personal finance book, I truly enjoyed reading the book and am waiting for the sequel.