Personal finance books don’t have to be boring. “Enjoy Your Money!: How to Make It, Save It, Invest It and Give It”
You’re never too young or too old to discover these ageless principles. They apply to the seasoned business executives as well as the entrepreneur with his first lemonade stand. Warren Buffet caught his vision at age five and started investing at age 11. My grandmother started multiplying her money in her mid-60’s. At age one hundred and two, with her sharp mind intact, she’s accumulated a small fortune.
Miller’s 254-page book is geared towards young people. He writes about four culturally diverse high school seniors who meet in in-school suspension and discover that their parents suck at (more…)
Illustration by OConnorCartoons.com
This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.
Reader Forrest is the winner of my review copy of “Debt-Free U: How I Paid for an Outstanding College Education Without Loans, Scholarships, or Mooching off My Parents.” Forrest is in high school and is stressing out about the college selection process. Forrest wrote:
I’ll be a high school senior this year. What stresses me most about the whole college selection process is the financial aid. I don’t know how I’ll be able to decide between a school I like and a school with a better aid package. This book would definitely help.
Forrest, I can totally relate to you. I too felt stressed about choosing the right college. I like that at such a young age you have (more…)
This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz. Disclosure: Zac Bissonnette used to blog for WalletPop.com, where Bargain Babe Julia Scott currently blogs.
A quality college education does not have to cost a lot of money. That’s the premise behind Debt-Free U: How I Paid for an Outstanding College Education Without Loans, Scholarships, orMooching off My Parents
by Zac Bissonnette.
Bissonnette, a college student at the University of Massachusetts and a personal finance expert, says he wrote the book for the 90-plus percent of families that find it difficult to pay tuition at a four-year private university. He writes:
I wrote this book because I’ve met, spoken with, and read e-mails from hundreds of families who are struggling with the burden of college costs – worrying about how they’ll pay for college without bankrupting their retirement or burdening their kids with massive debt loads.
One of the tips that stuck with me is a loophole for making a student eligible for more financial aid. Bissonnette suggests getting married before heading to college. Married students are considered independent from their parents (more…)
Illustration by OConnorCartoons.com
This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.
Reader Gabrielle wins my review copy of “Cash, Credit, and Your Finances: The Teen Years,” for her funny comment about needing the book not only for her spoiled children but her husband as well. She wrote:
My teenager, you mean my hubby. I need this for my teenage like husband! HAHA!! No, but we have two pre-teens whom my mother-in-law has spoiled to no end & ruined any attempt I have put in to teach them about money, saving, & spending when needed instead of on any little thing they can afford.
Gabrielle, I love your honesty about your kids being spoiled. It is my hope that this book helps them learn about money and the importance of saving. Although the book is aimed at teens, I’m sure your husband will also learn a couple of things. When reading the book, I was reminded I had to set money aside from my freelancing paychecks to pay for federal and state taxes when the time comes around. I’m no longer a teen but the learning never stops.
If you missed my review of the book, author Jill Russo Foster says that teaching teens about money is the key to avoiding debt. Her easy-to-read book includes information from creating a budget to avoiding identity theft. This book is the first in a series of three books on personal finances by Foster.
Gabrielle, email me to claim your prize and include an address where I can ship the book to.
If you didn’t win my review copy and would like to get the book for your teen or you’d like to brush up on the basics, Amazon has it for $15.25.
If you are the parent of a teen and have been looking for the right time to talk to him or her about money – now is the time. Jill Russo Foster, author of “Cash, Credit, and Your Finances: The Teen Years
I’ve come to believe that financial education is the key for everyone. The sooner you start learning about money and personal finance, the sooner you can take control of your own finances. This book will start you off in the right direction and teach you how to build good financial habits.
Foster, who is now in the mortgage industry, started her financial career right out of college when she began working as a bank teller in an affluent neighborhood. She recounts that most people she saw at the bank wore designer clothes, had the latest car and were also on the overdraft list.
In the book, Foster uses examples of five teens that were given her book to read and later tells of the changes they made to change their money habits. The teens’ stories and her own – she admits to having 27 credit cards at one point – make the book easy to read. Your teen will be able to relate to the teens’ stories and learn from their success and failures.
This 84-page book will teach your teen about the basics of managing their money – think allowances and babysitting money – while thinking of long term goals like saving for college and short term goals like buying an iPod. The book is divided into five chapters that are filled with worksheets and practical examples for teens to understand. The chapters include information on creating a budget, the banking system, establishing credit, strategies for paying for college, avoiding identity theft and making major purchases.
