The Unbalanced Ledger: Budgets, Barks, and Beautifully Imperfect Living

Are you tired of financial advice that makes you feel bad about buying coffee or adopting a stray pirate dog?

Meet Teresa Maza. She's a professional Finance Manager who has successfully navigated the corporate machine-and she still struggles to stick to a grocery budget. Because real financial life isn't a spreadsheet; it's a messy, hilarious, and often overwhelming attempt to balance your bank account with your actual sanity.

In this witty, honest, and sharply observational memoir (think the humor of David Sedaris meets a budget book), Teresa throws out the guilt and tackles the money truths we all face, from navigating the salary conversation to budgeting for unexpected vet bills (and expensive dog treats).

If you've ever stared at a spreadsheet and felt nothing but dread, this is the refresh you need.

Inside, you'll find the perfect balance of humor and hard-won wisdom:

The Real Workplace Survival Guide: Mastering the value conversation, setting boundaries, and ensuring your employer is paying you what you're worth-advice straight from a Finance Manager who has been in the room.

The Unapologetic Budget: Discover the shame-free budgeting methods that work for chaotic real life, not just hypothetical perfect scenarios. Hint: sometimes, you just need to factor in the emergency pizza fund.

Life Lessons from a Pirate Dog: Featuring Sansa, the highly opinionated co-star and chief budget disruptor, whose costly medical bills and endless demands prove that life's biggest expenses often come on four legs.

Find Your Financial Sanity: Move beyond merely surviving and learn how to build sustainable financial health without sacrificing your humor, your joy, or your weekly takeout routine.

If you love the accessible financial advice of Tiffany Aliche (The Budgetnista) but crave the hilarious honesty of Jen Sincero, this book is your new companion.