The Smart Cookies Guide to Making More Dough How Five Young Women Got Smart Formed a Money Group and Took Control of Their Finances
July 13, 2009 by Home Investing · Leave a Comment
Let The Smart Cookies show you how to eliminate debt, spend smarter, save better, and achieve financial freedom—without sacrificing your social life or your sanity!
They were five dynamic young women: smart, successful—and secretly drowning in debt. Inspired by an episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show on personal finance, Andrea, Angela, Katie, Robyn, and Sandra formed a money club, together developing strategies for turning their finances around. Just one year later they had dramatically improved their financial situations—and had made major developments in their careers, relationships, and life goals to boot. Their proven recipe for success has since been featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show, MSNBC, and in the New York Daily News.
How did they do it? These five women—with varied careers in marketing, public relations, social work, and TV production—joined forces to create a fun, simple, effective strategy for achieving financial success, forming a money club and supporting each other every step of the way. Now, in this extraordinary hands-on guide, the women, who soon dubbed themselves The Smart Cookies, share the secrets of their success.
Weaving anecdotes from their own lives with practical, how-to advice, The Smart Cookies offer strategies that cut across the financial spectrum, whether you’re deeply in debt or just want to manage your money better. Tackling the unique financial challenges facing women today, they offer easy-to-follow advice on everything from creating a spending plan to boosting your income to starting your own money club.
User Ratings and Reviews
1 Star Are you kidding me?
I can’t believe this book. How are these women able to write this book with a straight face? This isn’t a book for the average woman, it’s for rich girls with no sense. They share personal stories about how to cut back; and I laughed at every one of them. One of them owed 12 pairs of $300 jeans. Are you kidding me? I own two pairs of jeans, and the most I have ever paid for jeans was $35, and that felt like a splurge. They suggest taking your lunch to work instead of eating out, reducing your number of lattes, and only buying a few designer pieces of clothing. What a joke! In the real world, all the women I know bring a lunch to work. I don’t know anyone with a designer anything. One of the women in the book was proud that she and her spouse figured out how to live on just one of their salaries and save the rest…they were making a combined $150,000. Their one salary was still way above what my husband and I make combined. So if you are trying to figure out how to save up for a trip to a spa (3 nights for two people: $6000. This is an actual example from the book; I’m not making this up.), then this might be the book for you. If you are already juggling a mortgage, keeping a 14 year old car running with frequent trips to the mechanic, student loans, and any type of medical bill, this in NOT the book for you. If you are an airhead who already makes well above the median income of the average US citizen but still manages to spend it all in one month ($500 dresses for dates! Crazy!) then this book might help you out.
5 Stars Thrift
The authors show the public how to reduce reliance
on credit. They make statements that appear to be
quite true in my own experience. i.e.
o interest doubles on late payments as penalties rise
o a good payment history drastically reduces interest
o users of credit cards should ponder the alternative
use of the money
o split appetizers at fancy restaurants
o take advantage of muni-facilities for the public
o examine how long mutual funds have been in business
o review mutual fund manager experience
I would add to this the 424 Dividend Boost Program.
The program allows you to buy shares from participating
companies like Pepsi, Altria and Wal-Mart. Simply
ask the company for the required forms
( investor relations), execute them and mail a
check for the purchase. There are no broker
fees whatsoever. In addition, make certain that you
take full advantage of the dividend re-investment feature
so that the stock portfolio grows even quicker.
Good luck and open up more of these investment clubs.
This is the best way to avoid stock market rip-offs
of all kinds.
4 Stars ONe SmARt CoOkiE
i thought this book was wonderful. it gave great insight on how to save a buck. this book clarified a lot of financial questions that i’ve been struggling with. i deeply recommend this book to any young woman who cant stop spending.
5 Stars Great Book - follow the steps!
Great stocking stuffer for this XMAS - especially in these tough times!! This is simple practical guide to getting your financial house in order. What I like are the personal stories that make sense for everyone. They really push “know your numbers..”….very smart 
5 Stars Six Easy Steps To Take Control Of Your Finances
The book is a great guide to following six steps to get control of your finances and gives a wealth of tips and information on how to save money. Their website [...] further assists you in meeting your goal of financial freedom with online tools and tips.