This book is the first in a series of three books on personal finances by Foster. If you would like to win a copy of “Cash, Credit, and Your Finances: The Teen Years” for your teen, leave a comment explaining why your teen needs to read this book. If you can’t wait to get a copy, you can buy it on Amazon
Buying a copy supports BargainBabe.com.
Illustration by OConnorCartopons.com
This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.
Reader Meghan is the winner of my review copy of Shift Your Habit: Easy Ways to Save Money, Simplify Your Life, and Save the Planet. Meghan was one of the few readers that revealed why she was going green. In her comment she said she is doing it to keep the earth healthy for future generations to enjoy. She writes:
What an awesome giveaway. I am going green b/c I realize how important it is for us to leave the earth in good “health” for future generations…like my kids!
Meghan, I love that you’ll be passing on all this knowledge to your kids. I hope the book helps you by providing practical tips you and your family can start doing in your daily lives to lower your utility bills and carbon footprint.
If you missed my review of the book, author Elizabeth Rogers’ book is a comprehensive guide that helps you go green and save green. In the book, Rogers gives the dollar amount saved for every green change. For example, packing a waste-free lunch for your kids can save you up to $400 per year or more for a two-child family.
If you didn’t win my review copy and would like to read more about the savings and green changes Rogers recommends, Amazon has it for $10.08.
This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.
Being green is not only good for the planet but your wallet as well. That’s the premise behind Shift Your Habit: Easy Ways to Save Money, Simplify Your Life, and Save the Planet by Elizabeth Rogers. She describes green changes that will decrease your carbon footprint and lists the dollar amount each one will potentially save you.
Like many people, Rogers thought it was expensive to go green. Then she realized she was wrong and decided to write a guide to help people identify how to save money by being eco-friendly. She writes:
In my own experience, I’ve noticed that becoming greener has made my life richer and healthier, and, paradoxically, less expensive. This was a revelation. Like most people, I thought going green would put a serious strain on my finances. But I found, in reality, there’s no need to compromise ecological principles in order to save cash. And, perhaps surprisingly, you don’t need to give up comfort, convenience, or style in order to tread more lightly on the earth.
The biggest money-savings are for people who own their own homes. Changes like lowering the thermostat setting on your water heater from 140 degrees F to 120 degrees F can save up to $70 per year for an electric water heater, and up to $40 or more per year for a gas water heater. As an apartment dweller, my utility bill is included in my rent so I won’t see any savings for changing to energy-efficient ways. Everyone can save up to $200 per year if they replace standard household cleaning products with home remedies.
Shift Your Habit is more like a guide that can easily be skimmed to find specific information rather than a long drawn sermon that preaches about the benefits of green living. The book is laid out in an easy-to-read format as each chapter has a theme, tables, and charts for quick access and understanding. One cool chart is titled Vintage Baby and lists price comparisons on new and used “must-have” baby furniture.
One of my favorite features in the book is titled Swift Shifts. These are stories about families and individuals who have made changes in their daily lives and have noticed a difference in their checkbook. The testimonials are written in the first person and really help drive home the fact that anyone can afford to be an environmentalist.
The book is packed with practical tips that long-time environmentalist may know, but I had a couple “aha” moments when I asked myself why I hadn’t thought of the change before. If you have an aquarium, instead of pouring the old water down the drain, it can be used to feed your plants because it contains high levels of nitrogen and other nutrients that help plants grow. This adds up to a $15 per year savings on fertilizer costs.
If you would like to win my review copy of Shift Your Habit: Easy Ways to Save Money, Simplify Your Life, and Save the Planet, leave a comment by Friday, July 16 at 9 a.m. explaining your reason for going green. If you can’t wait, purchase it on Amazon for $10.08.
This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.
Reader Lauren Y. wins the review copy of The Cheap Diva’s Guide to Frugal and Fabulous Living for her comment that reveals she’s lived paycheck to paycheck but hadn’t learned her lesson until she got laid off for the second time:
For most of my working life I’ve lived pretty much (or barely) paycheck to paycheck. I’ve been a waitress, office assistant, temp and receptionist.
