Customer Reviews

The Green Magazine Guide to Personal Finance: A No B.S. Money Book for Your Twenties and Thirties

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If you really want to get started taking charge of your own financial situation, this book is a must-have. I've highlighted sections of mine and can go back and refer to it because everything is in plain English- but the author doesn't talk down to you. I'm going to give this to all of my younger family and friends as a college graduation present. The analysis of different types of investments, insurance plans, terminology, and etc. is excellent and now I have enough confidence in my own knowledge to move to the next step of actual money management.

I received this book as a gift from my girlfriend, who keeps trying to persuade me to save money for retirement, invest in a 401k, blah, blah, blah. I can't help it - I have a mental block about money, it just intimidates me. Well, it did until I got this book. It's written in normal english and it explains everything, not just the concepts, but WHY my life will improve if I understand this stuff. My only regret is not having the book about five years ago. Have already read it twice, and am already dispensing advice to my friends now, and even a little to my girlfriend. Really good job by the author.

Practically my whole life, I've felt the need to know more about personal finance, but I was too afraid of all the jargon the guys in suits on TV would spew every time I tried to learn. This book's different. Somehow, the author writes like people really talk and think, and I learned more valuable stuff about what to do with the few bucks I have spilling over every month in the first couple chapters than I did trying to follow all the TV shows. A definite keeper for young people who don't like to be B.Sed.

I got this book for my boyfriend who isn't interested in investing issues, but he did pick it up and read it!... I also found myself looking in it and learning a few things. I've ordered a few money matters type books and this is the first one that I've read that isn't geared towards a total moron. It doesn't explain the obvious like "If your credit cards are to the limit try not to use them anymore..."

these are the things that dad and your best friends have probably said to you but it didn't make sense at the time or you just didn't care... i have used the book to skim for advice on the things that i am currently interested in.... definitely a great resource for anyone having to begin to take financial matters into your own hands....

Green Magazine Guide is an essential purchase for anyone, regardless of age, who wants to understand the often-beguiling world of finance. Kurson is smart, well-informed, and is often very funny; all of which should be required qualities for any commentator, but are rarely evident. He cuts through the typical money-talk jargon to deliver refreshingly direct advice on investments, mortgage, insurance, and taxes. Like the journalists and rock guitarists he admires, Kurson is sharp in both his attacks and words of praise. And how many other financial writers give props to comic-book creator Harvey Pekar? I'll be reading the Green Magazine Guide long after I've cashed in my 401K.

This book is outdated (1998) but I think it's an excellent book for general personal finance because it explains in layman's terms several financial concepts.

I even like the author's boldness throughout the book, it keeps it interesting for me to read.

This book does not have any complicated financial concepts only the basics that I can very well go over again.

The books includes information not only what investing is but also:

1. The different institutions where you can invest

2. Mutual funds vs stocks

3. How a stock is born (very interesting for people who are just learning stocks)
4. The fees mutual funds charge investors

5. Index funds

6. Debt & claiming bankruptcy

7. Taxes (oddly interesting)

8. Different kind of insurances you should carry

9. What a house really costs

and etc.

This is the first personal finance book I've picked up that didn't make me nauseous. It's written by a young person in a young person's voice, by someone who understands that technical financial jargon is a turn-off to just about anyone under 40. Plus, the guy's got some funny chops. I wish he would have left out a few of the inside jokes, but at least the author has a sense of humor. I definitely recommend the book to anyone (like myself) who's a little spooked by all the things you're supposed to know about money but still don't seem to.

(I wasn't even halfway finished with the first chapter when the book began to fall apart!)

This book, like so many others, has the elitist belief that the reader already has money and simply does not know how to handle it.

Here's MY situation: I'm a part-time student/full-time employee in a dead-end job, barely making ends meet. I would like a personal finance book that shows me how to survive in my current situation and save money to put myself into a better situation.

Does anyone out there have any ideas?

I liked the book in general, however, this book is way out of date. The turn of the century added a whole lot of changes to our world and unfortunately this book does not account for those changes. Generally this book is pretty good but I would recommend something more recent.