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Summary: This book should be a must read for kids in school!
Review: This is a fantastic "starter" book on finance. Most people are scared off of this topic as most books are boring and too complicated. This book should be given out to all high school kids and young adults, to give them the knowledge that can help them in life. A great starter book.
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Summary: The Resource!
Review: In all honesty, following the principles outlined in this book will accomplish phenomenal wealth-building AND keep you from running afoul of tax laws. Chilton's book presents the concepts in a humor-filled conversational manner that very much draws the reader in. I often found myself wanting to say, "wait! What about..." and had to remind myself that I was reading. Before purchasing any other books on wealth-building, I'd buy and read this one. If you've purchased lots of others and are still dissatisfied, buy this one!
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Summary: An excellent beginner
Review: This book provides an excellent base with which to take a step forward towards understanding finances. Due to the lack of education on this topic, many young people find themselves in financial trouble before they know it. If parents were to read this book and then share it with their teenagers, it could eliminate some of that problem. This book should be the basis for a high school mandatory finance class.
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Summary: Get Rich Slowly, Steady, and with Sure Success
Review: There are a lot of books on how to manage your money. Most are too thick, few leave a lasting impression and almost none of them are fun to read. One of the first exception is "The Wealthy Barber" by David Chilton. It is really fun. You read this book like a novel with a trouble putting it down. But by combining the common sense and humor this "novel" in its dialog style shows that sound financial planning is pretty simple stuff. And it actually makes personal money management understandable and attainable.I believe, plenty of years from now "The Wealthy Barber" could be remembered by readers. And they could remember Mr. David Chilton not as best-selling author, but as the guy who inspired hundreds of thousands of people to save their way to prosperity. In fact, for many readers, "The Wealthy Barber" is possibly the only book they need. If ever a financial planning was written for those without any financial backgrounds, this is it - "The Wealthy Barber".
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Summary: Now everyone can understand and improve their finances!
Review: I was previously a lending manager at a Canadian bank, and I've got to say this book is the easiest to understand of any on the market. Common sense is the hallmark of Chilton's advice, and the instructions he gives for implementing his suggestions are unbeatable. Concepts like "Pay Yourself First", RRSP contributions, controlling credit cards and accelerating your mortgage payments can save you hundreds of thousands of dollars throughout your lifetime. While The Wealthy Barber explains everything through a charming story, the advice is very real, and very easy to implement. This book is an ideal gift for the kid you're sending off to university, the new homeowner who's confused by mortgage details, or the person about to retire who wants to control their expenses better. This is a gift for everyone that just keeps on giving!
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Summary: A First Personal Economics Lesson
Review: About the time each person gets her or his first full-time permanent job, it would be helpful to be economically literate about what one's future economic needs and risks are, and the best ways to provide for them. Unfortunately, most people never get this lesson because no one around them knows the lesson to teach them. This book fills that void to help overcome the ignorance that can create stalled thinking. The great strength of this book is that it is both simple and thorough. Most books about personal economic issues are either simple and superficial or complex and thorough. I was impressed by how well the combination of simplicity and thoroughness was achieved. The book covers a wide range of subjects including what areas you need to save for, how much to save, what to do with the savings, how to protect yourself and your family from risks using insurance and wills, buying a home, reducing taxes, and handling retirement and children's education. That's a lot for one book. I am familiar with these subjects both as a trained lawyer and as someone who works with investments, and I found that the advice was accurate and up-to-date. The book was particularly good at telling you when you need to get professional help and when you don't. The format of the book is outstanding. Almost all of the action takes place in a barber shop, with ordinary people discussing ordinary issues that most of us have. The story keeps your interest, and the variety of characters gives you the ability to consider how different needs and preferences can affect the decisions that you make. Everyone will be able to relate to these characters. My recommendation would be to share this book with anyone you know when they take their first permanent job. Then follow through by sitting down with the person to share your own experiences, both your successes and not-so-successes to add even more perspective. That would be a great gift for you to give! Live long and prosper!
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Summary: Good Basic Advice--Annoying Presentation
Review: The Wealthy Barber lists and explains the basic principles of investing and financial management. The book is inexpensive compared to other books offering the exact same advice. However, the information, which could be listed on about three pages, is annoyingly presented as a series of conversations the author has with his barber. That facet of the book is annoying and gimmicky. Nevertheless, the book contains sound advice.
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Summary: A One Stop, largely Jargon-free Guide to Money Management
Review: We're besieged with financial data and ideas these days. Money rolls in and out of markets--fortunes made and lost and made again. Water cooler discussion no longer turns on weekend fun and childrens' soccer, but instead on internet investing and day trading fantasies.
The Wealthy Barber is the book for the person who wants to live his or her financial life with simplicity, integrity, and a quiet pursuit of slow wealth acquisition. The format of the book is to use a fictional setting--an advice-giving barber who shows middle-class people how to maximize what they have without undue stress or bother. The author's simple mission is to show the reader that one need not be a pinball wizard in the stock market to rack up a few points towards wealth and an easy retirement. Do you want a book to read which is easy to follow, sound in its goals and advice, and basically a simple, good read? Then put down that copy of Field and Stream and step up into the barber's chair!
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Summary: A good first book on financial principles
Review: I read this book three years ago and though most of its content seems to be common sense. I was amazed at how little I actually knew about financial matters. I saw myself clearly in some of the characters, as I too was living beyond my means, and had no plan for retirement. The book's narrative style makes it very readable (and there are not many financial books that can make that claim). It will not tell you what to invest in, or how to make a quick million. What it will help you do is set a solid foundation for your future. I am happy to say that I have finally freed myself of high interest credit card debt, and am now beginning to invest in mutual funds. I owe a lot of my initial impetus to reading this book. The principles in this book should be taught in highschools around the country.
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Summary: I already knew techniques, now I know principles
Review: My father gave me this book. Its focus is pretty elementary, so I didn't think I would gain much from it. Wrong. I knew a lot about financial management techniques, but this book taught me the essential principles. If you're already a savvy investor, you should still read it.
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