This is a unique book that many readers will find very worthwhile. Unlike many financial books, it uses a third person fictional narrative to get the point across in the first portion of the book. You’ll be reading about a fictional couple as they attempt to (mis)manage their finances and carry on with their lives. All of their mistakes are laid out so that it is easy to see if you are making the same ones.

The narrative then starts to add advice on how to avoid these common mistakes and offers real world advice that everyone can put to good use. We enjoyed this approach and believe that it may be just the ticket for those that find financial books to be a bit on the boring side. By using this example, it is easy to see not only why financial planning is so important, but what can happen when you don’t properly budget and plan for the future.

At the end of each chapter, the author provides applied principles which go into depth on what you learned in the lesson and how to put the advice to good use in your own life. This was incredibly beneficial and is unlike the vast majority of financial books on the market. You’ll really feel as though you are learning something and that you will have plenty to take away with you to make changes in your own life.

The appendix should not be overlooked either. It contains some great budgeting tips and checklists that you can put to use with your own finances. The author of the book is also a software developer and as such the book also covers the accompanying financial planning software. We could have done without the plugs, but it really didn’t take away from the main message of the book. For those that need extra help with their financial planning, the software may come in handy after reading the book.

Overall, if you’re trying to turn over a new financial leaf, this is a great book to start with. You’ll be able to learn a lot and the tips included are absolutely solid for financial planning and avoiding mistakes. Those that are already established may also find that they are making a few mistakes along the way and this book helps point them out. If you’re already a financial whiz, then this book serves as a good cautionary tale to keep you on the right track.

We highly recommend this book to anyone interested in learning more about personal finance or simply affirming their own financial choices. It’s a great lesson that makes a lot of sense no matter how much you may already know about the subject and overall it was a very enjoyable read. This book would also make the perfect gift for those that are just starting out in the world and need to have some guidance to make the right financial choices.

Originally posted 2008-09-05 05:51:09. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Book Review, Personal Finance

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appendix, boring side, Budget, budgeting tips, checklists, fictional narrative, financial books, financial planning software, real world, software developer, these common mistakes, third person, world advice