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By Sean Caldwell

A light introduction into budgeting with a guide on how to manage debt and financial responsibilities through the lens of an engineer. 

Rating:

Review:

The Paycheck Blueprint – Engineered Financial Freedom Book 1 by Sean Caldwell offers Caldwell’s own personal experience navigating finance and attaining financial freedom through the lens of his own problem solving skills as an engineer. Providing information and tips on building an emergency fund, splitting your salary effectively, managing family obligations, paying off debt, starting a family, and more, Caldwell develops an introductory guide on how to make smart choices. 

While the overall message of the book is good and well-thought, the actual execution was lacking at times. Although it was clear the book was planned to be easily accessible and digestible with its short chapters and brief overall length, this simply wasn’t enough to counteract the formatting and editing issues. There were frequent typos, ultimately demonstrating a lack of polish, and it often made the text confusing and hard to read. Images were also inserted in ways that were comparable to a slideshow, not a professional book, making it less refined. Additionally, the writing was, at times, rather long-winded. In a book that is only 60 pages, every single word should serve a purpose. Instead, the narrative often looped back into the same ideas with too much repetition, wasting the reader’s attention and interest.

In addition, the engineering lens felt overdone at times, creating a book that was lacking in engaging writing. While the unique way engineers approach problems was interesting and cool spin, the constant comparisons of financial choices to engineering felt overdone and tacky at times. It often felt to be reaching too far, and creating a book that was lacking in polish. 

Conclusion:

Ultimately, while The Paycheck Blueprint – Engineered Financial Freedom Book 1 had good intentions and was a well planned book, the overall depth and writing really take away from the maximum impact it could have had. That being said, if you are holding your first paycheck and don’t know what to do, this book provides a fast guide to help you make smart decisions. Lastly, if you’re a reader who enjoys brief overviews of topics and is interested in unique perspectives, maybe give The Paycheck Blueprint – Engineered Financial Freedom Book 1 a try.

Thank you so much to Reedsy for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an editorial review. All opinions are my own.

Be sure to check out the review on Thank you so much to Reedsy for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an editorial review. All opinions are my own.

Be sure to check out the review on Reedsy!