fainancial

I found this book to be extremely helpful in getting my finances in order and making sure my husband and I knew where our money was going. After reading this book we were able to put our goals down on paper and prioritize them so that we could make a plan to consciously attain them. Somehow, we had overlooked the simplicity of putting our future first, as well as paying ourselves first. Implementing these simple concepts have really saved our future.

On a side note, Mr. Bach has gone absolutely out of his way to personally help me. He has analyzed my financial situation and has drafted a personalized plan to help me attain my goals. He did all of this extra work for me on his own time, around my complicated schedule and for FREE. His books have given me great knowledge into investing and prioritizing my financial house, and his personal words of encouragement have made all the difference in the world to my life. As I slowly work my way out of debt, while planning for my future, all I can do is thank God I met Mr. Bach and that he is the wonderful author and kind man that he has proven himself to be. I couldn't have done it without his help.

I recently got divorced and needed some financial advice. I bought David Bach's book "Smart Women Finish Rich" and was hooked right away. He gives sound advice in an easy to read format. I have made several changes for the better (i.e. saving for retirement, deciding to go back to college) since reading his book. I highly recommend this book!

This book was very inspiring adn got me to a head start. The information is very realistic and could helpl someone out alot.

This book is so much common sense. I just don't understand why people have a problem with budgeting. It's simple, don't spend more then you make! But if you do have a problem with this concept or need help getting out of debt, this book could help. Money saving tip - get it from the library!

Charge it if you have to, this book is a must for anyone who makes and spends money. Even if you're not "young," "broke" or even in debt, the book is an entertaining and useful guide. I stood in the aisle of a bookstore with a friend of mine who is in debt -- $20,000 in school loans, $6,000 in credit card debt, a car lease -- all on a first-year teacher's salary. We read the book nearly cover to cover, laughing to the point of turning heads. I didn't buy it myself, as I'm not in debt. But I found myself wanting to refer to it so often -- for subjects such as car purchasing information (that's car PURCHASING, not leasing; for why, refer to the book) -- that I went ahead and bought it to add to the "personal finance" section of my bookcase. I'm now reading the whole thing all over again -- get this -- for fun. That's how funny the book is, and how pertinent to just about everybody's financial life. Buy it, charge it, borrow it, steal it. Just get it.

Mr. Anthony's engaging writing style offers straightforward "I've been there" financial advice along with an inviting dose of humor to help the medicine go down. As a thirty-something who experienced many financial pitfalls and learned how to handle them the hard way, I only wish a book like this was around ten years ago. Excellent advice on handling bank fees, insurance issues, credit card debt, cutting down on entertainment expenses, etc. apply to all ages. A great inspiration to get your finances and your life back in order.

PAUL HAD THE COURAGE TO LIVE LIFE TO THE FULL. HE GAVE UP WHAT MOST PEOPLE STRIVE FOR AND COVET MOST--- THE HIGH PAYING JOB AND HIGH INCOME. THIS BOOK IS NOT FICTION. HE ACTUALLY DID WHAT HE LAYS OUT IN THE BOOK AS AVAILABLE TO ANYONE. I HAVE MET HIM. HE IS A GENUINE GUY. HE HAS BEEN RETIRED 15 +/-- YEARS NOW AND HAS NO REGRETS. HE AND HIS WIFE, VICKIE, NOW LIVE IN PARIS. THERE ARE SOME PARALLELS BETWEEN PAUL AND HENRY DAVID THOREAU -- THAT OF QUESTIONING THE STATUS QUO, STUDYING HUMAN NATURE, AND CONSIDERING ALTERNATIVES TO THE LIFE WE CURRENTLY LEAD. THIS IS A FASCINATING BOOK AND WHILE I HAVE NOT YET MADE ANY MAJOR CHANGES SUCH AS RETIRING, I HAVE PROGRESSED TOWARD THAT END IN MY THINKING. IT HAS NOW BEEN 6 YEARS SINCE I READ PAUL'S BOOK (1992) AND I GO BACK TO IT OFTEN. WHO KNOWS, MAYBE I'LL TAKE THE PLUNGE ONE DAY.

WILLIAM E. SHUTTLEWORTH

This book, along with Your Money or Your Life, changed our lives. By following the advice outlined in these two books, we were able to quit our jobs in our forties and pursue other interests. We have been free of the daily grind for over four years now, thanks in part to Paul Terhorst, Vicki Robin and Joe Dominguez (authors of YMOYL).

In a conversational style, Terhorst explains how he realized his job was sapping the life out of him, and how he used his skills as an accountant to devise a plan that would enable him to retire at 39 years of age. Unfortunately, the specific financial advice he gives (invest in high-yield certificates of deposit) is no longer possible. But number-crunching is not the most important message that Terhorst has.

