The Problem with Money? It’s Not About the Money!
by Jane Honeck
When it comes to money
You can’t really fix the “what” until you know the “why”
There are loads of books presenting “keys” for how to manage money. As a result, there are many people who know exactly what to do to gain control of their finances. Yet there are very few who actually do what’s necessary to reach their stated financial objectives. Now you no longer have to be victim to living the same money problems over and over again.
Discovering a pattern of financial sabotage
CPA Jane Honeck wondered why her clients weren’t following the logical, even simple, steps that would lead to financial balance; things like saving, avoiding excess credit card debt, budgeting and the like. It wasn’t until her own life circumstances took her into a process of self-exploration that she discovered we all hold unconscious beliefs about money that strongly influence how we handle our finances. Viewing ourselves as incompetent money managers, thinking it’s not okay to spend money on ourselves, along with a myriad of other ideas in between hold us hostage to a dysfunctional life with money.
Building on that realization, she developed a method of assisting people in uncovering these hidden beliefs, neutralizing those that erode their efforts to control their spending and saving habits, and re-framing others so they become supports instead of sabotages in their financial life.
Steps toward gaining financial control evolve into a book
Jane’s unique approach, refined over years of working with clients one-on-one and in group classes, is clearly presented in The Problem with Money? It’s Not About the Money! It begins with identifying money beliefs in seven key areas and exploring how they influence behavior in seven facets of our lives. Then it provides tools and techniques for gaining power over these beliefs so a change of financial behavior naturally emerges. Bringing the process full circle, it provides methods for identifying small, doable action steps that produce the profoundly positive benefits of being financially conscious.
The integration of practical techniques for getting to the root of the problem, with an intimate understanding of personal and business finance make The Problem with Money? It’s Not About the Money! especially valuable for anyone wanting to uncover their unconscious money choices and gain control of their financial life.
Book Awards
Finalist:
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2011 ForeWord Reviews: Self help
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2011 Next Generation Indie Book Awards: How to
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2011 Eric Hoffer Award: Self help
Honorable Mention:
- 2011 New England Book Festival: Self Help
- 2011 Los Angeles Book Festival: Self Help
- 2011 DIY Book Festival: Self Help
- 2011 International Book Festival: Personal Finance
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2011 International Book Festival: Self Help
Book Reviews
Michael James on Money: The Problem With Money? It’s Not About The Money
Jane Honeck believes that at the core of our money troubles are unexamined beliefs that drive us to self-destructive behaviour that limits our ability to succeed financially. In her book The Problem with Money? It’s not about the Money! she lays out a series of exercises designed to root out your hidden beliefs, examine them, and find ways to break out of old patterns. Read Full Review
Wallet Pop Canada Book Review: The Problem With Money
by Renee Sylvestre-Williams
One of the interesting things about writing about lifestyle finance is that people will send you books about how to deal with money problems.
Many such books offer basic advice – make a budget, stick to it, don’t make it easy to access your money and finally, stop using your credit cards. Jane Honeck’s The Problem with Money? It’s Not About the Money! goes deeper and suggests that your adult relationship with money stems from your first or even subconscious childhood impressions of money. Only by acknowledging these influences can you, according to Honeck, become ‘financially conscious.’ Read Full Review
Barnes and Noble.com
THE MONEY PIT!! Posted February 6, 2011, 8:35 AM EST:
If you have issues with money (and who doesn’t?) this book is a great way to begin getting at the reasons. In The Problem with Money, Jane Honeck points out that it isn’t actually our skill in handling money that causes problems – it is our underlying beliefs about money. What we learned about money from parents and society in our early years is most likely what shapes our financial behavior, even though what we learned then may not be in our best interest today. Let’s face it, managing our financial interests can be stressful. But far from being a stressful read, Honeck’s book is a lighthearted and guilt-free trip down memory lane designed to get at just what our hidden attitudes that underlie our money behavior really are. Examples from some of her real life clients illustrate how these beliefs can cause us to behave in ways that are actually contrary to our best interest. Honeck uses some fun meditation-like exercises help us bring these hidden money values to the surface. She asks us to use a journal as we read, and provides workbook space to record our findings as we journey through the beliefs and values landscape. She gives tailored affirmations to lead the way to begin modifying the beliefs that are not useful and guides us into developing our own blueprint for changing our money handling approach. As she says, we can finally be financially conscious!