Despite all those short-lived, low-paying jobs, I didn’t really learn my lesson in frugality until I was laid off for the second time. As I said before, I’ve lived paycheck to paycheck (or was “underfinanced”, as I like to say when I’m feeling fancy) but I’d never been broke. After that second layoff, I was BROKE. I had to figure out how to pay for rent, utilities, food, gas and medicine. Since I was laid off from another low-paying job, my unemployment check wasn’t going to cut it. I took as many temp jobs as I could to cover rent and utilities. To save gas, I combined errands and limited my driving to necessary errands and work. I found a state-funded pharmacy to help pay for my medicine. Finally, I started using coupons (which i got from my mom’s newspaper), only shopped at stores that doubled coupons and learned how to stretch meals.
Fortunately, I eventually got a decent paying job but that unemployment-broke spell put the Fear of Brokedom in me. The first thing I did after getting the job was pay off all my consumer debt. It took a lot of major changes but I managed to do it in a little over a year. Now I’m trying to learn how to go from survivor mode to healthy savings mode. To me, “healthy savings mode” is where I can be frugal while still enjoying life. I’m not there yet but I’m working my way towards it.
Lauren, I hope this book continues to help you learn to live a frugal life but also helps you enjoy every minute of it. If you missed the book review, author Stephanie Ann writes about her tips and tricks to getting good deals and shows you how to make some cash by selling your clutter or by creating your own job.
In the book, Ann shares her story and shares she was living paycheck to paycheck after a series of low paying jobs and long periods of unemployment. It can be difficult to get laid off especially when you have credit card debt from trying to make ends meet but it is important to take care of yourself to look fabulous and once again conquer the world.
If you didn’t win my review copy you can purchase it on Amazon for $13.45.
This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.
Stephanie Ann, author of The Cheap Diva’s Guide to Frugal and Fabulous Living: How to Shop Smart, Look Your Best, Decorate with Style, and Have Fun for Less Money!, shares her tips and tricks to living large on a small budget in her 224-page book. Ann is the creator of thecheapdiva.com, a budget style blog.
In her book, Ann shares her secrets to scoring deals and shows you how to make money by cashing in on your clutter or creating your own job. The book is a fun and fast read with hints of humor that come from anecdotes she shares about her time working in various home décor and retail businesses. The book also includes a handy list of websites sure to save you money.
The book is divided into five parts: Money, Fashion, Beauty, Home Décor and Entertainment.
So what makes Ann an expert in frugal living ? “For starters, I was living the frugal lifestyle long before it was fashionable,” she writes. With a series of low-income jobs and prolonged periods of unemployment, she said she’s built a “healthy sense of mistrust of employers” and many “healthy savings habits.”
If you would like to learn the secrets to a frugal and fabulous life for free, leave a comment detailing your short-lived jobs and how they helped you learn to tighten your financial belt. You may end up being the lucky winner of my review copy – signed by the Cheap Diva herself!
Comment by Friday, July 9 at 9 a.m. PST for a chance to win. If you can’t wait to get your hands on the book, you can purchase it on Amazon for $13.45.
Reader Debra wins my review copy of Creative Unemployment: How To Transcend Job Loss
I would love to read this book. I have been looking for work since the end of April – it is very emotionally draining.
I hope this book helps you get through this difficult time, Debra. If you missed my review of the book, author Harlan Kidwell Jr. focuses on the emotional journey that follows getting laid off. One thing that comes up often – even when you have a job – is how to talk about money with friends who want to spend more than you do. Socializing can be a minefield when you are cutting back!
To reduce spending, go over your budget again or attend a totally free swap meet.
Have you ever been laid off? Then you know what a blow it can be financially and emotionally. On BargainBabe.com I mostly deal with surviving financially, so I welcomed Harlan Kidwell, Jr.’s book on the emotional fallout of job loss. Harlan’s self-published Creative Unemployment: How To Transcend Job Loss
With so many personal stories, Creative Unemployment is cathartic.
This book offers a positive look at the potentially damaging psychological aspects of underemployment. This book is not about finding a job. It is a book about finding yourself…When you find yourself, you will find employment – a vocation – a life purpose. The issues in this book can also be useful to people who are aware or alive and still employed who want to gain the benefits of increased self-awareness before the trauma of rejection and loss of income.
Each chapter of the 284-page book begins with a 1-3 sentence description of what you’ll get out of that chapter and ends with a 1-3 page review of the major points. Chapters 1-8 are about recognizing and accepting the emotional journey that follows unemployment. Chapters 9-15 are about moving forward and taking action.
In chapter 10, Harlan breaks down the emotional journey of unemployment into six practical steps you can take to move forward.
