We all have limited time on Earth, so how should we spend it? Financial advisors urge us to work hard to maximize our earnings, save early and often, and, in retirement, reap the fruits of our labors and the rewards of compound interest.

"What a monumental
waste of human life"

What a monumental waste of human life, says multi-millionaire Bill Perkins. If you spend a lifetime working and die with lots of money left over, you’ve squandered a huge amount of life energy, bypassing the opportunity to enjoy your money — or to give it away — during your lifetime. Our lives are only as fulfilling as the sum of our experiences, Perkins argues, so the more time and money we invest in experiences during our lifetime, the richer our lives become.

Die with Zero will teach you Perkins’ techniques for finding an optimal balance between short-term pleasures and long-term rewards across your adult lifespan — a complex and ongoing optimization problem — how to maximize fulfillment while minimizing waste.

Using Perkins’ toolkit you will learn how to:

Although Americans are notorious for under-saving, millions of US households actually make the opposite mistake: they save too much for too late in life. For example, for heads of household between the ages of 70 and 74, the median net worth is $225,390, thanks to a lifetime of dutiful saving. What’s more, this wealthier half of Americans don’t start “decumulating” until they’re in their mid-70s — too late to enjoy certain pleasures — so even with rising life expectancies, millions of Americans are on track to have their hard-earned money outlive them.

"Whether you’re still a starving student or have some disposable income, you will relate to the idea of using your life energy in accord with your deepest values, and will find practical ideas for intelligently allocating your time and money to do just that."