Cashing in on the American Dream advocates a no-nonsense approach to determining just what you want in life. Do you want to be free of working for others? Then it might mean giving up your car and dinners out. But it doesn't have to mean giving up what you really love (or need). Terhorst and his wife, Vicki, have been retired almost twenty years now and have spent much of it traveling the world. They have health insurance abroad, because it's cheaper than U.S. insurance, and better.

The Terhorsts have their own website and I like to check in on them once or twice a year. The fact that they have made their plan work all these years is more important than any advice they have. Cashing in on The American Dream is an inspiring book. If they could do it, why can't you?

Tired of life on the corporate treadmill, Paul Terhorst retired from his Accounting career at age 35.

The main premise of this book is that by tapping into equity you may already have (like your house), and keeping your expenses at a reasonable level, you may find that you are closer to retirement than you think.

A key component of Mr. Terhorst's philosophy is appropriately entitled "Don't work for your Assets". When you consider the amount of money that many of us spend on property taxes, car payments, car insurance, expensive toys, swimming pools, etc., who are we really working for? Are we working for ourselves or simply supporting our assets? His solution to this situation is to calculate how much those assets would be worth if they were converted to cash. When he went through the exercise for himself, he realized he had enough money to retire at age 35.

Many years after retiring and writing this book, Mr. Terhorst and his wife are still retired, doing what they want each day, instead of slaving away from 9 to 5 for someone else, which is a testament to the effectiveness of his early retirement philosophy.

An excellent book. Highly recommended.

John L. White, author "I'm in Debt, Over 40, With No Retirement Savings, HELP!"

Being one of the "super novice beginners" targeted by the book (read other reviews) I found it very interesting and enlightening.

What got me started was kiyosaki's rich dad (worth reading with reservations) but this was a very good second book to read. Since then I've been reading/researching (7 books, 4 magazines, 3 weeks) before I pull the trigger to actually dropping cash.

I'm not sure what an experienced investor would say but what the hell, from one beginner to the next, read it.

Written for those just beginning to consider an investment plan, Charles Schwab's Guide to Financial Independence provides good sound advice that individuals can't go wrong with. The book includes sections that guide readers through the task of determining their own "investor profile" and asset allocation plan. Schwab recommends diversification through no-load mutual funds and cost-effective index funds and provides additional insight into the tax and record-keeping aspects of mutual fund investing. Some of the more interesting parts of the book: Mrs. Schwab's firsthand experience with an investment club and the book's epilogue, probably the only part actually written by Schwab. I found almost no negatives to this book except the part about dollar-cost-averaging which is a commonly misunderstood concept. Although there were many references to his own company, the book didn't seem to be self-promoting in general. I would recommend this book to anyone with little or no knowledge of investing.

Charles Schwab has opened the doors of investing to the masses. This book simply and clearly illustrates how to invest for one's future using an easy-to-understand, common sense style. Not only does Schwab demystify the stock market and the principles of investing, he makes you excited to get started!

The words that immediately came to mind after reading this investment book were "Zen-finance" quickly followed by "simple sophisticated elegance" then "hum, interesting, a pumpkin pie recipe". A strange combination of descriptives but I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The Coffeehouse Investor gets better with repeated reading for specific financial information, inspirational insights and the vicarious thrills climbing Mt. Rainier & Mt. McKinley. This investment package offers more than a how to instruction manual or food for thought, it also offers sustenance for the soul.

Mr. Schultheis seems to understand first hand the organized chaos of everyday life and the energy we all infuse into our family and careers. However, he never loses sight of the importance of taking responsibility for our financial lives, planning our fanancial future and keeping sight of our personal goals.

I value his direct and simple approach to savings, the understandable definitionn of the stock market average, and the concept of index funds. The notion of looking at your whole book of investments once a year to see how you've done in comparison to the market and to make small logical adjustments appealed to me. His subtitle says it all - How to Build Wealth, Ignore Wall Street and Get on with Your Life. I like that.

This book is probably one of the best graduation gifts any parent, godparent, or aunt can give. The fundamental principles, outlined by Mr. Schultheis, will give any young person the tools to start a bright and successful financial future. Along the way, she can learn about manaaged funds and fees, indexes, how to build a common stock portfolio, and the power of compounding interest. That section alone (Chapter 7) for many people, will prompt them to wish they had started saving in their twenties rather than in their thirties. Hah! So , I'll be sending my favorite graduate a copy of this book and making sure he completes the Retirement Worksheet before his first paycheck.

