50 Simple Steps You Can Take To Improve Your Personal Finances

Customer Reviews

• Restating the obvious but ...  Aug 26, 2002 (26 of 26 found this helpful)

  Most money matters are fundamentally simple (dont overspend, buy low - sell high etc. ) and so this book re-states the obvious and simple things in simple words. People looking for a formula for financial success will be grossly disappointed with this book (manifested by some opinions here). Its a book that has some good to follow common sense tips.

  There is not a single tip in this book that hasn't been stated in another book or can't be found on a plethora of web sites. But it collects them and states them in simple words - like a book of quotations. Also - it is not and does not claim to be the "only personal finance book you'll ever need" - I hate those ...

  A good book to read on a flight or a slow afternoon.

  I think its a bit overpriced at [the money] (hence the 1 * deduction), buying it used [for less money] and it will be worth it.

• I recommend this book to the grown children of my clients  Aug 23, 2004 (22 of 23 found this helpful)

  As a Certified Financial Planner(tm) practitioner, I am often asked for recommendations for books to read on various financial topics. I read on average about 10 to 15 books to find one that I think is good enough to recommend to clients or friends. This book is one of those.
  
  This is not an advanced book of investment strategies, exactly as the title implies. But it is truly excellent for someone who is young and really doesn't know the difference between a stock or a bond, or a Roth IRA and a 401(k) plan. It also has a plethora of very practical examples of everyday things to do that can improve your financial situation.
  
  The author really nails all the key points that people need to know to be money smart. For example, buy and don't lease cars, set the highest possible deductible on your car insurance, buy the cheapest possible term insurance and don't let a salesperson sweet talk you into permanent insurance, and many others.
  
  This book is well written and interesting, and very well organized. Each topic is separate and discrete, so you can use it as a reference guide for the specific topic that is of interest to you at the time.
  
  I was a bit surprised at the few very negative reviews on this book. My opinion is those people are quite advanced in their financial knowledge, so this book was too basic for them. But for 90% of the people I meet under age 35, this book will be excellent-- readable and interesting and a good book for future reference.
  
  Jan Dahlin Geiger, Certified Financial Planner(tm), author of "Get Your Assets in Gear! Smart Money Strategies," available on Amazon. Get Your Assets in Gear! Smart Money Strategies

• Quick Read, Everlasting Tips  Dec 11, 2002 (16 of 16 found this helpful)

  In the process of reading this book I found that my prevalent fears of anything economic and financial were greatly dissolved. The "50 simple things" truly live to their namesake; chapters averaging 3-4 pages are concise, yet full of information without droning on and losing my interest. I found that my favorite part about the whole book was that as a teenager, I could use this book as a basis for my financial questions in my next 40-50 years alive. It starts out with simple advice like organization and saving pocket change, moves on to future issues like wedding costs and car leasing, and then even goes as far as talking about retirement funds. I'm greatly considering purchasing this book to keep with me as I progress financially in my years to come. Being a complete idiot when it comes to financial terminology, I found this book helped explain a lot of new items (i.e. Roth IRA), and expand well in an attention-keeping number of pages. So, while this book may not satisfy the economic genius or corporate mogul, it lives true to it's title by simply delivering truly helpful tips to the novice in financial handling (like me).

• A very good book  Apr 2, 2005 (8 of 8 found this helpful)

  I have read this book and feel it is a very good book to start building a solid financial foundation. This is not a book for the advanced, but for people like myself in their twenties (I'm 28) trying to figure out how they can be smarter with their finances. As I read through the book, I wrote down the "things" on a list and checked them off as I completed them. One of the interesting "things" was to check my property tax statement to ensure I wasn't be taxed for more property than I owned.
  Again, this book isn't for the advanced financial planner; but I found it very helpful.

• I needed this book!  Sep 28, 2001 (8 of 8 found this helpful)

  I was so completely disorganized with money - had some in savings, a few 401Ks from different jobs, stocks and real estate and a huge tax bill every year. Normally I get intimidated by financial books but this one worked for me. It totally explained what the best moves were as far as getting organized and taking control of my finances. I used to be freaked out about numbers and financial choices but she explained it all to me in a very simple way. Now I've set a budget for myself, I'm saving more money each month and I'm close to buying a second house. I definitely feel much more in control of my finances and my future. A lot easier than CNBC and infinitely more entertaining.