Review by bananarosie -- Debt Cleanse by Jorge P. Newbery
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Review by bananarosie -- Debt Cleanse by Jorge P. Newbery
[Following is a volunteer review of "Debt Cleanse" by Jorge P. Newbery.]
Dealing with debt is one of the biggest challenges in our society today. As Jorge Newbery covers in this direct and approachable guide, we are burdened with credit card debt, student loans, car loans, mortgages and more that leave many people feeling hopeless and helpless. He also empathizes with this struggle on a personal level and wants to help those caught in similar situations. Debt Cleanse offers step-by-step instructions on how to rid oneself of debt, all beginning and (hopefully) ending with not paying.
At first, this seemed really scary to me. Won’t we get in serious trouble? But as Newbery breaks it down, the system is largely flawed and inconsistent. Often times, cases aren’t carried through either because it’ll take too much effort on the collector’s side or there are too many holes in their paperwork. With enough avoidance, letter writing, questioning, community support, and time, these debts don’t have to follow us.
Newbery goes beyond the practical resources in Debt Cleanse to promote his community website, DebtCleanse.com. Here, he emphasizes that one can locate attorneys, crowdsource funds, and share stories with people in similar situations to learn from. Outside of the financial burden of debt, I imagine that the psychological shame and isolation can be exhausting. Offering a space for others to not feel so alone in the midst of it is really commendable.
As I haven’t dealt with a lot of the credit or loans referenced in this book, I can’t speak to their practicality firsthand. Newbery consistently reminds the reader of his lived experience in many of these situations, giving the book a relatable feel. However, there were instances that I found questionable, at least if attempted in my own life. For example, in the chapter on mortgages, Newbery suggests asking if your neighbors would be willing to make their houses and lawns temporary look disheveled to drive down your home’s property value. But if the advice works even for a select few, that’s great. Plus overall, this shouldn’t detract too much from the hundreds of pages of valuable, sensible steps. I would just take it all with precaution.
Debt Cleanse seems like a great resource for anyone facing monetary hardships to have in their toolkit. It’s worth reading for the financial glossary alone, though it offers so much more. Newbery explains to us our rights and that just because a debt collector sounds harsh or aggressive doesn’t make them automatically winners. He shows us that even though debt may seem like a personal failure, statistically so many Americans are negatively impacted by this daunting system. He also pleasantly reminds us that we are human and our worth is so much more than our finances. With its few far-fetched flaws but overall being a comprehensive and supportive guide, I give Debt Cleanse a 3 out of 4 star rating.
******
Debt Cleanse
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Dealing with debt is one of the biggest challenges in our society today. As Jorge Newbery covers in this direct and approachable guide, we are burdened with credit card debt, student loans, car loans, mortgages and more that leave many people feeling hopeless and helpless. He also empathizes with this struggle on a personal level and wants to help those caught in similar situations. Debt Cleanse offers step-by-step instructions on how to rid oneself of debt, all beginning and (hopefully) ending with not paying.
At first, this seemed really scary to me. Won’t we get in serious trouble? But as Newbery breaks it down, the system is largely flawed and inconsistent. Often times, cases aren’t carried through either because it’ll take too much effort on the collector’s side or there are too many holes in their paperwork. With enough avoidance, letter writing, questioning, community support, and time, these debts don’t have to follow us.
Newbery goes beyond the practical resources in Debt Cleanse to promote his community website, DebtCleanse.com. Here, he emphasizes that one can locate attorneys, crowdsource funds, and share stories with people in similar situations to learn from. Outside of the financial burden of debt, I imagine that the psychological shame and isolation can be exhausting. Offering a space for others to not feel so alone in the midst of it is really commendable.
As I haven’t dealt with a lot of the credit or loans referenced in this book, I can’t speak to their practicality firsthand. Newbery consistently reminds the reader of his lived experience in many of these situations, giving the book a relatable feel. However, there were instances that I found questionable, at least if attempted in my own life. For example, in the chapter on mortgages, Newbery suggests asking if your neighbors would be willing to make their houses and lawns temporary look disheveled to drive down your home’s property value. But if the advice works even for a select few, that’s great. Plus overall, this shouldn’t detract too much from the hundreds of pages of valuable, sensible steps. I would just take it all with precaution.
Debt Cleanse seems like a great resource for anyone facing monetary hardships to have in their toolkit. It’s worth reading for the financial glossary alone, though it offers so much more. Newbery explains to us our rights and that just because a debt collector sounds harsh or aggressive doesn’t make them automatically winners. He shows us that even though debt may seem like a personal failure, statistically so many Americans are negatively impacted by this daunting system. He also pleasantly reminds us that we are human and our worth is so much more than our finances. With its few far-fetched flaws but overall being a comprehensive and supportive guide, I give Debt Cleanse a 3 out of 4 star rating.
******
Debt Cleanse
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
