Perhaps you thought of grocery stores or something sexy like internet retailing, but chances are you didn’t think of banking. Yet, most likely you interact with a bank every time you’re paid and when you pay your bills. Banks facilitate the flow of money through the economy and even if you don’t interact with a bank daily, the businesses you deal with on a daily basis do. For all the interaction people have with banks, few understand how they work or why they work. Even fewer understand why they should consider including bank stocks in their investment portfolio. There are a lot of misconceptions about banks, including understanding what they are and what they do. For many people the word “bank” evokes images of receiving a toaster upon opening an account, or thoughts of security related to the storing of precious items in a safety deposit box. Others might go further and tap their inner Michael Moore and talk about how banks are greedy and evil. It’s our belief that banks aren’t just places to store idle savings (on which you receive virtually nothing in interest) or to cash checks, but that they should be an integral part of an investor’s portfolio. The goal of this book is to provide you with a foundation and framework with which you can both begin to understand banks, but also learn the basic tools used to analyze banks as investments.

    This edition now includes an Audio Book read by Dave! By laying out his proven Baby Step method, Dave provides a step-by-step process for saving money, getting out of debt, creating a personal budget, and investing for long-term wealth. The Kit includes a hardcover copy of the book, a workbook with useful worksheets and forms, an abridged audio version of the book read by the author, and an easy-to-use finance software CD-ROM with sample worksheets, financial calculators, and a lot of information to help you take control of your finances today!

    Authors and money-management experts Lyle and Tracy Shamo say, "Like it or not, meeting basic needs has nothing to do with poverty and everything to do with how well we manage our money." In this practical guidebook, the authors will help you take control of your money, teaching you how to pay off your debt-including your mortgage and car loans- and stay out of debt. Advanced computer software (included on a CD-ROM that comes with the book) will help you assess your financial status, learn more about where your money is going and discover how to channel it to the right places.

    For many, home values are still too low and unemployment is still too high. Others have prospered despite the ups and downs. In Clark Howard's Living Large for the Long Haul, the renowned broadcaster examines our new paradigm through the eyes of those whose financial portfolios have beaten the odds, and those whose economic situation has gone off course. Through these fascinating personal accounts, listeners will uncover amazing opportunities and smart decisions, finding advantages in bleak times for lasting payoffs in the long run.

    Most people know how important it is to manage their money wisely. But most budget books are cumbersome and overly technical. And computerized budgeting systems are complex and temperamental. This book presents a simple, easy-to-use, and effective system that makes budgeting as easy as writing a check.

    The mistakes people make with their money are basic, and avoidable, and unless you understand what they are, you're probably going to repeat them. What you need is someone who can shed light on the obstacles we face and show you how to avoid getting tripped up by them.Financially Stupid People Are Everywhere shows how society is rigged to take as much of your wealth as possible, and simple ways you can resist. It investigates, explains, and offers advice for all those who have fallen into debt, taken a second mortgage, been trapped by credit cards, or found themselves unable to get ahead.Discusses what you can do to stop the destructive cycle of borrowing and spending Illustrates the four major tenets of getting money right Highlights how to avoid the many ways that government, banks, and big business try to trap you with debt To secure your financial future, you must break the dangerous cycle of borrowing and spending, and learn how to guard your wealth against corporate ploys. Financially Stupid People Are Everywhere leads you down the only proven path to financial freedom.

    It's time to start doing… And this book will show you exactly where to start. Everyone knows real estate investing can be a powerful way to build wealth and achieve true financial freedom. But, because each person’s journey is different, knowing the first steps to take can be challenging.That’s why two of the biggest names in the real estate world teamed up to write the most comprehensive manual ever written on getting started in the lucrative business of real estate investing. Josh Dorkin and Brandon Turner—longtime hosts of the world’s #1 real estate podcast, The BiggerPockets Podcast—give you an insider’s look at the many different niches and strategies that exist. Find which one works best for you, your resources, and your goals.Unlike most traditional real estate books, this one won’t tell you there is “one secret path” to real estate success. Instead, it dives into dozens of unique, life-changing quests and is packed with more than forty real-life stories of how real estate investors are finding success in today’s economy. What’s inside:· How to invest in real estate while working a full-time job· The truth about LLCs and corporations · How to earn more at work (or on the side) so you can invest more · Getting your spouse on board with real estate investing· Eight unique property types you can invest in today · Eleven powerful strategies for building wealth through real estate· Twenty-eight tested methods for finding great real estate deals· Partnerships, BRRRR investing, and other creative ways to fund your deals· And so much more!

    We never have to pass a test to get our Money License before we can take a new credit card for a drive. Most of what we learn about money comes from advertising or from other people who know as little as we do. No wonder we make such basic mistakes. No wonder we feel disempowered and scared. No wonder so many of us just decide to stick our heads in the damn sand and just never deal with it. I wrote this book, because so many of the people I spoke to told me that they wished someone would. In this clear and engaging basic guide to managing your finances, Sam Beckbessinger covers topics from compound interest and inflation to “Your brain on money”, negotiating a raise, and particularly local South African phenomena like “black tax”. The book includes exercises and “how-to’s”, doesn’t shy away from the psychology of money, and is empowering, humorous and helpful. The book you wish you’d had at 25, but is never too late to read.

    I hope it helps you too!

