Are You Normal About Money?: Do You Behave Like Everyone Else?

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Summary: A simply fascinating read for its quintessential insights
Review: Are You Normal About Money? by Bernice Kanner is an amusing quiz book drawn from bloomberg.com surveys, and Madison Avenue industry sources, about the general population's views (on average) toward a variety of money matters. Presenting a host of ethical and philosophical money-related questions alongside statistics reflecting how people have answered, from "Would you have sex for money?" (60% no, 6.7% yes, 20.4% it depends on who with) to "Ever contribute to political campaigns?" (two-thirds of us never do), Are You Normal About Money? is a simply fascinating read for its quintessential insights about average human nature when confronting money and money management issues.

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Summary: Hurray! I'm normal!
Review: Hurray! I'm normal! Just when I thought some of my spending habits and monetary practices were unique to me alone, I find myself right up there with the other 43%, or 72%, or 80% of the country. Bernice Kanner has written a fascinating, funny, and may I add highly informative guide to how people spend and consider their money. It is fun to read, and I'll probably give it as a gift to those who appreciate the facts behind the myths about money -starting with my daughter who, at 13, is already lobbying for her own charge account.

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Summary: The crazy things people do with their hard earned money.
Review: I've been a stock broker for over 10 years and I'm constantly amazed by what people admit they've done with their important money decisions. In this book, at least people will find comfort in the fact that they are not alone. I read this book with a huge grin on my face as I reminisced of my career at one of the nations busiest financial institutions. At times however, I couldn't help focusing not ont the question posed by the title, "Are you normal about money?", but by the survey's findings about people who are considered in the minority about their decisions. For example, the writer posed the question to those surveyed: "Do you plan on working after retirement?" Sixty-four percent say yes. That's a good thing, because only 23% have IRAs. And folks favor regular IRAs over Roth's 7 to 1. It would certainly pay to be ab-normal here. Most experts and the overwhelming number of my clients who have significant IRA's, Roth IRA's especially, are much better off than the large population that is without retirement savings. No wonder, 21% of Americans would swallow a worm for $200. Would you?