Showing posts with label personal finance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label personal finance. Show all posts

A Return to Abundance, Book 3: Money management, personal finance education, budgeting, financial planning, time value of money principles, cash flow principles, budget worksheets: a self-help book Review

A Return to Abundance, Book 3: Money management, personal finance education, budgeting, financial planning, time value of money principles, cash flow principles, budget worksheets: a self-help book
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After reading the three volumes of A RETURN TO ABUNDANCE, I now have meaningful and enjoyable conversations about money and finance with my teenage children. Other financial books I've read didn't jumpstart money conversations with friends and family. Here are three reasons I think A RETURN TO ABUNDANCE succeeds.
1. Money unconsidered is an unconscious demon, we react out of our long-standing patterns, rather than acting based on conscious choices. Author Paul Gubany's brilliant use of everything from the history of money, to psychology, to Greek Mythology helps uncover a person's individual money patterns. (Volume One and Two) Once you know the patterns, you have choices - and life patterns are always fun to talk about.
2. If you don't decide what's ENOUGH, you'll never have ENOUGH. Gubany helps us figure out what our own Abundance is, and he shows us the satisfaction and simplicity of living with a personal definition of Abundance. (Volume Two) If you don't know what's ENOUGH, you'll never ever have enough money. Gubany's process gave me a sense of peace and well-being about money that I've never felt before - I'm freer now from the money demon than I was before I read A RETURN TO ABUNDANCE, freer than anytime I can remember!
3. A RETURN TO ABUNDANCE, along with its engaging presentations about the nature of money and the human psyche, also includes the technical aspects of understanding the time value of money. (Volume Three) No problem for my kids to understand this third volume of A RETURN TO ABUNDANCE, and, barring the collapse of our world order, they see how they can realistically and easily accumulate a millionaire retirement during their working years. These are nice conversations to have during dinner.
My advice - stop reading the reviews - start reading A RETURN TO ABUNDANCE. I wish Paul Gubany a wide readership, his book is a work of love, a work of art, a benefit to anyone who will open its covers.
Lars Clausen'
Award Winning Author '
One Wheel - Many Spokes


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10,001 Ways to Live Large on a Small Budget Review

10,001 Ways to Live Large on a Small Budget
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I was flipping through this book at Barnes yesterday while waiting for my girlfriend to finish buying a gift for her friend's birthday. The book is basically a bunch of individual lists and howtos -- how to buy wine, 23 common interview questions, etc. By the time my girlfriend was ready to go, I was still reading the article on how to shop for wine, so I brought the book home. Couldn't put it down the rest of the night! I read through the entire budget travel section since we're planning for a trip this summer. And the article on how to open a roth IRA is going to come in handy. I've been thinking about opening one for the last few months and I think I'm going to do it next week. This book is full of tips for a wide range of financial topics. I highly recommended for anyone looking to get more out of their money.

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The AARP Retirement Survival Guide: How to Make Smart Financial Decisions in Good Times and Bad Review

The AARP Retirement Survival Guide: How to Make Smart Financial Decisions in Good Times and Bad
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I purchased this book because amazon.com alerted me to it and because it had all
5* customer reviews. After having read it I have mixed feelings about its usefulness :
On one hand, it provides a good overview of the financial planning process that needs to be followed to determine how much to save for retirement and how much to withdraw during retirement. It also provides a good overview of some of the retirement income products/annuities, and it has helpful checklists to select a financial adviser. Furthermore, I found the chapter on reverse mortgages a useful
introduction to a very complex subject, with several helpful web sites listed.
On the other hand, the book is not detailed enough to do a financial plan, i.e. establish an affordable expense budget in retirement that includes determination of the amounts that can be safely withdrawn from investments. There are better books available that include detailed worksheets to do this, such as J.K.Lasser's "Your Winning Retirement Plan", or "Getting Started In A Financially Secure Retirement" by Henry Hebeler (both of these books also refer the reader to useful
web sites for DYI financial analysis/modeling).
Part II ("Evaluating Retirement Income Products) provides a high level overview of annuities, enough to probably confuse/scare most readers to avoid these products altogether or to see a financial adviser (perhaps this is intentional).
Appendix D contains an interesting case study with a complete retirement plan; unfortunately it is presented without any explanatory comments accompanying the individual worksheets, thus leaves the reader with many questions as to the details/logic of the plan.
In summary, this book provides a good overview of the retirement planning process and does an excellent job cautioning readers about unscrupulous financial advisers, sales tactics and investment scams. It is, however, not detailed enough to be a "hands 0n" how-to-do-it guide with which people can do their own financial retirement plan.