The 9 Steps to Financial Freedom With Suze Orman
May 20, 2009 by Home Investing · Leave a Comment
The 9 Steps to Financial Freedom With Suze Orman
The Courage To Be Rich
May 15, 2009 by Home Investing · Leave a Comment
Suze Orman, author of the bestselling book and DVD 9 Steps to Financial Freedom, delivers another seminar to us, this time on The Courage to Be Rich. The premise of this lecture is “how to create changes in our life so that we can take charge of our financial future.” Orman loosely divides the program into three sections: the first explores how our thoughts create our destiny; the second examines our relationship with our self, our money, and those we love and their money; and the final explores the myths and realities of Roth IRAs, commissions on mutual funds, and why you may not be getting the raise you deserve. Using personal anecdotes and exercises, Orman drives her points home. Her opinions are definite–make sure you have a prenuptial agreement, own your home, invest in a Roth IRA–but she is clear and effective in explaining the reasoning behind these absolutes. Her manner is both inviting–those new to the financial world will not be in the least intimidated–and knowledgeable. After the program is completed, Orman then participates in a Q&A with the audience, assessing individual situations and providing concrete answers. If you’d like to “clear away financial clutter” and get a firmer grasp on your financial future, Suze Orman is a great place to start. –Jenny Brown
User Ratings and Reviews
5 Stars Great Book
This is one of my favorite books and messages. I recommend it to everyone.
3 Stars Suze’s Common Sense about Money and Life!
I won’t say much but the book will help a lot of people who are lost about saving money or spend too much money. Suze’s common sense is simple but it comes from personal experiences. I was surprised to learn that her father dropped out of law school to run the family chicken stand business. I knew about Suze’s work at the Buttercup Bakery and her life after college. Of course, Suze does leave out her personal. It was only recently that she came out of the closet and announced her lesbianism and long-term committed relationship to her producer, Kathy Travis, known as K.T. Suze does not write about gays or lesbians at all in this book. She writes about mostly heterosexuals who have misplaced their own common sense about money. SHe writes about her own losses and mistakes along the way which has infused her with knowledge to correct herself and others from making the same mistakes. This book is to help and assist people in difficult situations. This book may help somebody out but it would be nice if she came out with her own autiobiography.
5 Stars Wonderful information in this CD!
In Suze Orman’s book / CD there is tons of excellent information. Listening to this CD and reading her book has helped me very much. I encourage anyone to buy this and study it throughly!
5 Stars It helped me!
I’m a little sorry to see all of the negative reviews this book has gotten, since I found it to be one of the most eye-opening things I’ve ever read and, by following some of its advice, have gotten my finances into better shape than they have been in years.
Let me clarify some things. This is not a book for the financially advanced, for professionial money managers or financial advisors, or for stock brokers. The intended audience here is the “Average Person” who works at something else every day but wants to better understand how to handle their money. This person probably has credit card debt, spotty savings, and some bad financial habits. I had none of those things when I picked up this book and I still learned tons from reading it.
The principal message here is that being rich begins with your thoughts. They way we think about money determines to a huge degree what we do with it, how we invest it, and how we spend it. I think no one will deny that fundamental truth, but Suze’s gift is finding the ways to connect our thoughts with practical advice to change bad habits for the better. Many people could make a few simple changes in their lives and end up with a lot more money, and over time, that could mean real wealth.
It is true that some of the conclusions here will seem obvious to the financially savvy. But I question the idea that this is all “repackaged common knowledge.” It isn’t. Her messages are of the kind that bear repeating. How many people still buy a $3.50 latte every morning, stick thousands of dollars in a bank savings account at .2% interest, and have credit card debt well beyond what they can handle? If it were so obvious that these are unwise things to do with money, fewer people would do them! Suze shows that it’s not enough just to recognize financially unhealthy behavior, you must also understand your personal history with money, the way you have been taught to think about it and value it, and understand how that history influences your financial decisions. Her recognition of the emotional value of money gives her the edge over other financial how-to books, which typically assume that money is a raw numbers game. It’s much more than that, and Suze is right on insisting so.
