Makala Green’s debut book The Money Edit is a jargon-free, practical guide on making choices with your money no matter what stage of your financial journey you are on. 39% (20.3 million) adults do not feel confident managing their money and this book is a great starting point or refresher for anyone struggling. Green’s ‘no blame, no shame’ approach helps the reader unpack their personal relationship with money. 

Green grew up in a council estate in East London and her fascination with money from a young age catapulted her into the banking world at the tender age of 16. Since being in the industry she has amassed a number of accolades and is the first black female chartered financial planner in Britain. Reading about Green’s background is inspiring as she shows that secure finances are not something exclusive to the super-rich but accessible through education and the implementation of lessons. 

The book is split into five sections. Firstly, Green discusses ‘money tracking’ and developing a comfortable, confident relationship with money. She then talks about ‘money mapping’ which focuses on how you can plan your financial future. In part three she talks about ‘financial transition’ and provides advice for when finances may change due to life circumstances such as moving out, getting married etc. The last part – ‘the financial destination’ is all about retirement and the appendix of the book has resources and links to get started on some of the advice given in the book. The breadth of topics this book covers is phenomenal and it is very accessible and clear. When Green uses financial terms she accompanies them with clear definitions and examples. At times the book does feel a bit repetitive but this may be due to the explanatory nature of finance books.

There are hundreds of personal finance books out there but Green’s is personable and encouraging. It really does feel like anyone can remedy their relationship with money. I appreciate her holistic approach. Money is not just maths – it’s a complex relationship that can be marred by trauma and financial illiteracy. It is written with an understanding that we do not always make rational decisions when it comes to money. Healthy spending and saving habits are built incrementally when space is made for healing a rocky financial past. 

I enjoyed the questions throughout the book and the sections that you can fill out yourself; it made for an engaging, reflective read. Green encourages an honest interrogation of how we actually feel about money. She talks about our individual money mindset which is the subconscious beliefs we have about money. She encourages us to reframe our ideas of some money concepts like budgeting. She talks about budgeting giving you more freedom because you know how much you can spend. You are not living precariously paycheck to paycheck. I found the parts where she spoke about our relationship with money being psychological the most compelling. Money is still a bit of a taboo in our society. Financial education is not even on the syllabus and not everyone is privileged to have access to an askable, knowledgeable adult.

Obviously, this book is not one size fits all. Financial circumstances are incredibly personal and our financial health is not solely defined by our individual actions- there are many other factors like generational and state poverty. However, I think this is a good start to educating yourself on money. Green is passionate about demystifying the world of personal finance and this comes through in the book. It has feasible tips on how to save money: I personally will be adopting the ‘no spend days’ at least every month. I would recommend this book to university students, early career starters but really anyone who wants to begin a healthy financial journey.

Rating: 4/5

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