The Intelligent Saver

Reviewed by Diario de un Inversor · UpdatedJune 13, 2026

Our review

Andrea Redondo, known in Spanish-language social media for her personal finance content, writes a book clearly aimed at readers starting from zero: people who have never built a budget, who spend without tracking, and who sense they «should» save but have no idea where to begin. The book's approach is psychological before it is technical — the primary barrier to saving is not mathematical but one of habit and mindset, and Redondo addresses it with concrete tools. The book includes spending diagnosis exercises, budget templates, and a gradual approach that does not demand radical overnight change. The tone is accessible and empathetic, mirroring the style Redondo uses with her digital community. Precisely because of that popularizing origin, the book has clear limits: the investment coverage is very introductory, and readers with intermediate knowledge will find the final chapters too basic. It also lacks depth on Spanish tax treatment or specific investment vehicles. Where it excels is in the first section — the personal financial diagnosis — which is genuinely useful for anyone who has never done that exercise. An entry-level book, not a deepening one.

Key takeaways

• The first step of saving is not finding more income but precisely tracking current spending to see where money actually goes.
• Automating savings transfers on payday removes willpower as a control mechanism — the decision is made once, not daily.
• A budget functions not as a restriction but as a prior agreement with yourself about how to allocate money.
• Small, sustained habit changes compound into greater impact than sporadic large financial gestures.

Fact

Andrea Redondo published the book in 2021, building on the community she had developed through her Spanish-language personal finance channels.