Her most controversial advice is that you, and not a financial planner, must ultimately be responsible for your money, and I think a lot of the one-star ratings below are from frightened financial planners who know that Suze is onto their game. She does not, for the record, say that you should never work with one, but simply acknowledges that the ultimate responsibility for your money is with YOU and not someone you pay to organize your investments. I think she’s right, and with all of the online resources available today, there’s no reason to be ignorant about how money works in our society. A little more attention from you can mean a lot more peace with your money, and being responsible makes it much easier to make money grow.
One of the best sections of this book comes at the end, when she talks about the importance of giving. I just loved her discussion of how important it is to give and wish everybody would read it! In our greedy world, it’s a message that needs to be heard.
I found this book lifechanging and hope others can too.
1 Star Repackaged Common Knowledge
Suze Orman’s Book is well written and thoughtful, that being said, she doesn’t provide anything beyond common sense and basic knowledge: Stop accruing debt, live within your means, pay off those high interest credit cards, distinguish between good and bad loans, save money, INVEST YOUR MONEY. All this is the same material you will find in every beginning personal finance book, and online for free. The problem is that after peddling all these little trinkets of knowledge, with an over indulgent helping of self-pity, she doesn’t help you make a plan or answer some fundamental questions. Like…HOW? This book does not provide the basic mechanics of how to do what she says, and gives no details on how (in financial basics) she got where she is. How do I redistribute my debt so I can pay it off (what is a good time horizon), how should I save money so I don’t get burned out by saving, how do I mentally control my spending, and most importantly how do I invest the darn money? If you tel people to save and invest, you need to give them a hint of a plan (e.g., save 10% of every paycheck, but no more, so you grow to hate saving money) or maybe also just a single chapter on where to invest the money beyond, use your 401(k). Maybe one on why being too risk averse is bad. Ultimately, this book simply provides abstract goals, that require you to go out and get another book to help you get perspective on getting there. So just skip it, and get the next book.
The Motley Fool Investment Guide for Teens 8 Steps to Having More Money Than Your Parents Ever Dreamed Of
April 28, 2009 by Home Investing · Leave a Comment
From the personal-finance duo Fortune magazine called “funny, smart, cynical, opinionated” comes savvy financial advice for today’s street-smart young investors.
The Motley Fool has made investing fun and easy for millions of people. Now, it custom designs its wit and wisdom for today’s money-savvy teens.
The Motley Fool Investment Guide for Teens helps teens stand out from the ho-hum mutual-fund crowd, build a portfolio of stocks they can actually care about, and take advantage of the investor’s best friend — time — to watch their profits multiply.
Warning: this is not your parents’ money guide! From identifying companies that are both cool and profitable to building a portfolio that makes tracking investments exciting, The Motley Fool Investment Guide for Teens shows young investors the way to financial freedom.
User Ratings and Reviews
5 Stars Excellent book to give your kids a good understanding of investment
I bought this for my 12 year old in addition to a cash gift for him to put away in the investment of his choice - hoping he could increase the cash for a method of transport when he’s old enough to drive. Interesting enough, he read it in one day and started looking up investment items immediately. Secretly, I read it at night so I could keep up with his newly acquired knowledge. It’s a good read and very informative.
5 Stars Even if you’re in your 30s
I’m turning 38 next year, and I humbly admit that the whole idea of saving and investing only sank in a couple of years ago (this was when I made my first mutual fund investment, out of impulse!). I’ve learned about the Beauty of Compounding a long time ago, but I guess my brain wasn’t wired enough to see its real-life application. I’ve had good jobs, and have made good income on the side, but I have never thought of consciously putting at least a dollar away for my future.
Then this book came up from the bargain bin of a local bookstore, and priced at half its retail amount. To me, however, it’s been a lifesaver. I am far from being a teenager, but “The Motley Fool Investment Guide for Teens” contained all the basic information I needed when it came to the nuts and bolts of investing. All the way from saving that first dollar to trying out the stock market–it’s all in the book. And the Gardners’ writing style is casual and careful enough so as not to overwhelm.