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Bank bailouts. Ponzi schemes. Plunging financial markets. Given today's dire headlines, planning a secure retirement has become a more critical task than ever.Now, for Americans seeking safety and stability in a time of wrenching economic change, comes investment educator Julie Jason with this no-nonsense guide, which won the award for Best Personal Finance Book at the International Book Awards and was chosen as the top business book by Booklist. It offers time-tested, rock-solid retirement advice for people of every income level: in addition to showing those on the verge of retirement how to create their own "personal pension," Jason deftly guides prospective retirees through the otherwise bewildering process of evaluating their needs, anticipating future expenses (and managing current ones), and converting present assets into future retirement income. To achieve this goal, she assembles-and shares with the reader-an entire tool kit of self-assessments, tables, checklists, and essential questions.

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Turbo-Mom's Guide to Saving Money Without Wasting Time Review

Turbo-Mom's Guide to Saving Money Without Wasting Time
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The job of Mother is an ever increasingly busy one. "Turbo-Mom's Guide to Saving Money Without Wasting Time" is a guide for the time-stricken mothers who want to squeeze the most value into their day. Written in a simple and straight to the point fashion, "Turbo-Mom's Guide to Saving Money Without Wasting Time" gives readers tips to shave minutes off activities; soon they find that these minutes turn into hours and more. "Turbo-Mom's Guide to Saving Money Without Wasting Time" is a fine choice for the time and money cautious mother.


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How to Raise a Family on Less Than Two Incomes: The Complete Guide to Managing Your Money Better So You Can Spend More Time with Your Kids Review

How to Raise a Family on Less Than Two Incomes: The Complete Guide to Managing Your Money Better So You Can Spend More Time with Your Kids
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There is a big difference between "what we WANT in life" and "what we NEED in life." As a counsellor, I hear so many people with families say, "there is simply not enough money to go around," and in many cases, particularly single-parent families, that is true. However, in the case of many (and certainly not all) two-parent families, there WOULD be enough money to go around, if people had their priorities in order and actually knew how much they were spending on the "wants" in life, as opposed to the "needs. All the frills, luxuries, power lunches and expensive "play toys" i.e., cars, boats, motor homes and exotic vacations, can bring financial burden. Long after the novelty of the new "play toy" has worn off, the debt continues.
It is most unfortunate that all those who choose to live in a materialistic world, do not read this book before they lose sight of what is truly important in their life, and how short life is. The time, in the overall life cycle, that we have our children all to ourselves to enjoy is very short, indeed. Children need parents or a parent, depending on your family structure, to give them quality time and love far more than they need designer jeans and a car by the time they are sixteen. Sure, most kids would want those things; kids have a neat way of testing limits and boundaries, theirs and ours. All too often, it is the parents who are trying to compensate by giving their sons and daughters what they never had as children. But, at what cost?
This is an excellent book and highly recommended. It will make you think twice, not only about where you are spending your money, but how much quality time you actually spend with the greatest investment of your life - your children.