Amazon.com
5.0 out of 5 stars Becoming Financially Conscious, November 5, 2010
By Steve Burns “Author of “How I made money …Nashville, TN) (TOP 500 REVIEWER)
I really liked this book because it addressed the behavioral and psychological side of money. It is not about the left brain managing of money but the subconscious unexamined beliefs we hold that influence the choices that we make. This book is about removing the blindfolds and becoming financially conscious in life with fully examined beliefs so when we make money choices we are making them with our eyes wide open. It is not about the money itself, money is a neutral thing that can be used for any purpose we choose. It can be for good or bad, to invest or waste, it can be used to gain freedom or bondage to things. What this book is about is our beliefs and values that control how we manage and spend or money.
Our beliefs cause our behaviors around money. What we do with our money is a reflection of behaviors and beliefs we learned as children or young adults. this book asks you not to blame those who gave you bad advice or led you down the wrong road, it asks us to take full responsibility for how and why we make bad financial decisions. The books aim is to make us fully conscious of our behaviors regarding money.
Through exercises, examples, and stories this book does a great job uncovering money beliefs in seven areas of life-our earliest memories, family of origin, significant relationships, education, work, spirituality, and worldview.
“We are motivated to grow by the power of our dreams rather than our problems.”
Great book for those with money problems but can never figure out why they can’t stop making the same mistakes over and over again. This book could be a financial life saver by getting to the psychological root of the problem once and for all.
your first step to a brighter financial future, March 30, 2011
As a psychologist, I know that most financial problems come from beliefs about money that prevent people from handling money well. There are countless books out there offering practical tips on saving, investing, and spending money wisely, but even the best money advice in the world won’t work if negative beliefs (for example, “I don’t deserve money,” “I’m not good with money,” and “money is the root of all evil”) are in the way. This enjoyable, enlightening, and easy to digest book is your road map to understanding your own negative beliefs about money — and trust me, we all have them — and creating the empowering money beliefs necessary to build and maintain a rewarding financial life.
5.0 out of 5 stars The Little Book That Makes It OK!, February 16, 2011
By Robert L. Stinnett (Boonville, MO) (TOP 500 REVIEWER)
Money; Finances; the bank account. Words that nobody – and no married couple – like to talk about. Let’s face it, people will talk about their sex lives more easily than they do their finances. We hide from them, pretend like they don’t exist, and do everything in our power to avoid having to sit down and have a real conversation about them. It’s such a shame – but what’s the problem with talking about money? The problem is we don’t know how and we are afraid of facing our biggest fears — our own self!
In this book the author takes us on a very easy to follow journey about how we can confront these fears we have about finances and help move our lives along. Through easy to read chapters and helpful “write it down” exercises she doesn’t lecture us or tell us that it’s all our own fault — instead, like a kind grandmother, she holds our hand and helps us discover the true problem with our financial woes. Advice isn’t given so much as it is learned and discovered.
I would recommend this book for parents who want to give their soon-to-be-in-the-real-world kids a heads up on their financial life; for those who find themselves struggling paycheck to paycheck; and even those who think they are living comfortably, but lie away sometimes at night worrying about financial matters for no apparent reason.
A good read, a good gift book and most importantly a good book to help you overcome probably what is one of your biggest fears — money and all the things associated with it!
5.0 out of 5 stars FOLLOW THE MONEY!! CHECK IT OUT!!, February 6, 2011
By John R. Vacca “Tech Write Independent Reviewer” (Pomeroy, Ohio)
If you have issues with money (and who doesn’t?) this book is a great way to begin getting at the reasons. In The Problem with Money, Jane Honeck points out that it isn’t actually our skill in handling money that causes problems – it is our underlying beliefs about money. What we learned about money from parents and society in our early years is most likely what shapes our financial behavior, even though what we learned then may not be in our best interest today. Let’s face it, managing our financial interests can be stressful.
But far from being a stressful read, Honeck’s book is a lighthearted and guilt-free trip down memory lane designed to get at just what our hidden attitudes that underlie our money behavior really are. Examples from some of her real life clients illustrate how these beliefs can cause us to behave in ways that are actually contrary to our best interest. Honeck uses some fun meditation-like exercises help us bring these hidden money values to the surface. She asks us to use a journal as we read, and provides workbook space to record our findings as we journey through the beliefs and values landscape. She gives tailored affirmations to lead the way to begin modifying the beliefs that are not useful and guides us into developing our own blueprint for changing our money handling approach. As she says, we can finally be financially conscious!
5.0 out of 5 stars “The Problem With Money? It’s Not About the Money!”, January 25, 2011
By Sherri Rosen “Sherri Rosen Publicity” (New York City
“The Problem With Money? It’s Not About the Money!” by Jane Honeck
I met the author when I was at the New England Book Festival 2010 in January in Boston, Mass. I was accepting an award for my client, and Jane was accepting an award for her book “The Problem With Money”.