It’s not really 8 steps as the book cover presents. The first 8 go from saving and earning extra money all the way up to investing in funds, plus encouraging readers to form their own little “investment education groups.” (A great way to spend weekend afternoons with friends–learn about investing instead of huddling around the videogame console.)
The additional steps in the book tackle the stock market, for those who want greater risk and potentially greater returns. Steps 9 to 15 cover choosing the right companies, the basics of looking through financial reports, how to monitor the bourses, and managing the portfolio.
Thanks to this book, I can more confidently begin my journey to a comfortable retirement–at 55!
(Oh, and let the teens read it, too.)
5 Stars Written for the Teen Investor!
This is an excellent first book to give a teen who is not sure about investing as a good place to put his or her money. It is written with teens in mind and has tons of real-world examples to which teens can relate. It is a good start to get teens exciting about making their money work for them. I got it for my 16-year-old nephew who was skeptical, but is on board with taking control of his own financial future.
5 Stars Good Book For All Ages
This book has reinforced what I have been preaching to my 17 year old for years……1) save and invest your money early, 2)live within your means as you get started in life (used vs new car), 3) attend the local university (keep student loans to minimum) and 4) practice a healthy lifestyle and you will soon learn that by the time you are 30 you will have more financial freedom and less debt than 90% of Americans.
I wish I had been taught the discipline for the first two items as it wasn’t until age 40 that I reached financial freedom. Fortunately for him, he is a believer after reading this book. Maybe along the way he will guide others in the right direction.
5 Stars The Best Way to Enjoy Finance & Economics
This books gives the true value of savings: a life worth dreamings about and investments we make for it to see it happen. This is a sweet and funny little book that makes money look exciting as a tool and token. I see this book as the clues to playing a cool video game. (More, like the hint book.) It’s so casual that you think your reading Reader’s Digest. You never feel confused! Math teacher’s, parents, middle schoolers, high school students, college students, retirees: you’ll love this book.
Suze Orman The 9 Steps to Financial Freedom
April 23, 2009 by Home Investing · Leave a Comment
Suze Orman The 9 Steps to Financial Freedom
Financial expert Suze Orman is changing the way America thinks about money. Orman outlines a revolutionary approach to the way we save money, handle debt, and plan for our retirement. By examining and understanding our earliest attitudes toward money, we can honestly confront where we stand financially and take the necessary action toward financial freedom. Orman deals with managing money responsibly, handling credit card debt, planning for our retirement, trusts versus wills and more.
User Ratings and Reviews
5 Stars Must Have Book
I’ve read the book, did all the exercises, and started my journey to a wealthier life. Suzie is just as motivational in her books as she is on TV. Must have book to read and own.
5 Stars The Nine Steps to Finacial Freedom
Getting young people early on and actually learing about finances before it gets out of hand is a wonderful concept all parents need to have to instill in their/our children!
Suze Orman make thing so simple and easily understood.
Her approach should be taught in High School and beyond.
2 Stars didnt know it was mini
I love suze, but i didnt know this book was 2 inches big. It is a litlle tiny pocket sized book, for a person of very small pockets:) I didnt realize how miniature, minature edition was.
1 Star 2% good advice wrapped up in 98% of absolute rubbish
I wanted to like this, and there is some good 101 style advice in there about lump sum versus slower investing and trusts versus wills but this is basic info - the rest is baby boomer rubbish about “attracting money” with your beliefs, treating money as a “cherished friend” etc. She says it makes you “powerless” to help people out financially, that you should not help your kids pay bills, and that the only “powerful” way to give away money is to give it to your parents because you owe them for having you, and to give your money to a charity or church. So baby boomers if your gen x kids are swimming in debt from student loans hand more money to charities and places of worship and don’t “lose power” by helping your kids. There is nothing in here for people under 40 and/or those struggling to start out in life under a mountain of student loan debt. Pass this one by.
I strongly recommend “Pat The Money” as the antidote to this book.
5 Stars Great Financial Advice!!
Having just gone thru a divorce, Suze Orman gives you the financial down-to-earth motivation you need to move on. Her heart-felt honest advice gives you that feeling that you CAN and WILL be able to handle your money no matter how it is affecting your life.