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The Wealth Code: How the Rich Stay Rich in Good Times and Bad. Review

The Wealth Code: How the Rich Stay Rich in Good Times and Bad.
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Having been in this business too many years to admit to, I can tell you I've read book after book from the Wall Street talking heads. What you usually get is blah, blah, blah about the same old thing...asset allocation, make sure you own stocks and bonds to be "diversified," Nobel-Prize winning Modern Portfolio Theory, don't pay fees, blah, blah, blah. In this easy-to-read guide book, Vanclef comes out with a refreshing look at how wealth is built - and how to keep it in good and bad times. His multi-legged table metaphor really resonates as he explains how to keep different streams of income coming from different investments - and none, by the way, tied to the ups and downs of the stock market.
My favorite part was in Chapter 4 - a part called Brokerisms. What a laugh! And how true. For anyone who is fed up with what Wall Street know-it-alls spit out in the Journal, on Bloomberg or on CNBC, pick up this book and get the real deal - BRAVO to this author for having the guts to tell the truth!

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We entrusted the experts with our financial security and now we're reeling from the economic crisis. How do we get back on our feet'and invest wisely? In The Wealth Code: How the Rich Stay Rich in Good Times and Bad, financial planner and investment strategist Jason Vanclef delivers straight answers'and solutions. According to Vanclef, True Asset Class Diversification is the best way to build that solid financial base for your secure future. From an analysis of the downside of conventional thinking to the secrets of the Fortune 400, from diversification tactics to estate planning and improving returns on investments, Vanclef delivers a straightforward, hands-on plan not to cut your losses, but to maximize your investments. Do you truly have a handle on the bond market, stocks and mutual funds? How much of your assets belong in real estate, oil/gas, gold or other tangible investments? Insurance pitfalls not discussed? For the answers'and a sardonic poke at Wall Street'this is the book.

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Bitches on a Budget: Sage Advice for Surviving Tough Times in Style Review

Bitches on a Budget: Sage Advice for Surviving Tough Times in Style
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I never heard of this author before, and really like her voice! Naughty, funny, and direct. Some sections remind you to do what you already knew... standard money-saving stuff, but it's all relayed in a fresh voice, which makes it fun to read (and makes me more likely to actually use the advice). Most of the book is original tips for living well on a budget, like specific products to try, good brands, places to buy stuff, info on how the retail world works, so you don't fall victim to their traps. Love it!!!

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A witty, smart woman's guide to being thrifty and fabulous. Today's woman may be struggling with her volatile financial state, but she shouldn't bite one well-manicured nail with worry. Sure the Dow goes up and down, housing prices boom and bust, but living well never goes out of style. Let Roz Hoffman be your guide for how to spend your precious pennies, as she dishes up the wisdom women need to get perfect style--without depleting their dwindling bank accounts. No coupon-clipping, Prada-depriving, or carb-hating allowed! Bitches, welcome to the era of smart indulgence. The author is a recession-era fashion guru, travel agent, grooming consultant, therapist, sommelier, and life coach all rolled into one. She'll show you how to adjust your attitude, discover your hot spots, and make life richer in every sense of the word. Bitches on a Budget is the consummate guide to living with joy, style, and a healthy dose of irreverence--whatever the economic weather. Publishers Weekly compared Bitches on a Budget to the mega bestseller He's Just Not That Into You and said "a sassy tone and abundant...ribald jokes make frugality seem fun."

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The Weekend Millionaire's Secrets to Investing in Real Estate: How to Become Wealthy in Your Spare Time Review

The Weekend Millionaire's Secrets to Investing in Real Estate: How to Become Wealthy in Your Spare Time
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I never really understood why people get so excited about real estate investing until I read this book. Now I finally got it. The tax shelter, the leverage potential and the long term benefits all make sense now. Best of all I liked the 8 weekends where they tell you exactly what to do to get started. This has to be the best $15 I've ever spent.

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"Everything you need to know to make millions by investing in real estate. Be smart -- take advantage of their invaluable experience to help you reach your financial goals."--Jack Canfield, Co-author, The Power of Focus, Dare to Win, and the Chicken Soup for the Soul(R) series.