Oh and one more thing. Try the pumpkin recipe. Not being a pie person, but fueled by my Retirement Worksheet success, I risked baking the pie. Very good pie. Extraordinary book. I think you'll enjoy this Zen investment book as much as I did.

At last! An investment book for people who want to do more with their lives than monitor the stock market! The Coffeehouse Investor is an excellent book that is filled to the brim with financial insight -- without all the jargon and difficulty that characterize most investment books. Within its pages you will find real-life, relevant examples -- such as how investment risk compares to mountain climbing or how dividend reinvestment relates to pumpkin pie. (You even get the recipe!) The writer's style is very engaging -- even entertaining -- and his ideas on simplified investment techniques will truly change the way you invest forever! Buy it, read it, apply it! You won't regret it!

There are so many investment books full of snake oil on the market that it's always nice to run across a guide that doesn't pretend to have all the answers. Instead of passioned argument, dubious timing schemes, and mindless conjecture Bill Schultheis presents reasoned conclusions based on sound research. His message is simple: By using index funds to match the market average, you will do above average over 80% of the time versus the pros. Not only this, but following his strategy is easy for anyone and carries minimal fees and stress. Other books profess strategies for "beating" the market and each year they are replaced by the latest fad. The Coffeehouse advice is simple: Diversify your money, index your assets, keep the fees low, save money, and relax. History doesn't tell you what the future will bring, but the proven track record speaks for itself: This advice would leave you well ahead of virtually all other strategies the past 10 years and trounced virtually all mutual funds and stock portfolios over the bear market from 2000-2002. All of this without losing any sleep on how your stock picks are doing. Not too bad for a quick evening read.

For more intense advice and the details behind the theories presented here you may want to read books by William Bernstein (Four Pillars of Investing, Intelligent Asset Allocator), Larry Swedroe, and John Bogle. This book though is a great and easy to understand read for anyone looking to safely grow their money. Check out the site http://www.coffeehouseinvestor.com for more information.

I'm a full-time trader who has been successful for years trading on the floor. The only disadvantage was that my potential was limited. Having read this book, my performance has improved immensely. The indicators described in this book are extraordinary. They're unique and each is valuable in its own right. The book is highly recommended.

My "take" on this book is that it is an introduction into the author's mindset and experience being involved in the markets for many years. In his own words, in the book itself, he says it is not intended to be a turn-key methodology for trading the markets rather background and a series of ideas for the reader to research and experiment with to develop his own approach to market timing. I believe DeMark achieved this goal many times over and since I am not lazy and am not averse to testing ideas myself I feel he accomplished what he set out to achieve and more so!

I liked this book very much. Unfortunately, there was not enough of it and not enough detail to satisfy my appetite. Fortunately, I ordered from Amazon another of this author's books and am awaiting its arrival. In the meantime, I will re-read this book and each time I do I learn more and have more questions that I hope will be answerd in the next book.

I was looknig for tips on saving money and found mostly common sense items and a few downright tacky suggestions. You can be frugal without being tacky. While some of the ideas are great for people with a lot of time on their hands, time is money also and if it takes you all day to make homemade fruit snacks, what are you really saving?

Wow! I haven't read a book with this much useful information in ages!...I've been using their grocery shopping tips and have already shaved off $50 a week from my bill. Their tips on Pet Care and Save On Sports are real creative and I'm trying them out now. My favorite part was the unique recycling ideas they have. I never thought of using those free CDs I get in the mail to keep birds out of my garden! These ladies are great. I feel like I know them after reading just a couple chapters. Can't wait for Cheap Talk 2!

I just finished reading this book and love it! The friendly writing and creative ideas are unmatched. I feel like I can reduce our overspending and finally live comfortably within our means. The "Frugal Friends" has given me the confidence AND the practical ideas I can use everyday of how to get our family finances under control. I've made a "frugal conversion" and am enjoying using all their tips and telling everyone about them. We're going to take the money we save and buy a new van for family trips. I highly recommend this book for anyone whether single, retired, or a bustling family. It's great.

If you are looking for a single volume "bible" on cost accounting, this is likely the best book in print today to fit that bill. It is comprehensive in scope yet has many strengths to ease comprehension and aid readability.

The topics are grouped in six main sections each with several chapters on that topic. Since it is unlikely that you will read this reference / text book left to right as you would a novel this organization helps in finding what you are looking for and focusing on the area(s) of interest.

There are many helpful illustrations and a good use of color as well as chapter summaries and all the exercises you could ever hope for.

A very excellent feature is the use of application problems that take you step-by-step through building an Excel spreadsheet. This is tremendously useful.

