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Summary: Well-organized with easy-to-find, sensible answers
Review: I'm no dummy, but finance is not my field. Tyson writes with this in mind, as it is with all of the IDG Dummies books.I went to college. I've taken lots of grad coursework. I bought a computer on a credit card. I freelanced for a few years. (read: worked very little while learning my chops) Good move? Bad move? Who knows? I can say, I needed some answers. I was in over my head financially. With this book I am learning getting out of credit card debt and saving money sensibly is not as intimidating as I thought. I also learned I'm in much better shape than I thought. I learned to be wary of uncredentialed wolves looking to legally scam the financially vulnerable. You can't tell from its humble cover, but the book is packed with well-organized, easy-to-find answers for figuring how much money you've got and what you can do with it. There is a general chapter outlines, but there is also a detailed outline. You'll have no difficulty going straight to the question at hand. While the book is certainly for beginners, Tyson gives meat. Good debt? Bad debt? Does my consumer debt equal less than my yearly income? Renter's insurance? Collectibles as an investment vehicle? There is enough personal finance information to take the reader past the basics and into buying a house, saving for retirement, investing, buying insurance. He says loud and clear to avoid the personal finance counselor scam, that overall it is a sham and provides advice to benefit the counselor, not you and me. He explains how there are different kinds of investment counselors, but there are those who have interests vested that are about their bottom line, not yours. I fully recommend this book. Whether you are looking to manage a little money or a lot, "Personal Finance for Dummies" by Eric Tyson is a great place to learn. Anthony Trendl
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Summary: A really helpful guide for regular people
Review: I borrowed this book years ago after thumbing through my friends copy while in his car. What I didn't expect was the amount of useful, real-life, common sense advice this book has to offer. Later, I decided to buy the book for myself. When I feel like my financial life is somewhat out of control, I have found this book to give some refreshing advice about beating debt, help with taxes, and sound advice for investing. If you are an average person who wants to do better with what money they have, please consider reading this book. It's really worth every penny. It's one of those books you wish you had read sooner in life. :)
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Summary: A great book for those getting started in the "real world"
Review: I bought Personal Finance for Dummies just after getting married, and I found it to be a very useful tool for setting up my household finances and preparing my financial future. Although the book does not cover things in great depth, it touches on the many aspects of personal finance and gives you a good foundation for more topic-specific books like Investing for Dummies, Home Buying/Selling for Dummies, Taxes for Dummies, etc. I strongly suggest reading this before diving into these and other finance-related books; you'll come out with a working knowledge of the basic terms and concepts used by other financial resources.
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Summary: Take charge of your finances
Review: This is one of those book that people ought to read if they want to get a better understanding of their financial situation and consequently taking control of their lives.. rather than giving control to credit card companies. This book is written in a clear style and does a lot of explaining about all the financial concepts and terminology a lay person need to know. There aren't any get rich quick schemes in this book. If you are serious about getting control of your finances, you probably know by now that it all starts with getting rid of high interest paying credit card debts. This book tells you how to save and plan so that you can pay off that debt and only then invest in a true sense. It covers all of you investment options such as stocks, bonds, mutual funds, retirement funds and DRIP/DSP etc. A must read along with the Motley Fool books on this subject matter.
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Summary: Eric Tyson Does it again!
Review: Usually every time I read this book, I'm on the train heading home from work. Almost every time I'm reading this book, I notice a seatmate nearby reading over my shoulder. Why? Because this book has something for everyone who wanted to know about how to manage their money. Who wants to manage their money better? Everybody I know could use a little help. For those of you who have asked questions like "what kind of insurance should I by for life, auto, etc?" or "Should I be investing in Aggressive Mutual funds, or something more passive?", you must buy this book!
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Summary: It could change your life!
Review: If you have just landed your first "real" job or are trying to get your financial life in order, this is the book for you! Tyson uses plain English and entertaining anecdotes to outline the basics of investing, mortgages, taxes and insurance. I first read this book in 1996, and Tyson's strategies have kept me from making numerous stupid financial decisions (and helped me save a lot of money). Tyson's book was like a Personal Finance 101 class from which I went on to read Jane Bryant Quinn's "Making the Most of Your Money" and then more complex books about the stock market, investing and taxes. He provides a solid foundation without the bias of so many finance books. There is so much hype out there (mostly from people who are trying, directly or indirectly, to sell you something) that it can get confusing and intimidating. Tyson cuts to the chase and gives you the tools to put your financial house in order. You'll sleep better at night!
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Summary: Tyson does it again!
Review: Eric Tyson does an excellent job of providing factual (and personal advice) concerning all aspects of finances and investing. He has again made it easy to understand and fun to read!
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Summary: Required Reading
Review: When I bought the first edition of this book, I was a poor post-graduate loaded with bad debt. At the time, I knew nothing about CD's, funds, stocks, bonds, insurance, 401(k)'s, home-buying, budgeting, saving, debt-reduction, taxes, or any other basic issues of personal finance. All I knew is that I never could seem to "get ahead" financially. Tyson's book led me from this sorry state through four years of self-education and growing self-confidence about controlling my own financial future. Even now, debt-free and market-positioned, I still reference this book when I encounter a new facet of my financial life. No "get-rich-quick" scheme, Tyson lays out a solid framework for anyone interested in getting and maintaining control of their own financial situation throughout a lifetime. The ideas he lays out help a person not only educate him/herself concerning money, but also instill confidence that a financial situation can be corrected or controlled personally. Although this book would serve as a valuable reference to ANYONE interested in their own financial future, it would especially be useful to a young person just "starting out" or to any person who feels overwhelmed by their own financial situation.
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Summary: Awesome for Resolving Bad Habits
Review: This book was pivotal in stabilizing my families financial future. Eric Tyson gives you practical suggestions and handles most common objections to changing your bad financial patterns. If you want to recover financially, READ THIS BOOK.
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Summary: EGADS! This book makes perfect sense!
Review: I am a 20something trying to make heads or tales of my finance jungle. I don't know if you have ever looked for a good (good being the operative) personal finance book but it's scary out there. I wanted simple words for complex information and that is what Tyson provided. I understood all the solutions and explanations that this man gave. His solutions and posed problems based on the average joe. Not some bazillionaire who has cash to burn and a vocab that purely consists of 50-cent words. If you are looking for a place to start to understand how to manage you moolah, and spend wisely this is the book for you.
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