Make the best out of your life with this new concept of “Die with Zero”.

A Book Review – Die With Zero: Getting All You Can from Your Money and Your Life

By Bill Perkins

“Being aware that your time is limited can clearly motivate you to make the most of the time you do have.”

Chapter 7 – Start to Time-Bucket Your Life

Short Summary

“Die with Zero” is an inspiring read that teaches us how to well spend our hard earned money to achieve the near-impossible goal of human beings, to die one day with zero balance left in our bank accounts.

The book describes the need to shift our mindset from saving too much for retirement to spending freely in present stage to optimize our lives to a maximum. By optimizing our lives, Bill suggested that we should fully immerse ourselves to invest in good “memory experiences”, be it an extravagant meal or a dream trip around the world, invest in events or items that are valuable and rich for your memory bank. Nevertheless, spending money does not mean irresponsibly dumping all your monies now and living an uncertain and poor miserable life when we get old, it more means spending money on a well-planned manner and make the most out of your life by acquiring rewarding experiences.

There are also useful tips inside the book to achieve the ultimate goal of “die with zero” and Bill’s persuasion to us that the “die with zero” approach is a meaningful approach in life.

Personal thoughts

I chose this book as my first recommended book as I was deeply inspired by the concept Bill suggested. To me, die with zero not only means dying with zero bank balances, but it has an extended meaning of dying with zero regrets. Death is always a topic that most people tend to avoid thinking or talking about as it is uncertain and scary. However, this book provided us with a positive way of looking at this unavoidable outcome. By using our monies wisely, we can achieve a rich life and will die without regrets when our lives come to an end.

The key to optimizing our lives is to invest in great life experiences, and as like real financial investments, these good memories we invested in will stack up and they become your “memory dividend”. What’s left of a man when he dies? He is still rich of these unique memories that no other people can take away from him.

This book reinforced my decision to start building this Calm Reading site, which is something I truly enjoy doing and I am certain will enrich my memory bank in the days to come. I am glad that I am working on this now and I encourage you to invest in experiences that you are truly passionate about too. Quit just going for a routine autopilot in life, and start taking control of our own lives.

What else to learn

• There are financial products out there that can ensure you have a safe financial life towards the later part of your life, for instance annuities
• Die with zero does not mean leaving out your beloved ones such as your kids. Actually it means to actively plan and manage provisions to your kids, and it is even better to provide for them earlier and not wait until the day you die
• Learn to “Time-bucket” your life into different phases
• The book mentioned the song “Cat’s in the Cradle” as a reminder to our limited time. It is a very touching song and I embedded it at the end of this post for your listening (lyrics as well)

The Mouse talks to The Creator

Own the book

From Amazon

Cat’s in the Cradle

My child arrived just the other day
He came to the world in the usual way
But there were planes to catch, and bills to pay
He learned to walk while I was away
And he was talking ‘fore I knew it, and as he grew
He’d say “I’m gonna be like you, dad”
“You know I’m gonna be like you”

And the cat’s in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man in the moon
“When you coming home, dad?” “I don’t know when”
But we’ll get together then
You know we’ll have a good time then

My son turned ten just the other day
He said, thanks for the ball, dad, come on let’s play
Can you teach me to throw, I said-a, not today
I got a lot to do, he said, that’s okay
And he, he walked away, but his smile never dimmed
It said, I’m gonna be like him, yeah
You know I’m gonna be like him

And the cat’s in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man in the moon
“When you coming home, dad?” “I don’t know when”
But we’ll get together then
You know we’ll have a good time then

Well, he came from college just the other day
So much like a man I just had to say
Son, I’m proud of you, can you sit for a while?
He shook his head, and they said with a smile
What I’d really like, dad, is to borrow the car keys
See you later, can I have them please?

Cat’s in the Cradle

And the cat’s in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man in the moon
“When you coming home, son?” “I don’t know when”
But we’ll get together then, dad
You know we’ll have a good time then

I’ve long since retired, my son’s moved away
I called him up just the other day
I said, I’d like to see you if you don’t mind
He said, I’d love to, dad, if I can find the time
You see, my new job’s a hassle, and the kids have the flu
But it’s sure nice talking to you, dad
It’s been sure nice talking to you
And as I hung up the phone, it occurred to me
He’d grown up just like me
My boy was just like me

And the cat’s in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man in the moon
“When you coming home, son?” “I don’t know when”
But we’ll get together then, dad
We’re gonna have a good time then