Review
The Complete Personal Finance Book should be on every high school and college graduate’s gift list. If every graduate–or at least most–read this title, we would no longer hear news reports of massive credit problems, home loan foreclosures, and the “savings crisis.” However, don’t short-change yourself if you’re not a recent graduate. This book has invaluable lessons on when and how to plan for retirement, and invest in stocks and bonds. Not sure how much life, disability or car insurance you need? This handbook spells it all out!
Truly – if you are serious about achieving financial success – no matter your age or credit status, this book can help you achieve your goals. As a reader who has never fully understood how stocks and bonds work, or how to ladder a CD, I can honestly say I can talk with confidence about these topics.
In addition to the straight talk on how to save money and reduce fees, I particularly benefitted from the “Now You Know” summaries at the end of each chapter. The Appendices include a wealth of useful information ranging from sample budget and insurance forms, retirement worksheets, real estate contracts and a section on selecting a financial advisor. The money you save by reading these sections will more than pay for the book! In short, no one should open an account or incur any debt before reading this book!
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I’m pretty bad with money, I like to wear the nicest clothes, eat out at least five times a week, and it seems as if I never have enough money for my bills. After reading The Complete Personal Finance Handbook by Teri Clark I had learned about all of the important basics of personal finance. What’s great about this book is that it’s practical. The first lesson that she teaches is about how spending money on your habits can cost you a lot in the long run. Clark figures out how much a coffee a day for a year can cost you and how much it costs to buy paperbacks instead of checking them out from the library. Great book, really recommend this!
The Complete Personal Finance Handbook delivers on its promise to help you take control of your finances one step at a time. Covering every aspect of the average person’s finances, this book has 16 chapters and 7 appendices, with insights and tips on everything from establishing credit quickly to getting better rates on mortgages to retirement planning. Each chapter takes what can be a difficult, confusing subject and makes it simple and easy to understand. Terms are clearly defined in each section, and there is also a glossary in the back for easy reference. Even the Table of Contents provides just the right amount of detail to allow anyone to find needed information quickly.
Chapters include examples and comparisons throughout to illustrate the points, such as the example in Chapter 15, “Creating Fixed Income,” charting and comparing CD laddering techniques in a way any reader can replicate. The appendices include worksheets for you to complete, sample forms, and additional resources. For example, “Appendix C: Insurance” includes a simple worksheet for tackling the often confusing task of figuring out exactly how much life insurance you need. Case studies include personal stories of financial troubles and advice from finance professionals, both of which highlight the need to take control of one’s finances instead of being controlled. In essence, The Complete Personal Finance Handbook is more than a typical handbook; it is a financial companion that I will be consulting for a long time to come.
This book is awesome!