A proven formula for making a killing in small real estate investments in all market conditions

Millionaire real estate investor Mike Summey and nationally recognized negotiation expert Roger Dawson team up to offer a complete program for becoming a real estate magnate in your spare time. Unlike all the get-rich-quick real estate investment guides on the shelves, The Weekend Millionaire shows readers how to look beyond price to the fundamentals of what makes a property valuable and to leverage that value in order to build wealth, consistently, over years. It also teaches them an original, win-win negotiating strategy in which the buyer determines the terms of the purchase and lets the seller determine the price.

Readers get clear, step-by-step guidance on how to:

Find great investment properties
Approach sellers
Structure a win-win proposal
Get a proposal accepted--even with no money down and bad credit
Negotiate a transaction
Manage and maintain properties for increasing returns


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The Difference Wealth-Building Journal: Discover How You Can Prosper in Even the Toughest Times Review

The Difference Wealth-Building Journal: Discover How You Can Prosper in Even the Toughest Times
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Building personal wealth can be learned - that's the premise of The Difference Wealth-Building Journal. This is a powerful "hands-on" journal/workbook that is geared toward showing you how to build the day-to-day successful habits of financial freedom.
I've learned that the best way to acquire knowledge in the shortest period of time is to follow those who have the wisdom and experience to save us time, energy and money. The Difference Wealth-Building Journal can do all that! This hands-on step-by-step journal can show us how to practically acquire financial freedom. Taken from the cover: "Realize your life goals - overcome setbacks - with powerful planning exercises."
This journal is the companion to the book The Difference: How To Prosper In Even The Toughest Times. I believe this journal is also a standalone book that can be used to support and even direct our financial successes. I recommend reading the book and using the journal together - although in reviewing the journal I found it could be helpful all by itself.
What caught my eye and held my attention were the statistics on the first page of the introduction:
3 percent of Americans are wealthy
27 percent are financially comfortable
54 percent live paycheck to paycheck
15 percent are the "further-in-debtors"
Here is a hands-on workbook that has the potential of taking you to the wealthy 3 percent strata of Americans if you're willing to read, learn, chart and apply the advice of Jean Chatzky. The author tells us, that through her research she has found the personality traits, habits and financial beliefs that separate the wealthy from those sinking further into debt.
This "journal" is a true journal - one you can date, write in and keep track of your "aha's" and financial progress. It's a spiral workbook so you can lay it out flat to write easily. Each chapter is designed to teach the success traits, habits and beliefs of the wealthy. It is up to you to make the decision to apply "The Difference" and change negative financial habits into more positive ones.
Each chapter is designed to lead into and work with each of the other chapters. It is the synergy of reading and working the chapters that can lead to the new financially empowered attributes. Here is a summary of the chapters:
Chapter 1 - "Attribute Focus: Saving"
How spending more than you make is as bad for you emotionally as it is financially.
Chapter 2 - "Attribute Focus: Investing"
Steps for bringing your investment plan to life.
Chapter 3 - "Attribute Focus: Drive"
Knowing what you want and plotting a course to achieve your goals.
Chapter 4 - "Attribute Focus: Hard Work"
How to make the most of money making hours and opportunities.
Chapter 5 - "Attribute Focus: Passion and Curiosity"
The importance of finding your "calling" in life.
Chapter 6 - "Attribute Focus: Connectedness"
Making the right connections to increase your wealth potential.
Chapter 7 - "Attribute Focus: Optimism"
Bottom line - optimists make more money.
Chapter 8 - Attribute Focus: Resilience"
Wealthy people triumph over setbacks.
Chapter 9 - Attribute Focus: Gratitude"
Saying thank you is a powerful financial success tool.
If you are a visual "hands-on" learner who enjoys the connection between reading, writing and applying what you're learning, then this workbook/journal is ideal for you. The Difference Wealth Building Journal can help you Discover How You Can Prosper in Even The Toughest Times by Jean Chatzky is a well written and well rounded guide to increasing your financial freedom. I highly recommend!