As Jane says in her title it’s not about the money. Jane says the only power we give money is the value we give it. We have operated for years solely believing that the power of money is the way to live our lives, and we have now found out after the collapse of our financial institutions, our credit card debt, our living in homes we actually didn’t own, our belief in financial advisors, who have betrayed us over and over again, that it’s more about our beliefs about the relationship we have with money that has caused us all of these problems we are in now.
Jane is a fellow New Englander living in Portland, Maine. I shared with her that I grew up in Lynn, Mass, a small town right next to Boston, and what I saw done with money was disrespectful, and downright dishonest. So I took those beliefs with me and felt earning a great deal of money was going to lead me down a path of destruction. I found I went the opposite direction and became a low wage earner, until many years later, when I realized, like Jane says in her book that it is about the relationship I had with money. I soon began to realize that I could do great things with money, I could save it, I could gather people around me who I trusted and could advise me financially, and I could help people with the money. I turned from being disempowered in my relationship with money to being empowered,
Jane was an accountant for many years owning her own business, so she truly understands the relationship people have with money. She coaches, she gives presentations, interviews, and is truly helping people understand how to empower themselves in a down home and genuine way. I was impressed with her integrity and I recommend that you read this book. It will open your eyes, and most important! She doesn’t make you feel guilty if you are one of the many people that have made so many mistakes with money.
5.0 out of 5 stars Honeck looks at the unexamined beliefs that drive our financial lives, when we discover these, we can best manage our money., January 18, 2011
By Blaine Greenfield “eclectic reader” (Belle Meade, NJ) (TOP 500 REVIEWER)
If you are looking for lots of tips on how to save and/or invest your money, then THE PROBLEM WITH MONEY? IT’S NOT ABOUT MONEY! by Jane Honeck is not something you should rush out to buy.
Rather, the author (a CPA and seminar leader for over 30 years) spends most of her book looking at the unexamined beliefs that drive our financial lives . . . she contends that when we discover these, we can best put manage our money.
I never gave this idea too much thought; i.e., until I read THE PROBLEM . . . and in doing so, I became clearer about some of my beliefs.
As Honeck notes:
* Money decisions all boil down to choice. And your choice is always correct if you are conscious of why you make your decisions. But unconscious choices get us into trouble. Unconscious choices wake us the next day, month or year an make us say, “What have I done? How did I get here?”
That’s so true, in that I’ve done exactly that (but never realized it). She continues:
* But the problem with money is it’s not about the money. That’s right. It’s not about the money! It’s about the unexamined beliefs that drive our financial lives. These beliefs lead us to make money decisions with the wrong set of facts. And then we try to solve our problems with the wrong set of tools. It’s like changing a tire on the wrong car with a curling iron! Your beliefs drive your financial bus, and you may be sitting behind the wheel with a blindfold on.
What makes this such a good book are the visualization exercises that are included at the end of each chapter . . . here was my favorite:
* You open the door [to a cottage you come across in a walk] and find a table with a note next to $500. The note says, “This $500 is my gift to you. Please do with it whatever you want. The only thing you must do is tell me how you will spend it.”
Decide how you would spend this money–no judgments allowed. Just go with your fist thoughts. Write how you plan to use the $500 in your journal.
You then find yourself being given gifts of $5,000, $50,000, $500,000, etc. The key: You’re asked to think about how you felt making those spending decisions.
To make this easier, Honeck clearly explains how to employ each of five thought-provoking worksheets:
Unexamined Beliefs
Restated Beliefs and Truths
Growing Edge Affirmations
Financial Visions and Next Steps
Blue Print for Change
Though I finished THE PROBLEM WITH MONEY? several days ago, I’m still thinking about it (always a good sign) . . . also, I’m going to recommend it to all those who have a problem dealing with the subject.
5.0 out of 5 stars Master Your Belief Systems, January 13, 2011
By Joseph S. Maresca “Dr. Joseph S. Maresca CPA,… (Bronxville, New York USA) (TOP 500 REVIEWER)
The Problem With Money -
It’s Not About The Money
By Jane Honeck CPA
Reversing Falls Press 2010
Reviewed By: Dr. Joseph S. Maresca
_______________________________
A family can never deal effectively with debt until coming to terms with deeply held belief systems. The author provides a simple formula for examining beliefs. First, state your beliefs. Then, debate them with alternatives. Finally, recreate or reshape them to come to terms with reality.
Examples of deeply held beliefs are as follows:
o We need to keep up with what next door family is doing.
o I wouldn’t be seen dead in those clothes.
( So, go out and spend a fortune to stand out in a crowd.)
All of these beliefs cost us dearly in the long run. The thing to do is to examine them dispassionately. Debate the alternatives and make the appropriate changes.
