If nothing else, the state of the economy has shown that millions of people don’t have a good grasp of how to manage their personal finances. There are hundreds of books written every year on the subject and yet, this concept still seems to elude many. Some books are either too technical for some readers, while others fail to get to the right points. We were wary about this book for many reasons, but it actually managed to surprise us. If you are looking for an in-depth, no nonsense guide to personal finance that is still fun to read, this is the perfect title.

The book is short, coming in at just over 155 pages, which in this case, is probably in its favor. Those looking to avoid a heavy, scholarly tome will undoubtedly be drawn in by the lively cover and the fact that you won’t strain a muscle just by picking it up. It’s divided into three main sections, Capture the Numbers, Corral the Paper and Advanced Projects. Each one goes in-depth without being boring on all of the fundamentals needed for personal finance management.

The first section, Capture the Numbers, covers how to start tracking the money you make and the money you spend. There is some great advice here on keeping everything in order and this is a section that should probably be re-read by most until it’s second nature. The next chapter goes into the concept of balancing everything and getting all of your figures to match. Last by not least, this section ends with a discussion on avoiding late fees and other miscellaneous bank fees that arise from mismanagement of your funds.

The next section covers how to stay organized in the midst of a swirl of papers, budgets and balance sheets. Some great tips are provided on how to develop a filing system that is not difficult to maintain as well as how to easily find documents when you need them. The section on proving whether or not a debt is yours is also vital reading.

The advanced section covers more complex subjects, like what you can learn from your spending habits and how to become more informed as a consumer. Yes, the information is very basic, but it does a great job of making personal finance concepts accessible to all, regardless of education, experience or the simple desire to keep everything in order.

We highly recommend this book to all that need to learn how to get a grip on their personal finances. While the experts may not have much use for it, the everyday person and family has a lot to gain by cracking this book open. With the way the information is presented, managing finances no longer seems to be a mystical experience that should be feared. This is one of the best everyday guides we have found on the subject and we hope that more people will read it and put its advice to good use.

Originally posted 2008-10-10 05:06:11. Republished by Old Post Promoter

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