Getting Your Financial House in Order: A Floorplan for Managing Your Money

Rating:
Summary: Practical financial advice for today's family
Review: Before reading Getting Your Financial House in Order, I thought I had a pretty good handle on my finances. My husband and I contribute to our credit union every week, tithe at our local church, don't put Christmas on credit cards, and do what we can to reduce utility usage. Now I see that even families like us can learn a lot from this book.

The book is written from a biblical prospective with a chapter on charitable giving called the Dining Room, and the another chapter, the Foyer/Entryway about stewardship vs. ownership, but even non-Christians wil find timeless, invaluable information about controlling their finances. Each chapter of the book is named for a room in the house. For instance, the kitchen gives the recipe for financial freedom. My favorite was chapter five, the master bedroom. There, the authors pointed out the communication problems concerning money between men and women, and how to overcome them.

From the college student, still living at home, and dreaming of the day he can move into his own place, to the retirees on a limited income, anyone can benefit from this book. The authors explain everything from the importance of operating on a budget to living without credit to retirement and investing. At the end of each chapter is a summary and application exercises to get you started on getting your financial house in order.

I recommend this book to anyone who owes even one dime in debt, has ever experienced anxiety over those monthly bills coming in, or has ever argued with a spouse or a child over money.

Rating:
Summary: Eye-opening!
Review: I just finished reading Getting Your Financial House in Order. Wow! I must say without reservation, this is the best book on financial planning I've read. The parallel used throughout this "biblically-based blueprint on finances" creates a brilliant word picture that offers a realistic challenge and tons of hope to anyone serious about getting their financial house in order. Yet it's more than just a book on financial planning and repair. It ministered to my spirit in many other areas as well, offering a balanced approach to everyday life.

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Summary: Build--Don't Demolish--Your Financial House
Review: Our culture screams, "Spend!" and the bank account groans from overload. Crave a new financial road? Hope is on the horizon. Getting Your Financial House in Order beckons, "You can change your financial situation; here's the plan!"

Whether one's financial house needs a little remodeling or a brand new foundation, David and Debbie Bargonier with Kimn S. Gollnick offer sound plans to meet anyone at any stage of the financial building process.

At first, I wondered how this book could be different. What help could it offer people like me who get glassy-eyed when the word budget is spoken? What options are available to flounderers in the financial sea? The answer -- plenty!

I was not overloaded in the first paragraph with guilt or an unrealistic set of goals. Instead, the authors invited me to sit on the porch, take inventory, and assemble the proper tools for the venture.

The eye-catching sidebars offering plumb line principles, captured my attention; I could scan the highlights of each chapter without missing the heart of the message.

Practical personal examples and strategies are tacked liberally on the pages. This plan is workable! I can record applications chapter by chapter. In the back of the book I can sum up any commitments and action goals.

I don't want any wasted space in my financial floor plan; therefore, Getting Your Financial House in order will serve me well now and in the future. A great choice for anyone!

Rating:
Summary: Clever approach! Useful tool!
Review: Popular topic, clever approach!

This book kept disappearing off my desk as one person after another - from twentysomethings to midlifers - kept asking to borrow it! Everyone wants to know if they need to make changes to the way they handle money as well as other assets.

This book, with its strong Biblical underpinnings (should I use the word 'footings'?) makes a useful tool and excellent resource. The practical assessments and end-of-chapter reflection questions sparked many enlightening conversations here. The end-of-book opportunities for commitment move people past the "ah-hah!" moment and into real application.

There are plenty of books out there for the person who just wants to gain knowledge, but this one is about making changes. If you need to confront the truth about your money-handling habits and you desire real change, this is the book for you!

Rating:
Summary: Clever approach! Useful tool!
Review: The authors use a word picture of building, repairing, and maintaining a financial house, making money matters interesting and easy to understand. Tools for this work are supplied with a strong emphasis on Biblical principles. "Plumb Line Principles" scattered throughout the book highlight Scripture verses that apply to each chapter's focus.

Financial planning is compared to a house, with each "room" containing a different aspect of money management, such as the garage for repairs and maintenance; the porch for reflections on the past and visions for the future; and the master bedroom for husband and wife communication. This metaphor helps to show how all parts of the money-management process combine to make a complete and sturdy financial plan.

I especially appreciated Chapter 7 on planning and budgeting. The authors took a subject which is threatening to many people and made it simple. They offer a step-by-step process for creating a budget and making it work, whether your income is steady or irregular.

Each chapter ends with questions that will help the reader apply what is learned. The appendices include space for notes on each chapter, a to-do list and a goals worksheet.

This book was well-researched and includes valuable statistics and personal experiences. Written in an easy-to-read and an easy-to-understand style, Getting Your Financial House in Order offers hope for those who have let their finances get out of hand and guidance for those who know little about finances (you'll know much more when you finish this book!) I recommend it highly.

Rating:
Summary: An excellent and comprehensive financial manual
Review: The authors use a word picture of building, repairing, and maintaining a financial house, making money matters interesting and easy to understand. Tools for this work are supplied with a strong emphasis on Biblical principles. "Plumb Line Principles" scattered throughout the book highlight Scripture verses that apply to each chapter's focus.

Financial planning is compared to a house, with each "room" containing a different aspect of money management, such as the garage for repairs and maintenance; the porch for reflections on the past and visions for the future; and the master bedroom for husband and wife communication. This metaphor helps to show how all parts of the money-management process combine to make a complete and sturdy financial plan.

I especially appreciated Chapter 7 on planning and budgeting. The authors took a subject which is threatening to many people and made it simple. They offer a step-by-step process for creating a budget and making it work, whether your income is steady or irregular.

Each chapter ends with questions that will help the reader apply what is learned. The appendices include space for notes on each chapter, a to-do list and a goals worksheet.

This book was well-researched and includes valuable statistics and personal experiences. Written in an easy-to-read and an easy-to-understand style, Getting Your Financial House in Order offers hope for those who have let their finances get out of hand and guidance for those who know little about finances (you'll know much more when you finish this book!) I recommend it highly.

Rating:
Summary: Financial Help from Blueprint to Finish Carpentry
Review: The first thing about this book that will strike the reader is its central unifying theme. From its blueprint-like cover art to the titles of its individual chapters, the home-construction theme-from the front porch to the kitchen to the garage-is apparent. Whether the reader is a young adult just starting life in the "real world" and hoping to build his financial "dream house" or an older person whose finances are in need of repair, this book will offer the tools and materials necessary to get the job done.

Scattered liberally throughout each chapter are "plumb-line principles," Bible verses that provide the foundation for the financial truths communicated in each section. Each chapter also closes with application questions that help the reader apply the principles to his or her unique situation, whether repairing debt, saving for retirement, or increasing charitable giving.

Numerous appendices offer the reader practical lists and worksheets for calculating one's financial situation and personal priorities. The book's contents are adequately documented in end notes, which also provide helpful Internet links for further study and information.

The practical aspects of this book should be enough to convince readers to buy it; endorsements by such luminaries as Ron Blue and Gary Smalley will ensure it. Readers will not be disappointed. The book is practical, insightful, and well written.