Die With Zero: Getting All You Can from Your Money and Your Life

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Perkins introduces the concept of “memory dividends” as the ongoing value derived from experiences. Reflect on an experience in your life that has generated significant “memory dividends.” How does this concept change how you might evaluate future spending decisions?

2. The book argues that many experiences have natural timing based on health, interests, and life circumstances. Have you ever postponed an experience only to find the opportunity permanently lost? Alternatively, have you taken an experience at the “right time” that you’re particularly grateful for?

3. Perkins suggests that reaching your “net worth peak” between ages 45 and 60 allows for strategic spending while you can still enjoy experiences. How does this timeline align with your current financial planning? Has the book prompted you to reconsider your spending patterns at different life stages?

4. The concept of trading abundant resources for scarce ones (time for money when young, money for time when older) forms a key principle in the book. Where do you currently fall in this spectrum, and how might you adjust your resource allocation based on Perkins’s advice?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. The book discusses how traditional inheritance patterns often provide financial support to middle-aged children who need it less than younger adults. How might shifting inheritance patterns impact generational wealth, economic mobility, and family dynamics in society?

2. Perkins’s philosophy emerges during a cultural shift emphasizing experiences over possessions, particularly among younger generations. How does this book reflect broader generational attitudes toward money, fulfillment, and life planning in contemporary society?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. Analyze how Perkins uses personal anecdotes throughout the book to illustrate abstract financial concepts. How do stories about his friend’s European backpacking trip, his grandmother’s refusal to spend her gift money, or his 45th birthday celebration enhance his arguments?

2. Examine the metaphors Perkins employs, such as comparing life to different swimming pools at a resort or financial decisions to driving on autopilot. How do these metaphors make complex financial concepts more accessible to readers?

3. The concept of “wasted life energy” serves as a recurring motif throughout the text. How does Perkins develop this idea, and how does it connect to his broader philosophy about money as stored energy?

4. How does Perkins structure his argument to anticipate and address potential counterarguments? Identify specific instances where he acknowledges concerns about running out of money, healthcare costs, or leaving inheritance for children.

5. The book blends genres including personal finance, philosophy, and memoir. How does this hybrid approach strengthen or weaken Perkins’s central arguments?

6. Consider how Perkins uses quantitative analysis alongside qualitative reasoning. How does his background in engineering and finance influence his rhetorical approach to persuading readers?