The web support is also a good help as well as the streaming video vignettes.

I honestly find this topic very interesting and the 11th edition of this book to be a very valuable resource.

I HAPPEN TO READ THE BOOK IN THE INSTITUTE OF COST ACCOUNTANTS OF INDIA'S LIBRARY. THE BOOK WAS WONDERFUL. MOST OF THE PROBLEMS SET IN OUR FINAL EXAMINATIONS WERE TAKEN OR COPIED WITH MINOR VARIATIONS FROM YOUR BOOK. THEREFORE IT IS VERY USEFUL FOR STUDENTS LIKE US TO READ YOUR BOOKS AND SCORE GOOD MARKS IN THE EXAMINATION.

HOWEVER THE BOOK DOES NOT CONTAIN DETAILED SOLUTIONS. AS A RESULT WE ARE UNABLE TO UNDERSTAND FULLY THE METHODOLOGY OF SOLVING IT. AND THE PRICING IN INDIA IS VERY HIGH TO AFFORD THIS BOOK. THIS MAY BE CONSIDERED BY THE AUTHOR TO MAKE THIS BOOK AT AN AFFORDABLE PRICE FOR AN AVERAGE INDIAN STUDENT.

THANKING YOU, YOURS FAITHFULLY,

M. RAGHU RAMAN

In graduate school, I utilized this text. In addition, the work
was helpful in preparing for and passing the Uniform CPA Exam.
There is good coverage of cost-volume analysis, equivalent
units, margin analysis and other important topics for qualifying
examinations i.e. CPA Exam. The tables and graphical
presentations are helpful as are the problem sets. This work is
for the serious student in accounting.The course requires some
serious study, particularly in the area of process costing.

"Financial Shenanigans: How To Detect Accounting Gimmicks & Fraud In Financial Reports" by Howard M. Schilit should be read by all serious, long-term, stock investors.

Schilit writes: "Financial shenanigans are actions or omissions intended to hide or distort the real financial performance or financial condition of an entity. They range from minor deceptions (such as failing to clearly segregate operating from nonoperating gains and losses) to more serious misapplications of accounting principles (such as failing to write off worthless assets; they also include fraudulent behavior, such as the recording of fictitious revenue to overstate the real financial performance). Since management is clever about hiding its tricks, investors and others must be alert for signs of shenanigans."

Schilit goes on to discuss a wide range of financial shenanigans which devalue the investment worth of a company. The shenanigans range from "recording revenue when important uncertainties exist" to "failing to accrue expected or contingent liabilities."

Each financial shenanigan is discussed in detail, and a real-world example of a public company affected by the shenanigan is given. Stock-versus-price charts are also given to show the stock-price behavior of the company's stock following the disclosure of the shenanigan (usually the stock price drops like a rock after accounting trickery is discovered).

For example, Tie Communications stock fell from a high of $40.38 per share in 1983 (five years after going IPO) to a low of $0.31 per share by 1990. The 1983 stated profits of the company were "given a shot in the arm by the sale of some investments at a substantial gain...." Schilit goes on to explain that some companies use the sale of appreciated assets to hide losses from normal business operations and make the company appear more profitable than it really is.

"Financial Shenanigans: How To Detect Accounting Gimmicks & Fraud In Financial Reports" is very easy to read, unlike many books which deal with the topic of accounting. Investors will read through this book rather quickly and that is a tribute to Schilit's writing. Yet, most investors will learn a great deal about financial reporting. Most importantly, readers will learn how to protect themselves as investors.

In addition to shenanigan busting, Schilit gives an excellent tutorial to help readers understand the basics of financial reporting and accounting. Plus, he does an excellent job of pointing out the logic of sound financial reporting.

For example, Schilit writes various "guiding principles" throughout the book to help the reader, such as "Guiding Principle: An enterprise should capitalize costs incurred that produce a future benefit and expense those that produce no such benefit."

Schilit explains that capitalizing costs which have no future benefit is one way to enhance current earnings at the expense of future earnings. Shilit discusses De Laurentiis Entertainment, a producer and distributor of motion pictures, as an example. In 1987, the SEC charged Laurentiis Entertainment with improperly capitalizing expenses which should have been charged against current earnings. Schilit's stock chart shows that shares of DEG fell from a high of $19.25 in 1986 to a low of $0.06 in 1989.

Serious, long-term investors don't want to hold stock in companies such as De Laurentiis Entertainment in 1987 and Tie Communications in 1983. Schilit gives a list of fifty-two techniques to help the investor spot financial shenanigans in advance when evaluating a company for investment.

