Rating: 
Summary: All couples and parents should buy this book
Review: Thank you David!
This is a must read for couples who want to establish a solid financial future together. It is also full of ideas and principals that everyone should teach their children. A lot of future problems would be solved if all members of the family read this book as early in life as possible.
Duane
Rating:
Summary: Great book for new or long term couples
Review: The biggest issue between couples is finances. Most of that comes from the differences between how the two of you were raised when it comes to handling of finances. This book helps couples learn how to discuss finances as a important part of a relationship rather than the last thing on the list. If a couple is on the same page when it comes to the handling of the finances then the chances of the couple having a long and happy relationship is dramatically increased. I highly recommend that both people in the relationship read this book and work together through the excercises. This will enhance your ability to understand each others money values so that the issue of finances can be addressed together.
Rating:
Summary: Like dew in the morning
Review: There are myriads of finance books promising that they contain the key to discovering financial shortcut techniques. In reality many of the tools that can help couples reach their financial goals are those that are within easy reach of most couples. When you look at any book on investing you will see that the main principles are diligence, persistence, and patience. These are also the traits exhibited by most millionaires as demonstrated in the Millionaire Mind and in the Millionaire Brain. This further proof does support the notions presented in Smart Couples Finish Rich.
Rating:
Summary: Very helpful; much of it timeless advice
Review: There were three things I especially liked about this book. The first was the way the author presented the fact that small things do add up. In the beginning of the book, he states that most people overestimate (financially) what they can accomplish in a year and underestimate what they can accomplish over many years. He includes graphs that illustrate this dramatically. The second was the chapter on values. This chapter had a number of exercises for each partner to complete independently. Then, together, they can begin to draft a plan for their finances that embraces the values they each hold most closely. If the financial plan is customized to fit the values of the particular couple, taken together, it makes all the sense in the world that it will be easier and more satisfying to LIVE with that plan and carry it out over time (without either of the partners sabotaging the plan). The third is somewhat tied into the first point I mentioned. It is a chapter called "The Couples Latte Factor." This chapter discusses "small," daily expenses and how, if a couple decides to eliminate or reduce even one or two of these daily expenses and invest that money instead, it can result in a lot of money, over time. This and most of the other chapters include real-life examples of couples whose experiences illustrate the principles being discussed. I recognized the value of all of this advice right away as I was reading it, but initially felt a bit overwhelmed, thinking: "This is great, but how am I going to do it ALL?" Because I imagine that other people may have the same feelings, I will share the answer we ended up coming up with. A little at a time. I still haven't gotten up to investing 10% of my income in my company's 401(k), but as a couple, we ARE very near to reaching our goal of setting aside a year's worth of expenses in an emergency account and we HAVE adjusted the amount of life insurance we carry and had estate documents drafted by an attorney. Once we do have the complete year's worth of expenses set aside, I'll change my 401(k) investment to 10%. Is this the order Mr. Bach or another financial planner would advise us to do things in? I don't know. I DO know that doing things the way we have, gradually following more and more of his advice has GOT to be better than being paralyzed and doing nothing...which is what we would have been in danger of doing if we hadn't taken it a little at a time. A book I would recommend in conjunction with this is The Laws of Money, the Lessons of Life by Suze Orman.