    Laid-back investing is not only easier, it can actually make you richer.Learn how to kill off debt, curb spending, find your best KiwiSaver fund, save painlessly, buy a house or be happy not buying one, and move confidently towards and through retirement (hint: you don't need $1 million). You'll also learn why it's best to 'set and forget' your investments. And why, beyond a certain point, having more money is not the key to happiness.Unlike many writers of finance books, Mary is not selling anything (except this book!). She just wants you to do well. She's on your side.'Mary has that rare ability to cut through the jargon to what really matters. She combines expert wisdom and real-world insights, with fantastic results!'DIANE MAXWELL, RETIREMENT COMMISSIONER'Mary Holm is in the first rank of New Zealanders offering simple and wise advice to those who want to take effective steps to secure their future financial wellbeing. This straightforward guide should help ordinary Kiwis navigate their way through the various traps they can fall into.'SIR MICHAEL CULLEN, FORMER DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER and MINISTER OF FINANCE

    Why are experts so bad at making predictions? Why do rich people take outsized risks to reach for money they don't need? Is America's manufacturing base really dwindling? What did we learn about risk after 9/11? Those questions and many more are tackled in these 21 irreverent and contrarian essays, which will have readers thinking differently about the conventional wisdom.

    Let’s have you destroy your debt. Let’s have you be rid of it forever. That’s exactly what this 80/20 guide is going to give you—a sure-fire, bulletproof, tried and true method for destroying your debt. Debt, in almost any form, is lame. Nope, “lame” is probably not a strong enough word for it. Debt is a burden. Debt’s a drain. It’s a mood killer. It’s a relationship strainer. It’s a cash flow crusher. Sheesh. It takes the fun out of just about everything. Sure, you’ll hear fancy-pants people tell you about “good” debt and “bad” debt and the like. They’ll discuss fancy terms like “opportunity cost” or the value of using “OPM” (other people’s money, and if you didn’t know what OPM meant, bless you). They may even use another three-letter acronym like “ROI” when they’re talking about how you can leverage debt and get a better return on your investment. Well, we’re not talking about capitalization of a multi-conglomerate business. We’re talking about your personal finances. And when it comes to personal finances, debt is a draining, mood-killing, cash flow-crushing burden—and it’s lame. Heck, debt collectors, big banks, attorneys ... they all make debt personal. So I think it’s safe to say that your debt belongs right square in the middle of what we’d call your personal finance. Yes, let’s make this very personal. Let’s talk about how you got into this mess of debt, where you want to go, and how you’ll get there. And, true to our 80/20 guide form, I’ll tell you everything you need to know and do as quickly as possible. Unless I see a good opportunity for a joke, where I’ll drag it out just a bit longer.

    But for too many Americans, that's the fate that awaits unless they take steps now to plan for the future.Whether you’re twenty-five and starting your first job or fifty-five and watching the career clock start to wind down, today is the day to get serious about your retirement.In Retire Inspired, Chris Hogan teaches that retirement isn’t an age; it’s a financial number—an amount you need to live the life in retirement that you’ve always dreamed of. With clear investing concepts and strategies, Chris will educate and empower you to make your own investing decisions, set reasonable expectations for your spouse and family, and build a dream team of experts to get you there.You don’t have to retire broke, stressed, and working long after you want to. You can retire inspired!

    By revealing how top investors and traders think and act Steven Sears shows the stock market to be an undulating ocean of money, with seasoned investors reading the waves others cannot.Teaching readers to think about the market in radically different ways, "The Indomitable Investor" shows how to improve returns--and, just as importantly, avoid losses--with disciplines deployed by people who almost always do exactly the opposite of what Wall Street says to do.Laying bare great fallacies, the book explains that non-professional investors wrongly think the stock market is a place to make money, which is what Wall Street wants them to try to do. "The Indomitable Investor" says otherwise and shows how Wall Street's best investors have a completely different focus.Explains the critical ideas and insights of top traders and investors in language anyone can understand and implementPacked with material rarely shared off Wall Street that is used every day by professional investorsIntroduces the 17 most important words on Wall StreetTeaches critical skills, including: How to increase returns by focusing on risk, not potential profits; how to use the stock market's historical patterns to optimize investment decisions; understanding key relationships between stocks and the economy that predict what will happen to stocks and the broader market; how to increase mutual fund returns with an easy adjustment that redirects the bulk of profits to you--not mutual fund companies, and how to analyze information like seasoned investors to move beyond "statement of the obvious" news reports that turn ordinary investors into Dumb MoneyAccessible to readers of all backgrounds, including those with a limited understanding of investing, "The Indomitable Investor" will change how investors view the stock market, Wall Street, and themselves.

    Whether you're dealing with debt, uncertain about retirement or simply want to get a grip on your finances, this book can put you on the road to happiness with a simple 11-week journey. Just 5-10 minutes a day to think about money, your habits, your goals, and your dreams. What steps can you take today to get your finances on track? What bad habits, bad investments, and misconceptions should you let go of? This book is packed with 77 days' worth of real, actionable guidance for getting your money right--for good. It's not an investment scheme, not extreme couponing, not something else to add to your daily to-do list. Instead, it's about changing you--and the way you handle and think about money--so you can start building the life of your dreams.The next 11 weeks will be a revelation: Some days you'll learn about finance, other days you'll learn about yourself. Many days, you will be given a concrete list of things to do--right at that moment--to start steering your financial situation onto the right path.Learn how to stack the financial odds in your favor Amass savings for retirement, the children's college or that next financial emergency Change your perspective on money and its role in your lifeGet your financial house in order--and keep it that way A better life is possible. You do have the power to change things for the better. From Here to Financial Happiness is your personal roadmap to financial freedom.