Next, the author advises us to break down goals into smaller snippets or steps forward. In addition, we should not push goal achievement too hard. The book articulates a good rule. That is, we cannot change our relationship to debt without changing how we spend and why. Ultimately, we must plan to become financially conscious.
We need to stop associating money with power. Instead, Americans should extol goodness over financial resources. We need to stop excessive concerns over money.
In our relations with others, my own experience is to limit loans to friends. Never lend out any amount that you cannot afford to lose.
Overall, the book is an excellent value for the small price charged. The advice is clear and unambiguous. Reading this book will force consideration of many deeply held views. These modes of behavior may be holding us back from enjoying the process of life more fully and albeit less stressfully.
Next, the author should re-write this book to instruct governments on how to spend money .
4.0 out of 5 stars Simple concepts about a complex topic–MONEY!, January 9, 2011
By Cynthia L. Wall, LCSW “The Courage to Trust” (Mendocino, California)
Having counseled many about their relationship with money, I was glad to see someone discussing the deep beliefs that stop us from acting out of intelligence. Embracing True Prosperity: Guided Visualizations & Practical Tools To Realize Your Deepest Dreams My own experience mirrors Ms. Honeck’s–we cannot simply force a change without recognizing the times and places where our fears of being an Adult with money began. Jane Honeck uses guided imagery to open the mind to the stuck spots and talk to our scared parts with kindness. It is a small book, which at first dissuaded me from appreciating the depth of her intentions. It is best being small, however, for someone just opening to the idea that there is a split between what they know and how they behave and feel deeply inside. I look forward to your next level of teaching and guiding.
5.0 out of 5 stars A Step by Step Plan for Building a Blueprint to Take Control of Your Financial Future., December 5, 2010
By Richard R. Blake (Bridgman, Michigan) (VINE VOICE) (TOP 500 REVIEWER)
Popular author, speaker, and seminar leader Jane Honeck has a successful career as a CPA. Over the years Jane has been recognized and sought after as a Personal Financial Specialist (PFS). In her new book “The Problem with Money? It’s Not About the Money!” Jane takes the reader with her on a journey in self discovery looking into the beliefs that drive our financial behaviors.
The journey becomes a step by step discovery in awareness in how to gain personal power over your financial and spending choices. Jane helps you, the reader get a whole new perspective on finding fulfillment by living a financially conscious life.
Self exploration exercises and worksheets help facilitate the steps to becoming financially conscious while unearthing your money beliefs and leading to a blueprint for change.
Jane discusses money beliefs in seven areas: earliest memories, family of origin, significant relationships, work values, world views, educational attitudes, and spiritual viewpoints. She talks about and how each of these areas has an impact in forming the personal beliefs that drive our financial lives.
Real life examples and illustrations, personal journals, clever drawings, and substantive narrative reinforce Jane’s call to a commitment to personally lead financially conscious lives with fully examined beliefs. “The Problem with Money? It’s Not About the Money!” is a book for anyone wanting to take control of their financial future.
5.0 out of 5 stars Review, November 16, 2010
By Alaska
The book “The Problem with Money” is a practical yet thoughtful book for anyone who is interested in developing their skills at managing their finances. It makes it simple for the everyday person to think about how to manage their financial life in simple terms. It does this by exploring your beliefs and behaviors and how these influence how effective you are at managing your money. A great book to share with your super smart friends and you not so super smart kids.
5.0 out of 5 stars The prophet of profit, November 4, 2010
This little book is a treasure. With clear and witty language, it takes you by the hand and shows you in interactive ways that the problem with money is that… it’s not about the money! There is a scripture that says “what is the profit if you win the world but lose your soul.” Ms. Honeck’s books will teach you how to gain wordly possessions and save your soul in the process. Read it and see for yourself!
5.0 out of 5 stars As a Couples’ Therapist, November 4, 2010
By Carol Brockmon “cbrockmon” (Philadelphia, PA)
As a couples’ therapist, I see people who struggle with money issues all the time. The clarity and wisdom in this book is useful. it’s a real resource, and I will be recommending it to many couples. It combines sense about money with respect for people’s history, experience and values.
5.0 out of 5 stars One of a Kind, October 31, 2010
The “Problem With Money?” is a refreshing treat for those who are serious about transforming their relationship to money and financial abundance. Honeck’s unique combination of accessible and imaginative writing takes the reader on a money journey like no other. Likely for the first time, you will see the depth of your beliefs about money and the extent to which they have influenced all aspects of your life. An especially powerful approach is to first read the book independently and then with a group, as Honeck’s seasoned insights are applicable to individuals as well as organizations. Dozens of books about creating abundance are available, but few get to the heart of the matter like “The Problem With Money?” I highly recommend this book for anyone who is finally ready for powerful financial healing!
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