Rating:
Summary: Very helpful; much of it timeless advice
Review: There were three things I especially liked about this book. The first was the way the author presented the fact that small things do add up. In the beginning of the book, he states that most people overestimate (financially) what they can accomplish in a year and underestimate what they can accomplish over many years. He includes graphs that illustrate this dramatically. The second was the chapter on values. This chapter had a number of exercises for each partner to complete independently. Then, together, they can begin to draft a plan for their finances that embraces the values they each hold most closely. If the financial plan is customized to fit the values of the particular couple, taken together, it makes all the sense in the world that it will be easier and more satisfying to LIVE with that plan and carry it out over time (without either of the partners sabotaging the plan). The third is somewhat tied into the first point I mentioned. It is a chapter called "The Couples Latte Factor." This chapter discusses "small," daily expenses and how, if a couple decides to eliminate or reduce even one or two of these daily expenses and invest that money instead, it can result in a lot of money, over time. This and most of the other chapters include real-life examples of couples whose experiences illustrate the principles being discussed. I recognized the value of all of this advice right away as I was reading it, but initially felt a bit overwhelmed, thinking: "This is great, but how am I going to do it ALL?" Because I imagine that other people may have the same feelings, I will share the answer we ended up coming up with. A little at a time. I still haven't gotten up to investing 10% of my income in my company's 401(k), but as a couple, we ARE very near to reaching our goal of setting aside a year's worth of expenses in an emergency account and we HAVE adjusted the amount of life insurance we carry and had estate documents drafted by an attorney. Once we do have the complete year's worth of expenses set aside, I'll change my 401(k) investment to 10%. Is this the order Mr. Bach or another financial planner would advise us to do things in? I don't know. I DO know that doing things the way we have, gradually following more and more of his advice has GOT to be better than being paralyzed and doing nothing...which is what we would have been in danger of doing if we hadn't taken it a little at a time. A book I would recommend in conjunction with this is The Laws of Money, the Lessons of Life by Suze Orman.
Rating:
Summary: Great advice, very helpful.
Review: There's a lot of financial advice books on the market, but I really think this one is the best. The best for couples anyway. One of the key concepts of the book is for both you & your spouse to read the book, get you to start discussing your values, finances, and future, as a couple so you're on the same page. Not being on the same page as a couple is probably one of the biggest reason for couples splitting up. My husband is not into self-help books, but this was one book that he did read. It has many helpful exercises, as a couple, to get you to realize some of the why's of your finances & to get you to plan better for your future. For example, it makes you start planning goals. Funny, many businesses have goals, but how many couples have established goals for their futures? And I'm sure most people would agree that their relationship with their spouse is more important than their work. Before I read this, I read Suze Orman's Financial Guidebook, which was also a great book. But I feel I got greater value out of Smart Couples Finish Rich. After reading this, I've actually started tracking all of my finances & have a much better understanding of how I'm doing financially & what I need to do to meet my newly established goals. This book is a must for any couple to help plan for their futures.
Rating:
Summary: Smart Couples Finish Rich by David Bach
Review: This book describes strategies to increase wealth by a variety
of means at work and home. The author discusses how to ask for
a raise and create hidden value as an employee. In addition,
the benefits of the 401K plans are discussed at great length.
The work focuses your attention on expenditures which are
necessary and cites ways to reduce frivolous expenses. Even working teens can open up a Roth IRA account and begin saving
essentially tax free money. The 80/20 rule teaches that approximately 80% of revenues can come from 20% of the customer
base. As a salesperson, it is possible to develop strategies to
maximize income simply by concentrating on the small number
of customers that yield the highest revenues for the firm
without necessarily losing quality service for everyone. This
book is a treasure chest of information for both an employee/
businessperson or small business owner. It will assist you in
the formulation and implementation of a personal financial plan
over both a short and long term time frame. Best of all, this
work provides strategies for maximizing savings aimed at the
entire family both parents and children.
Rating:
Summary: Can't believe this is a financial book!
Review: This book is amazingly entertaining considering it is a financial book. The stories scattered throughout each chapter are interesting and relevent. The 9 steps are simple and easy to achieve. I'd recommend this to anyone, in fact, I bought an extra copy for my parents.
Rating:
Summary: How to be smart with your money!!!
Review: This book is great....if you waste a lot of money and don't know how to keep in order your finances this is your book...it helps you keep everything in order, how to reach your dreams and goals, and how to be smart about money....saving, investing and organizing....how much money you spend on silly things...after several years that could be a fortune.
Buy it now and begin being smart.
Rating: 
Summary: great shared reading, geared toward corporate america
Review: This book was helpful to remind us what our priorities should be as a newly married couple. It got us on track. The downside is that it is geared toward the corporate world. I am a nurse in public health and will never achieve the raises that Bach wants me too unless I switch to a job I don't want. Great charts. The goal charts are helpful and motivating.
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