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Dave Barry's Money Secrets: Like: Why Is There a Giant Eyeball on the Dollar?
 
 
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Dave Barry's Money Secrets: Like: Why Is There a Giant Eyeball on the Dollar? [Paperback]

Dave Barry (Author)
4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (57 customer reviews)

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Book Description

December 26, 2006
Did you ever wish that you really understood money? Well, Dave Barry wishes that he did, too. But that hasn’t stopped him from writing this book. In it, Dave explores (as only he can) such topics as:

• How the U.S. economy works, including the often overlooked role of Adam Sandler
• Why it is not a good idea to use squirrels for money
• Strategies that will give you the confidence you need to try for a good job, even though you are—let’s be honest—a no-talent loser
• How corporate executives, simply by walking into their offices, immediately become much stupider
• An absolutely foolproof system for making money in the stock market, requiring only a little effort (and access to time travel)
• Surefire tips for buying and selling real estate, the key being: Never buy—or, for that matter, sell—real estate
• How to minimize your federal taxes, safely and legally, by cheating
• Why good colleges cost so much, and how to make sure your child does not get into one
• How to reduce the cost of your medical care by basically not getting any
• Estate planning, especially the financial benefits of an early death
• And many, many pictures of Suze Orman

But that’s only the beginning! Dave has also included in this book all of the important points from a book written by Donald Trump, so you don’t have to read it yourself. Plus he explains how to tip, how to negotiate for everything (including bridge tolls), how to argue with your spouse about money, and how much allowance to give your children (three dollars is plenty). He also presents, for the first time in print anywhere, the Car Dealership Code of Ethics (“Ethic Seven: The customer is an idiot”). Also, there are many gratuitous references to Angelina Jolie naked. You can’t afford not to buy this book! Probably you need several copies.


What kind of financial shape are you in right now? This scientific quiz will show you.

Be honest in your answers: If you lie, you’ll only be lying to yourself! The place to lie is on your federal tax return.


What is your annual income?
1. More than $50,000.
2. Less than $50,000.
3. However much I get when I return these empties.

Not counting your mortgage, how much money do you currently owe?
1. Less than $10,000.
2. More than $10,000.
3. Men are threatening to cut off my thumbs.

How would you describe your portfolio?
1. Conservative, mainly bonds and blue-chip equities.
2. Aggressive, mainly options and speculative stocks.
3. My what?

When analyzing an investment, what do you consider to be the most important factor?
1. The amount of return.
2. The degree of risk.
3. The name of the jockey.

How do you plan to finance your retirement?
1. Savings.
2. Social security.
3. Sale of kidneys.

—from the Introduction: “Why You Need This Book”


Also available as a Crown eBook.


From the Hardcover edition.

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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

After tackling such varied topics as marriage, sex, home ownership and Japan, Barry invests his jocular style in lampooning the wealth of personal finance guides out there. Mocking these books in format and tone, Barry addresses such important fiscal matters as the workings of the U.S. economy ("the U.S. workforce is engaged in the service economy, consisting of 83 million people in cubicles furtively sending and receiving personal e-mails"), how to get a job ("prove to a prospective employer that you possess the skill and knowledge necessary to string meaningless hyphenated buzzwords together into sentence fragments") and talking to your children about money ("explain to your child that if he buys lemonade from some other kid's stand, then happens to choke on a lemon seed, then you would be in a position to sue the other kid's parents for thousands of dollars"). Barry's satire will have readers laughing at themselves and at high-profile targets like Donald Trump, Alan Greenspan and Suze Orman. Some material, particularly his insights on dealing with spouses or his ideas for innovative pet products, will be familiar to fans, but it will hardly keep them from enjoying another humorous sendup that's right on the money. B&w photos. (Jan.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist

After mining politics and the differences between the sexes, Barry turns his sharp wit to finance and economics. If you think finance is a subject so dry that even he couldn't make it humorous, think again. He starts with personal finances, cautioning readers about the dangers of credit cards and how a charge of $1.50 can turn into $386.52 by the time the bill arrives. He goes on to lambaste corporate bigwigs who lose money by the millions and come up with preposterously bad ideas, such as the Pontiac Aztek (a car Barry finds hideous), or newspapers that try to appeal to young people when, as Barry points out, young people just do not read newspapers. Insurance is another pitfall, Barry warns, as most useful procedures, such as surgery, aren't covered. Barry cracks a few jokes at baby boomers' expense even as he gives boomers tips for how to cut college costs by encouraging their children to get mediocre grades so that they attend less prestigious (and therefore less expensive) schools. He is one of the funniest writers around, and his new book is hilarious. Kristine Huntley
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Details

  • Paperback: 240 pages
  • Publisher: Three Rivers Press (December 26, 2006)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0307351009
  • ISBN-13: 978-0307351005
  • Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.5 x 8 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (57 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #635,883 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

The New York Times has pronounced Dave Barry "the funniest man in America." But of course that could have been on a slow news day when there wasn't much else fit to print. True, his bestselling collections of columns are legendary, but it is his wholly original books that reveal him as an American icon. Dave Barry Slept Here was his version of American history. Dave Barry Does Japan was a contribution to international peace and understanding from which Japan has not yet fully recovered. Dave Barry's Complete Guide to Guys is among the best-read volumes in rehab centers and prisons. Raised in a suburb of New York, educated in a suburb of Philadelphia, he lives now in a suburb of Miami. He is not, as he often puts it so poetically, making this up.

 

Customer Reviews

57 Reviews
5 star:
 (31)
4 star:
 (14)
3 star:
 (5)
2 star:
 (2)
1 star:
 (5)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.1 out of 5 stars (57 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Funny as always, January 19, 2006
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I'm almost always amused by Dave Barry's books. Some of his humor is a bit juvenile but overall his books are generally worth the money. This one was no different and there were several laugh-out-loud sections, particularly when he discussed purchasing a car and his opinion of several cars, including the Aztek (the "Buttmobile"). His vision of the corporate world was also hilarious to me as I was one of the many individuals who suffered when Coca-Cola decided to change its formula; I mean, what were they thinking??? The Suze Orman shtick got a bit old but overall this book was well worth my time.
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15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Funnier than Karl Marx...Smarter than a monkey, January 23, 2006
By 
C. Wagner "cecilkunkle" (On the banks of the Wabash far away) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
Sadly enough, Barry makes more sense than most of the economics professors, money managers, and state financial officials who I have met. Barry is indeed smarter than a monkey and funnier than Karl Marx. In the financial world, these are two wonderful qualities! His analysis of Social Security only has one major flaw, a better job than our federal friends have done, although I am sure he did not intend to be accurate. Frankly, pointy headed economics instructors should make this title required reading. Although most economic students are too boring to laugh, their boyfriends/girlfriends might get it. As difficult a task as it is to be funny throughout an entire book, Barry does a good job. Think about it. Who would you rather have telling you how to manage your money: some certified money flushing financial planner, or Dave Barry? Yipes! Watch out for the squirrels!
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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Laugh out loud fun!, February 19, 2006
I admire people who don't take themselves or life in general too seriously. Dave Barry fits the bill and does so while giving us all a few chuckles. I wouldn't call "Dave Barry's Money Secrets : Like: Why Is There a Giant Eyeball on the Dollar?" comedy although it is funny. Dave has a special wit I've enjoyed for years, and what I like the best in this book is his ability to make fun of the most mundane topic and his talent in making us all laugh at ourselves. Dave Barry's humor can be compared to Bill Maher or Jerry Seinfied, but with more of a family focus. Recommended for light reading and laugh out loud fun.
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