1. Become self-aware.
2. Decide what you want.
3. Write your goals down.
4. Imagine or visualize your achieved goal. (emphasis his)
5. Take action.
6. Reflect and select.
The book’s introduction lacks sources for the statistics cited, which makes me uncomfortable. However, the point of the book is to help one heal emotionally, not provide economic figures. The nut of this touchy-feely (and I don’t mean that in a bad way) book is that it is okay to to feel how you feel, you should believe in yourself, and definitely go for it!
Leave a comment on this post by the end of Thursday, March 4 to win my review copy of Creative Unemployment: How To Transcend Job Loss
Amazon.com
Reader Katie wins my review copy of Life or Debt 2010: A New Path to Financial Freedom, which I wrote about earlier this week, for her comment:
I would love to read this book! Hubby and I are reccent college graduates and want to pay off our student loans/live debt free as quickly as possible but could sure use direction!
With early guidance I hope Katie and her husband live debt-free! If you didn’t win, Amazon has paperback copies of Life or Debt 2010 for $8.50 (orig. $15). And remember to try your library!
I met Stacy Johnson at a work event in San Francisco months ago and was pleased to hear he had a new book coming out (actually, a re-do of a book he published 10 years ago.) Stacy, who is a CPA, shows in Life or Debt 2010: A New Path to Financial Freedom that he knows what he is talking about.
The book begins with a 5-page rant on why personal and national debt is damaging. Then Stacy puts our current fiscal mess it into perspective:
In the 1930s, unemployment approached 25 percent, more than twice what it is now, and there were no unemployment checks. The stock market declined 80 percent. When banks failed, and hundreds did, there was no FDIC to insure deposits, you simply lost your money. So if you think it’s tough these days, imagine what that was like. But there was a silver lining to that dark cloud: The Greatest Generation became tough…They learned that their only protection was to save a dime every time they earned a dollar and not to trust their employer or their government for their financial security…
They also got behind legislation that changed the financial system so it would be tilted more to the benefit of the have-nots. They created Social Security, a means to help people when they become too old or sick to work. They created the FDIC, which guarantees that nobody would lose money in a bank failure again, at last within the insured limits. They created unemployment insurance at both the federal and state levels…
In short, the Greatest Generation harnessed their collective power and changed the United States in major ways in an attempt to ensure that a tragedy like the Great Depression couldn’t devastate their children the way it had devastated them.
Many of us are re-learning the hard lessons of the Great Depression now. To prosper Stacy recommends:
- Stop whining and start acting
- Reconsider the relationship between material possessions and happiness
- Create financial freedom by living below your means
In seven chapters Stacy explains how to get out of debt as quickly as possible, how to stop creating more debt, and how to rank your debts to determine which one to payoff first. There are also three chapters at the end with 250 tips to save, how to repair your credit, and resources for getting help.
Many chapters have charts and worksheets so you can crunch your numbers. Stacy ends each chapter with a handful of key points so you remember the lessons. The book is 223 pages. Life or Debt is sensible, occasionally funny, and very down to earth. I highly recommend it!
Leave a comment on this post for a chance to win my review copy. Or buy Life or Debt 2010 from Amazon for $8.50 (orig. $15).
Money is a great way to get close to your sweetie. That’s the premise behind “Get Financially Naked,” by Manisha Thakor and Sharon Kedar.
The book is meant for women in a committed relationship who want to find out if they are financially compatible with their mate. “Get Financially Naked” also aims to help women gain and maintain control over their finances in a relationship.
Dealing with money can bring women closer to their partners and strengthen their relationships.
First, this book will help you and your partner get on the same financial page, which means your relationship is much less likely to get torpedoed by financial stress. Second, by learning to talk about money with your honey in a constructive way, the odds are high that you will dramatically strengthen your relationship.
The 148-page book is divided into three sections to help you:
1. Get the upper hand of your finances
2. Learn how to talk to your partner about money
3. Get tools to save and invest so you can turn your financial dreams into reality
There is also a 30-question quiz to take with your partner and worksheets to help you get “financially naked” because when it comes to money you want to know exactly what you’re dealing with.
Comment on this post for a chance to win my review copy. If you can’t wait, Amazon has it for $9.32 (orig $12. 95).
Reader Amy B won my review copy of “Bitches on a Budget” with her sassy comment on my book review. Congrats, Amy!
I’ve always been a bitch (thank you my female dog is beautiful)and I’ve always tried to work within a reasonable budget. However having 3 boys, ok 4 with husband, it is sometimes trying. Cant wait to read! Woo hoo!
If you didn’t win, no worries. Amazon has it for $10.20 (orig. $15).
