Review of Talking Money: Everything You Need to Know About Your Finances and Your Future (Hardcover)

When I found out that Robert Kiyosaki had good things to say about this author and this book I just had to get it. I didn't want to wait to buy the book so just downloaded the e-book to get started. This book is a winner.

I liked the section on buying cars. Other than Charles Givens, Chatsky is the only financial author that I know of who warns about dealers price (sucker stickers)vs the markup. This piece of information alone can save you thousands.

Also, like Givens, Chatsky recommends buying a 2 year old car vs a new one. The basis for this is that a new car will depreciate by 50% as soon as you drive it off the car lot. Buy your dream car, but 2 years old and put the saving in a good mutual fund.

The money market fund advice was also interesting. Chatsky offers a website to compare rates and shop for the best funds. This makes more sense than depending on your broker.

The investment advice is also right on and one of the only financial authors to explain the best time to be in stocks and bonds. A nice departure from the usual "buy and hold" or "dollar cost averaging" theory.

Chatsky also discusses "power buying" or how to save a bundle on almost everything you'll buy.

The credit card information was pretty basic but informative.

Overall, Talking Money is a winner and will offer you some new insights on how you spend your money and how to invest.

Good, solid advice that really works. I highly recommend this book.



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Review of You Don't Have to Be Rich: Comfort, Happiness, and Financial Security on Your Own Terms (Hardcover)

There are dozens of books which address many of the same topics and issues and this is one of the best because it was written primarily for non-experts such as I who seek "comfort, happiness, and financial security on [our] terms," of course, and need guidance to make appropriate decisions. Answers to questions such as these are more difficult to formulate now than at any prior time that I recall:

*What are the significant differences between standard of living and quality of life?
*Are they mutually exclusive?
*How can -- and should -- "wealth" be measured?
*To what extent (if any) is there a correlation between personal happiness and net worth?
*What do the happiest people seem to share in common?
*What are the most damaging misconceptions many people have when formulating a financial plan?
*Which strategies and tactics are most effective to achieve financial security? Why?
*What are "The Ten Commandments of Financial Happiness"?

Chatzky address these and countless other questions which many of us may have but feel embarrassed to ask. Of course, we can retain highly reputable financial planners whose services are worth every dollar they cost. However, my own experience suggests that a financial planner's best client is a well-informed client. More specifically, financial planners are most valuable once a client has carefully completed exercises such as those which Chatzky includes in her book. Invoking direct address, what do you REALLY want in life? Being rich and being happy are NOT mutually-exclusive. Many people are unhappy because they are essentially insolvent, if not destitute. No savings, credit unworthy, deeply in debt, in danger of foreclosure or eviction, etc. Many others are just as unhappy because of their affluence. They yearn to possess what money can't buy: physical health, peace of mind, friendship worthy of the name, etc.

Caveat: Do NOT purchase this book or any other such book unless and until you are wholeheartedly committed to doing the "homework" required and then to following through on whatever decisions you make. I think that Chapter 6 (all by itself) is worth far more than the cost of the book. However, do you REALLY understand the requirements as well as the benefits of living within your means? Tough decisions may need to be made. (I mean TOUGH.) Do you have what it takes to make them? More importantly, do you have what it takes to stick with those decisions no matter what? Years ago, the actor Rod Steiger was asked if young people ever requested career advice. "Oh yeah, sure, all the time. I look them right in the eye and ask `Do you want to be an actor or do you HAVE to be an actor?' The longer it takes themto answer, the less likely they'll ever make it." If you HAVE to have financial security, Jean Chatzky can help you to achieve it.Otherwise....



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Review of You Don't Have to Be Rich: Comfort, Happiness, and Financial Security on Your Own Terms (Hardcover)

There are dozens of books which address many of the same topics and issues and this is one of the best because it was written primarily for non-experts such as I who seek "comfort, happiness, and financial security on [our] terms," of course, and need guidance to make appropriate decisions. Answers to questions such as these are more difficult to formulate now than at any prior time that I recall:

*What are the significant differences between standard of living and quality of life?
*Are they mutually exclusive?
*How can -- and should -- "wealth" be measured?
*To what extent (if any) is there a correlation between personal happiness and net worth?
*What do the happiest people seem to share in common?
*What are the most damaging misconceptions many people have when formulating a financial plan?
*Which strategies and tactics are most effective to achieve financial security? Why?
*What are "The Ten Commandments of Financial Happiness"?

Chatzky address these and countless other questions which many of us may have but feel embarrassed to ask. Of course, we can retain highly reputable financial planners whose services are worth every dollar they cost. However, my own experience suggests that a financial planner's best client is a well-informed client. More specifically, financial planners are most valuable once a client has carefully completed exercises such as those which Chatzky includes in her book. Invoking direct address, what do you REALLY want in life? Being rich and being happy are NOT mutually-exclusive. Many people are unhappy because they are essentially insolvent, if not destitute. No savings, credit unworthy, deeply in debt, in danger of foreclosure or eviction, etc. Many others are just as unhappy because of their affluence. They yearn to possess what money can't buy: physical health, peace of mind, friendship worthy of the name, etc.

Caveat: Do NOT purchase this book or any other such book unless and until you are wholeheartedly committed to doing the "homework" required and then to following through on whatever decisions you make. I think that Chapter 6 (all by itself) is worth far more than the cost of the book. However, do you REALLY understand the requirements as well as the benefits of living within your means? Tough decisions may need to be made. (I mean TOUGH.) Do you have what it takes to make them? More importantly, do you have what it takes to stick with those decisions no matter what? Years ago, the actor Rod Steiger was asked if young people ever requested career advice. "Oh yeah, sure, all the time. I look them right in the eye and ask `Do you want to be an actor or do you HAVE to be an actor?' The longer it takes themto answer, the less likely they'll ever make it." If you HAVE to have financial security, Jean Chatzky can help you to achieve it.Otherwise....



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Review of The Difference: How Anyone Can Prosper in Even The Toughest Times (Hardcover)

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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