Review
“Sassy and smart. You know instantly you are in sure hands.”–USA Today“When it comes to advice on money, you can’t beat Big Mama.”–Milwaukee Journal Sentinel“Refreshing in its honesty and reliable in its guidance . . . a charming, inspirational and authoritative primer on money management.”–Better InvestingFrom the Trade Paperback edition.
–This text refers to the
Kindle Edition
edition.
Review
“Sassy and smart. You know instant…
Buy Spend Well, Live Rich: How to Get What You Want with the Money You Have at Amazon
…the author is just reminding you of things we like to “forget” — credit cards are bad, being in debt is bad, shopping when you’re upset is bad, and more. Yes, Ms. Singletary does offer some basic financial advice and explains some of the more complex money-management ideas in easy-to-understand terms. But mostly, she just seems to be yelling at the reader and repeats herself a lot. I don’t need a book to tell me not to co-sign a loan for my unemployed alcoholic cousin, for example. The author does provide a good analysis of America’s conspicuous consumerism and the downward spiral of never-ending debt on unnecessary goods and services that should be of great concern to many of us. Some of her mantras absolutely should be taken to heart by the millions of Americans who mindlessly flood the malls every weekend in search of yet another pair of shoes they don’t need, another DVD they’ll never watch, or another toy to placate the child they didn’t spend time with all week — her call to return to a simpler way of life, and living within one’s means, is to be heeded. That being said, however, it is obvious that the author and her family enjoy a high standard of living (although, to her credit, she does not appear to indulge her childrens’ every whim or spoil herself with luxury — but they are comfortable and not in any danger of having their electricity turned off) and some of her suggestions to those trying to dig their way out of debt come off as glib and facile. Ms. Singletary grew up poor and has been taken advantage of by thankless relatives and she does profess a lot of good common sense that may be difficult for some people to hear (and more difficult to practice), but some of her reactions to spending money on fairly modest purchases border on panic. She does admit her own tendencies to go overboard (penny-wise and pound-foolish), but her tone is often scolding. Although the book certainly does not offer any concrete solutions or formula for earning more, saving more, paying off debt, etc., it is easy to read and may be a good first step for someone trying to improve their financial situation. It is probably actually a better preventative than a cure — I think kids beginning college, or getting their first jobs should read this book in order to avoid all the common money mistakes in the first place. It’s just as difficult to talk to kids about money than it is about sex; maybe using this book as a cautionary tale would make it easier for families to be honest about money and save everyone a lot of worry and trouble in the end. I don’t think this book is worth the price, though. If you can borrow it from a friend, find it used, or get it at the library, it’s worth a read, but it is not something you’ll refer back to over and over again.
I was really upset to find out that this is a repackaged, renamed version of an earlier work that Singletary wrote.
A waste of money if you’ve bought, “Seven Money Mantras…”
I enjoyed this book so much that I purchased it for all the young people in my family. I wanted them to be able to make sound financial decisions and not become a member of the “working poor”. This book has the tools that will help them accomplish that goal. The information is sound, concise and to the point. Told with enough humor to get your attention but serious enough to underscore the fact that it is not “just money”.