Please help me name my next book…

We all know you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. But you know what? People do. I’m currently writing a book that does for money what 168 Hours did for time — looking at how people earn and spend it, now and in the past, and how we can all earn and spend it better. I’ll draw on data sets and interviews with people doing fascinating things to advance the idea that money is a tool to build the lives we want. Even small amounts of money (i.e., “you have more money than you think.”) Indeed, if money isn’t making us happy, it’s probably because we’re not earning and spending it right.

We have some working title ideas (“For What It’s Worth”) but just over 5 months from my manuscript deadline, I’m still not set. What are some words and phrases that leap to mind when you think about money? What kind of benefit statement would make a book leap off the shelf? I’ll be mulling this over during the holidays, but I’d certainly appreciate any ideas!

11 thoughts on “Please help me name my next book…

  1. you’ve come a long way since your piece on bicycles in Reader’s Digest (6/08) that I just read…Congratulations on living the life you want!

    off the top of my head–
    What Has Your Money Done for You Lately?
    Money CAN Buy Happiness–or at least get us closer to it
    You work Hard for the Money, but How Hard Does it Work For You?

    to use your words
    Money–The Tool to Build the Life You Want

    1. @Denise- thanks! How’d you find that article? I have a lot of stuff out there, I suppose. Some of it better than others 🙂 Thanks for the title suggestions. May have to ponder iterations of “tool” for a while…

  2. What pops into my mind when I think about money…
    Your money or your life
    You can’t take it with you
    Money doesn’t grow on trees
    The root of all evil
    Money talks
    Penny wise and pound foolish

    None are good titles, but may spark your creative mind…

  3. Great book idea!

    Here’s a phrase I always enjoy hearing from Chuck D (Public Enemy): “Make the money, don’t let the money make you.” Alliteration’s nice, but may be a bit too long to fit on a 6×9 book.

  4. The obvious is: You have more money than you think.

    It would be better if it could start with a number like your other book, but I can’t quite think how to do that. Ok, maybe this:

    X Dollars: You have more money than you think.

  5. What’s the average take-home salary for the American worker? Whatever that is, divide it by 168 hours to find out how much all that work effort is worth per hour. Let that be your title. Ex. $300 Per Hour: You’re Time is Worth More Than You Think

    Loved your book. I got it from the library, but noticed that when I had it on my coffee table over the holidays, friends and family not only picked it up and glanced at it, but actually sat down and read it! I thought that was interesting, so I bought several copies and gave them away as gifts! It’s not every book that captures attention to the point where people visiting me pick it up, read it, put it down, and pick it up and read it some more! You really have a knack for capturing peoples attention. Good luck with that money book.

    1. @Mary Pat – thanks so much, and especially thank you for giving people copies of 168 Hours. I consider that a great return when library copies turn into multiple purchased books! It was fun to write and so I’m glad people enjoy reading it.

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