7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Investing Starting From Scratch, June 28, 2009
This review is from: Investing - Starting From Scratch (Paperback)
I'd like to share with you my review of Investing - Starting From Scratch by Janet Holt. I was asked by a mutual friend to review the book for our investing community. When I received it in the mail, I thought to myself, "Uh oh, it's a beginner's book. Probably won't be all that intriguing."
But I was pleasantly surprised. Between the catchy "henhouse" analogies and a huge array of interesting facts and demographics, the book actually became a real page turner.
Janet bases the book's theme on "don't put all your eggs in one basket", and then she proceeds to cover all the baskets available to individual investors. While the book is considered a primer (she makes it clear early on that she is not a professional and that she won't give investing advice), she does an excellent job of systematically covering every conceivable avenue (or golden egg) in just the right amount of detail.
The book starts with the basics - the importance of compounding, the Rule of 72, how to purchase a stock, etc. But she tackles more complicated subject matter, such as the bond markets, currency trading, and puts and calls, to name a few.
My favorite part of the book covers "the number." I've read articles and seen other books that were written solely to help people figure out how much money they must set aside for retirement. But Janet manages to boil it down into one very informative chapter, complete with worksheets.
As a stock/mutual fund investor, I must admit that I am clueless about other types of investing, so even though it was a beginner's book, I picked up a lot of useful information, especially about bonds and various income instruments.
Not only does Janet cover investing basics, she takes it all the way through choosing a broker, measuring returns and finding the right online tools. She ends the book with an entire chapter of tips and tricks for reducing debt and cutting expenses. She even provides food for thought about generating income in retirement.
If your portfolio has been crippled by this recession and it's left you feeling a lack of confidence in your overall plan, maybe you need to start from scratch! OK, maybe not. But I highly recommend Investing - Starting From Scratch to get you back on track. It's not just for beginners. [...]
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Thumbs Up, November 19, 2009
This review is from: Investing - Starting From Scratch (Paperback)
Thumbs up to author / speaker Janet Holt for a well written, well researched expose' into the world of investing and personal finance. Holt's book, Investing - Starting from Scratch, is a perfect entry level read that is as appropriate for the younger set as for the retiree or near retiree. Janet's book begins with the old fable of the Ant and the Grasshopper to passionately illustrate the importance of money in one's life. Holt makes humorous and appropriate references to the reader's basket of eggs, golden eggs, the geese and the fox in the hen house as she explores and explains the need to respect money and the importance of savings and investments for accomplishing both short and long-term goals. Chapter 13 is far from unlikely in the category of "Staying in Control of Expenses," my favorite chapter. Holt brings to life various ways to reduce consumer costs with suggestions for housing, food, transportation, etc. Janet Holt's book is well worth its price because of the solid information that will surely save the reader time and money and the costs associated with procrastinating and making bad financial decisions.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Learn the secrets of investing, regardless of when you start,, October 31, 2009
This review is from: Investing - Starting From Scratch (Paperback)
Do you want to depend on Social Security when you retire? No one does. And no one has to. But knowing how to handle money, knowing how to grow money, to invest it, is a major learning endeavor with a large curve. Enter Janet Holt's new book. In it you'll discover the way to deal with money, to grow it. You'll learn how to have a secure retirement and, moreover, you'll be able to do it all yourself. You won't need the help of a professional who probably doesn't care about your money nearly as much as you do. What's more, handling money can be fun. It doesn't need to be a gamble.
Holt makes learning how to prepare for your retirement easy. This is an easy book to read. It's short but value-packed.
I've read the most complicated books on economics and investing and I can tell you that this simple book gives what you need to know without the complications.
Highly recommended.
- Susanna K. Hutcheson
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