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

In Die With Zero, Perkins presents a perspective on financial planning that centers on the acquisition of meaningful experiences rather than the accumulation of wealth. Perkins argues that experiences, particularly those obtained at the appropriate stages of life, create lasting value through memories that continue to provide fulfillment long after the initial event. The concept of experiences as investments with ongoing returns forms the philosophical foundation of his approach to life optimization, challenging conventional financial wisdom that prioritizes saving over strategic spending.

Experiences gain unique value through their timing, as Perkins illustrates through his friend’s European backpacking adventure. When describing his missed opportunity to travel in his twenties, Perkins reflects, “When I finally went to Europe at age 30, it was too late; I was already a tad too old and too bougie to stay in youth hostels and hang out with a bunch of 24-year-olds” (21). This anecdote demonstrates a fundamental principle of experience acquisition—certain experiences can only be fully appreciated within specific life stages due to physical capabilities, social dynamics, and personal circumstances. The backpacking story serves as a cautionary tale about the consequences of delaying experiences until a theoretically “better” financial position, only to discover that the optimal window for that particular experience has closed.