HOME
The first chapter is about declaring victory and admitting defeat. You admit defeat, in admitting that you won't come up with the perfect financial plan. But then you declare victory, because even a rough-and-ready financial plan is within your grasp. And it's a whole lot better than muddling on with no plan.
Web resources:
Suze Orman's take on this
Suze Orman wrote the book on declaring victory in
personal finance. Her approach is different from mine, and some find her flaky, but she
has a point.
Before you can do anything else with your personal finances, you have to get control of your budget. Chapter 2 of Getting a Grip on Your Money shows how, with some useful examples to help you apply what's there.
Web budgeting resources:
Hypermart-sponsored budget page
Saving and Spending from Quicken
Two conservative economists believe it's easy to get rich in America, if you only follow their principles. They're right, in a way:
Read for yourself!
Click the book cover above, or here, to order. If you want to save a little money by buying the paperback version, click here.
Insurance and banking can help you along toward your financial goals, especially if you do it right. Chapter 3 of Getting a Grip on Your Money shows you some simple strategies for saving on insurance and avoiding mistakes in banking relationships.
Web insurance resources:
Consumer insurance guide
Instant insurance quotes
Web
banking resources:
Consumer banking guide
Guide to bank rates
For most of us, paying for the place where we live will be our single largest monthly expense. If you want to simplify your life and prosper, this is one expense you can't afford to overlook. Chapter 4 of Getting a Grip on Your Money shows you how.
Web housing resources:
HomeAdvisor -- good info!
Home Buying Center
It is sometimes said that we have a "love affair with the automobile," but are there ways to indulge car fever without feeling the pain. Chapter 5 of Getting a Grip on Your Money has lots of helpful material on cars
Web automotive resources
Carpoint -- best overall site
Blue Book -- great for used car values
Detroit News Autos -- the latest!
Jack Nerad, former editor of Motor Trend, has good
advice on car buying. Click to order.
Great for the amateur, too simple for the pro.
You may think you have to settle for a lower return if you use a simple investment strategy. Actually, the best strategy for many people is the soul of simplicity. Find out why in Chapter 6 or check out The Key on this website.
Web resources confirming the value of this simple
strategy:
Index Funds Online
The Armchair Millionaire
Readable common sense:
If you think you've heard it all and you haven't
read this book . . . then you haven't heard it all. Bogle relentlessly makes the case for
"buy and hold index funds" in this book. I recommend it, especially for those
who are inclined to chase the "hot stock" or the "hot fund."
Click to order.
You won't succeed financially if you don't pay attention to the money that leaks out of your investment accounts. You might not be satisified if the money in your investment accounts ends up supporting activities you don't believe in. Check on both in Chapter 7 of Getting a Grip on Your Money.
Web resources on taxes:
TurboTax Tax Center
Tax Cut Tax Tips
IRS (surprisingly friendly site)
Although stocks promise the highest long-term returns, bonds can be an important element of getting rich slowly. See why bond index funds are simpler and better for most small investors in Chapter 8 of Getting a Grip on Your Money.
Web resources on bonds and bond funds:
Part of investment success comes from fine-tuning an investment plan -- but a much bigger part of investment success comes from avoiding big dumb mistakes. This chapter shows you how.
Web resources:
Avoiding Internet
fraud
Securities
Fraud (from the Motley Fool)
Lots of us are saving for big ticket items. How do you do it? How do you keep saved money "saved"? What are the best ways to put money aside for a college education? Chapter 10 of Getting a Grip on Your Money has some answers.
Web resources:
Saving
for buying a house (NC State)
Saving for college (good site)
In raising kids, nothing is guaranteed. But if you follow the suggestions in Chapter 11 of Getting a Grip on Your Money, you'll improve your odds of raising financially responsible kids. Find out what "the release curve" and "scarcity" have to do with it.
Web resources:
Kids' Money (great
material, poorly organized)
Cutesy government material (FDIC)
Good kids' banking stuff
Raise kids without going broke -- the editors of Smart Money show you how.
Even if you're not thinking about retirement, there are some smart things to do so that your golden years aren't complicated by money worries. This chapter has some good strategies for the retired, for the non-retired, and for those who'd rather not think about it at all.
Web resources:
Vanguard's retirement
planning center
Retire.net's home page
You can do a big favor for those you care about if you'll specify in advance your wishes in the event of your own serious illness or death. For that matter, funerals are really expensive -- and right after a death is no time to be trying to make decisions. (!) Find out what to do about it in Chapter 13 of Getting a Grip on Your Money.
Web resources:
Advance medical
directives (ABA)
Funeral costs page (critical of
industry)
Caskets online for
less
Casket kits
Information is your ally:
Nobody's favorite topic, but you can save thousands without sacrificing dignity. Click to order.