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During tough times, what's the difference between those who survive . . . and those who thrive?Through her groundbreaking research of the wealthy, trusted financial coach Jean Chatzky has identified the traits and habits of those who have moved from the lowest economic strata to the highest. The good news: These attributes, beliefs, and behaviors are all things you can learn. The Difference Wealth Building Journal is designed to help you take a close look at where you are now and provides a series of exercises to get you where you want to go. As you complete this journal, you will:•Take control of your spending (and find the cash to fund your dreams)•Overcome typical investment anxiety with a simple step-by-step plan•Break down long-term financial goals into manageable pieces•Evaluate your sense of optimism, resilience, and connection to others (and learn how these personality traits lead to wealth)•Discover that feeling grateful is the fastest way to feel richAs you'll see, the difference is within you: You have the power to determine your financial future and make strides toward the next level of wealth.

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Where Does the Money Go?: Introducing a simple method for real-time, adaptable management of cash flow, expenses, savings, and debt Review

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Suze Orman's Action Plan: New Rules for New Times Review

Suze Orman's Action Plan: New Rules for New Times
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Suze Orman has always offered exceptionally sound financial advice based on personal accountability and moderation. The New Rules for New Times stays true to this message by providing an abundance of strategies for a large assortment of potential financial issues.
The format of the book is very straight forward, containing descriptions of financial situations followed by immediate action plans. This approach permits one to immediately focus on those areas that are most personally relevant. Suze also includes a chapter on introducing finance to children that any parent should be aware of. If this book is your only introduction to Suze Orman, you will be served well.
I have always considered Suze's advice indispensible and a representation of the best from the financial community; however, I question the need for this book on the basis that her message has been made clear in past books. I read this book earnestly looking for something new and discovered only a rehashing of the same message she has always given; leaving me wondering if her desire to sell another book trumped her ability to produce new content.
The book begins with the statement that "the financial hurricane has passed", leading with the notion that we now need new rules. Yet have Suze's rules not always been sound? Does Suze believe her rules regarding accountability, moderation, and respect for risk, rules that have been the cornerstone of her financial advice for years, suddenly now requires upgrading? The realty is her advice is as sound today as it was ten years ago, yet the implication is that we now need a new book with new rules.
Orman's look back on recent events and financial turmoil has supposedly given her a new outlook; yet what does this say of her foresight? If Suze can be certain that the worst of the financial turmoil is behind us now, why was she completely blindsided like nearly all of us when the market turned just two years ago? If she was unable to anticipate the dangers then, why would we have confidence in her assertion that there is smoother sailing ahead?

The reality is Suze's message doesn't need updating and she doesn't need to offer anything new, she simply needs to remind people of why her guidance is sound. Perhaps this approach might not sell as many books but it is a message that is better suited to serve readers than just reprinting the same general material with a different cover year after year.

I really believe Suze Orman and her financial guidance is a huge benefit to society, but this book is just not worthwhile. The reality is Suze Orman deserves glowing reviews for her work in financial community, but I would avoid this book and seek out one of Orman's core books such as the Suze Orman Financial Guidebook.


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The Either/Or Investor: How to Succeed in Global Investing, One Decision at a Time Review

