Chapter 3 Summary and Analysis

Chapter 3 covers Step 3. Step 3 is dividing income and expenses into categories and charting them, then determining how much any expenses really mean in terms of hours of life energy spent.

At the beginning of the Chapter 3, the authors warn against budgeting. They compare budgeting to dieting because both overeating and overspending can be addictions and both dieters and budgeters feel like they are giving up something they love. The purpose of the program in this book is to minimize spending not through budgeting but rather through helping the reader increase their awareness of how they are spending their money and exactly how much life energy it has taken them to pay for each expense. Throughout this process, the authors once again urge the reader to place no blame and feel no shame.

When the reader becomes completely aware of just how...