These techniques range from looking for management incentives which encourage false reporting, to not being fooled by profits enhanced by retiring debt, to watching for worthless investments the company is making. Examining these factors together should help the investor evaluate the overall honesty and viability of the company long-term. The investor will gain insight as to whether the company is being conservative in its accounting or being too aggressive in its accounting.

I highly recommend "Financial Shenanigans" to all investors who buy individual stocks and who focus upon buying solid businesses. The book will help weed out the businesses which are only reporting "accounting" profits for the temporary benefit of management.

Peter Hupalo, Author of "Becoming An Investor"

FINANCIAL SHENNANIGANS How to Detect Accounting Gimmicks & Fraud in Financial Reports 2nd Edition - Howard Schilit

Former SEC Chairman Arthur Levitt once noted that the investment markets exist through the "grace" of investors. That grace is a fragile trust easily undermined by intentional distortions of the financial performance of publicly reporting companies. Those distortions that erode investor confidence are author Howard Schilit's 'Shenanigans'. The infractions described range from benign to aggressive to outright fraudulent and Schilit is always ready with the specifics of companies who have demonstrated an excess of creativity in their arithmetic. It should be said that the information in this book is very accessible to the non-accountant. This is an illuminating read. A brief accounting tutorial in the Appendix is almost worth the price of admission. Serious investors should read this book. The "seven financial shenanigans" Schilit discusses at length are painfully familiar to portfolio owners. They are clearly explained and amply exampled. Reading this book may or may not provide an investor with the expertise to prevent a future mistake, but it will certainly add to an appreciation of the seriousness of issues as they surface in the financial media.

Author Howard Schilit writes in surprisingly plain English, and provides the reader with a toolkit to determine what's so rotten in Denmark - or on Wall Street. You don't have to be an experienced reader of financial reports to learn a lot from this book. Schilit offers more than theory; he provides specific examples and case studies. Learn about the manager who reduced future expenses by purchasing $12 million worth of advance postage metering at the end of the year. Find out how "Chainsaw Al" Dunlop drove up the price of Sunbeam stock by creating a $35 million reserve, all while laying off 11,000 employees. Learn the inside story of how Enron became the poster child for corporate wrongdoing. We highly recommends this book to independent investors, and anyone else who needs to understand how unethical execs cook the books. It may not save you from losing a bundle, but at least you won't feel like you're in a battle of wits and devoid of weaponry.

I used this book in my college anatomy and physiology classes. It's a well-written book that I could understand the first time reading each page. In other words, you don't have to keep looking back or reading each sentence over and over again before you can understand it like in some other books. This books is easy to understand and gets to the point and is presented in a very organized matter.
However, I also used Anatomy and Physiology Study Guide: Key Review Questions and Answer with Explanations by Patrick Leonardi(Vol 1) and (Vol 2)
(ISBN: 0971999619) (ISBN:0971999627) also sold on amazon.com. These two books helped me study for the same type of questions that were on my exams. I got a "A" in Anat& Phys 1 and 2 with these 3 books. The textbook gives a great foundation of knowledge and the study guides showed me the kind of questions that most A and P teachers ask on tests.

I recently read this wonderfully written text as part of my course load in anatomy and physiology at the university level. This book explores unifying themes, indepthly discusses system maintenance and homeostasis, explains disease processes germane to individual body systems, and reviews organic chemistry and microbiology basics as they relate to the text.. Marieb's synergy of words, artwork and charts emphasize retention of information through phonetic pronunciation of key terms, provide a medium for understanding the interrelations of body organ systems and explain structure and function through histology. I recommend using this book in conjunction with the many resources that complement this book to include: the interActive PHYSIOLOGY CD-ROM series (high quality, college level), study guides, and the A&P Toolkit Software which has multiple choice questions and answers by chapter complete with outline and subject index search capabilities. This book is a must for aspiring nurses, doctors, and the curious college student who wants an in-depth look into the Human body

I used this book for both my Anatomy and Physiology class in undergrad. I found this book to be pretty easy to understand. Of course, at first it is overwhelming to know how much you have to remember for the test. At least, writing style of this book made A and P easier to learn. The material is presented in organized fashion. However, if you really want to know the type of questions asked on college Anatomy and Physiology Exams get the following which is on amazon: Anatomy and Physiology Study Guide: Key Review Questions and Answers with Explanations Volume 1(ISBN: 0971999619) and Volume 2 (ISBN: 0971999627). These two helped me to get A's on my exams. The textbook and the two study guides are well worth the money since they helped me to pass with high grades the first time. I was recommened the study guides from my cousin who used them for his A and P class and found them to be great for test preparation. I give each book 5 stars.