The Either/Or Investor: How to Succeed in Global Investing, One Decision at a Time
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This is a very valuable resource for serious investors. It is not for everyone. The concepts presented in this book take a certain level of knowledge to implement. It takes time to learn the concepts and to stay abreast of what is happening in the world.
The first thing that Mr. Winter does is to dispel the myth that you can become automatically wealthy by following the buy and hold method of investing. He does a good job of showing the dangers of the buy and hold philosophy of investing.
Unfortunately, far too many Americans will not take the time to understand the basic factors controlling the domestic stock markets let alone trying to understand the more complex global markets.
There are, in my opinion, three major lessons in this book. The first is while buy and hold may have worked at one time, it no longer works.
The second major lesson has to do with effective decision making. Here Mr. Winter gives a good lesson on binary decision making. Simply reduce every decision to a yes or no outcome. It does not matter how much you study a question, eventually you need to make a decision. So learn to structure your research so that you arrive at an either/or decision.
The third major portion of the book is a set of concepts or questions that an astute investor needs to examine. These questions concern where and why you will invest or choose not to invest in a given situation. For example, should you invest in the developed world or the developing world? Should you invest where a country is ruled by the rule of power or the rule of law? Should your investment decisions be based on fear or greed? It is interesting that he defines greed as a sub-set of fear, that is, we actually fear that we are not going to get our share.
There are twenty-one either/or questions that he presents with a full explanation of the significance the question has on our investment choices.
The book is well written and easy to understand. However, it is not for the casual reader. While understanding the concept of binary decision making will improve the decision making process for some, I would not recommend you read the book just for that purpose.
If you are a serious investor, with a strong desire to become a successful investor, then this book should be high on your reading list. It does not dwell on the fundamentals verses the technical charts. It looks at investing from a higher perspective. The book examines the various factors that impact successful investing. In a changing world, where events happening around the world affect what happens everywhere, you really need to understand the interactions. This book does a very good job of making the complex financial world at least understandable. Mr. Winter also gives you are detailed model to follow to stay informed about how the changes will affect your investment decisions.


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The Millionaire's Secret: A Handbook For Building Wealth In Tough Times Review

The Millionaire's Secret: A Handbook For Building Wealth In Tough Times
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Ron Taylor describes in concise detail how to save, invest, and create wealth in tough times. His ideas are practical and worth considering.
About the Author: Ron Taylor is a wealth building and home business consultant. He specializes in teaching entrepreneurs how to create passive sources of income using free Internet resources to market their products and opportunities. His automated marketing strategies typically include using tools such as article marketing, blogging, and social networking, among others. Ron's ideas on Internet marketing and wealth building have helped hundreds of people make money from home using online automated marketing strategies.


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First-time Home Buying in a Nutshell Review

First-time Home Buying in a Nutshell
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I have run first-time homebuyer programs for over 20 years, and am amazed at how this little gem of a book is so complete,yet can be read in one brief setting. It empowers the buyer with the basic concepts and lingo of the housing industry and equips the buyer to tackle one of the most important decisions they will ever make. An informed buyer is a smart and successful one; First-time Home Buying In a Nutshell takes the work out of the buyer's attempt to reach that goal.

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A primer and reference book for first-time home buyers.Find out about down payment assistance programs and how the purchase, loan, and escrow processes work.Concise and easy to understand.

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The Flow of Time and Money: How to Create a Full and Prosperous Life Review

The Flow of Time and Money: How to Create a Full and Prosperous Life
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This book was OK. It was short (less than 100 pages if the blank pages are deleted), simple, and clearly written. I can't in good conscience give it a 4 or 5 star rating because it was just too short to even be called a book. And, I repeat AND, it was a complete rip off of "Rich Dad Poor Dad" (ISBN: 9780446677455). Maybe the diagrams look a little different since Kiyosaki, the author of RDPD, has trademark protected them. But in substance the instant book being reviewed is a "cliffnote" to RDPD.
The action plan found in this book and in RDPD is as follows:
1. During your youth take your education seriously; Do the best you can
2. When you take your first job use your education to get it
3. Make sure you work at a job where you can live way below your financial means
4. Don't waste what you earn; Save some, and invest some
5. Invest enough that you can live off your investments
6. Quit your job when you can afford to do so (the sooner the better)
7. Build an investment empire & enjoy life while you do it
8. Become a philanthropist if you can
Yesterday (1/10/09) I read the following quote by Thomas Friedman in the Op-Ed section of the New York Times Online edition entitled "Tax Cuts for Teachers:"
"You see, even before the current financial crisis, we were already in a deep competitive hole - a long period in which too many people were making money from money, or money from flipping houses or hamburgers, and too few people were making money by making new stuff with hard-earned science, math, biology and engineering skills."
I cite this quotation because it points out that few people are making money by making new stuff. And the real road to wealth and financial security is by doing just that - making new stuff. The 8 step action plan presented herein above will help you get wealthy and financially secure. But it is the making of new stuff that people want and need that will make you truly wealthy. If this book had emphasized this point more and made the 8 points above a sideshow, then I would be raising my rating considerably. But all we've got here was a "cliffnote" to RDPD. 3 stars!

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In "The Flow of Time and Money", Dr. Lloyd Watts uses easy-to-understand diagrams to show how time and money flow, and how to make them work for you. You will discover: - How to create Life Assets and Material Assets that increase your productivity and produce Passive Income - How to avoid the "Borrow and Spend" and "Save and Spend" financial traps- The stages leading to financial independence, and what actions to take, depending on where you are on the path - How to stay focused on long-term goals, even in the presence of daily distractions - How to achieve the freedom and wealth you need to make your highest contribution to the world.

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The Difference: How Anyone Can Prosper in Even The Toughest Times Review

The Difference: How Anyone Can Prosper in Even The Toughest Times
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I found this author from Oprah's web site and read this book. What I love about Jean Chatzky's book The Difference is that she gets to the point in a very calming way.
Money is often times linked to survival and fear in the modern society. I know many of us are raised to have this love-hate relationship with money. For instance, we love to have more money (e.g. one way to get there is to save and invest) but then we spend them instead of keeping them. In Jean's book, she started off describing the research she has done on the individuals who are classified in the following categories:
1.Wealthy
2.Financially Comfortable
3.Paycheck to Paycheck
4.Further In Debtors
Instead of being judgmental to any group of individuals, she simply pointed out "The Difference" wealthy people & financially comfortable people have (traits, the things they do, their beliefs, etc) versus individuals who are in the paycheck to paycheck & further in-debtors categories. Jean never for once went down the path to portray the "wealthy greedy" nor did she judge the "further-in-debtors" as financially irresponsible in her book. Instead, she mentioned many things wealthy and financially comfortable do are things paycheck to paycheck & further in debtors can learn to do to improve financially and our overall happiness (you can find her detailed suggestions in this book). She inspired all of us that to become financially comfortable and/or wealthy is not unrealistic goal in this life time through the research, her findings in the research and her interviews
I love these interviews. I used to have a gut feeling the not all wealthy and/or financially comfortable people are evil/greedy but I had no solid proof of such. Furthermore, if one has watched the news lately, it really does shaken some of my faith about this gut feeling I had all along (especially those news I hear about Wall Street big wigs cashing bonuses, etc). However, Jean's interviews in each chapter helps re-assuring us that pursuing financial goals does not automatically turn us into wealthy greedy categories. In fact, if we read through these interviews, one might realize the inner strengths many of the wealthy & financially comfortable individuals have and is something to admire and follow some of their paths.
Excellent book to get inspired to get our finances together. I highly recommend it!



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In Good Times and Bad: Strengthening Your Relationship When the Going Gets Tough and the Money Gets Tight (Wiley) Review

In Good Times and Bad: Strengthening Your Relationship When the Going Gets Tough and the Money Gets Tight (Wiley)
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First I would like to say that I am a therapist and one of the # 1 reasons for divorce are money problems. This transcends all income levels. I loved how this book was really descriptive about how people's attitude about money affect their perception of how whether their partner is messing up with money. For example for some money means security or power or love etc. It really addresses the issue from a psychodynamic approach. If you buy one book, make it this one.

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