Customer Reviews

Making The Most of Your Money

5 star:		(59)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(19)
1 star:		(85)

 

 

First of all, this book is really only about 150 pages of information expanded into 1,000 pages of fluff. The best of what is in here, can be found on the internet....FREE. Why pay Quinn???However, if you really insist on reading this book, check it out at the library for FREE. Or buy it at a used book store for a buck or two. Just remember to take the jacket off when you are out in public so you don't embarass yourelf.For some real real meat, I recommend Invest 101 or Talking Money.Another important point, Making the Most of Your Money is now over 6 years old and outdated, BUT judging by Quinn's recent articles, her philosophy has not kept up with the times. So don't get too excited if a newer version of Making the Most of Your Money comes out. It will just be"same ole, same ole."Save your money. Only one who makes the most of their money with this overhyped tome is Quinn.

I bought this book along with Suze Ormans book; The Courage to be Rich and a few other books by Ric Edelman and Charles Givens.Of the books mentioned, Quinn's book was dead last. This information is six years old. Edelman was the best followed by Orman and Givens.Quinn has a nice writing style, but the content is horrific. Not a good financial book.You can definitely skip this one.

Makes a great reference guide. Very comprehensive. Covers so many topics. I also highly suggest reading More Wealth without Risk and Financial Self Defense by Charles Givens, covers many topics untouched by Quinn and much easier to read. Quinn's book makes for a great reference guide and should be on your book shelf.

No doubt, Making the Most of Your Money is now nearly 7 years old and a lot of the material is outdated. But at least Quinn does a good job on showing you how to reduce debt---so did my mother.While this book isn't "that bad", I would give it a pass. Suggest The 10 Day Financial Breakthrough by James L. Paris or 9 Steps to Financial Freedom by Suze Orman for some good financial advice and both of those books will still cost you less than Quinn's.There. I've saved you some money while showing you a way to get better advice. (MUCH BETTER ADVICE)

If you follow JBQ's investment advice,you will be paying commissions for only slightly better than savings/cdrates! Quinn is a writer, not a investment/financial wizard. Betterinformation is available; Eric Tyson,Terrie Savage, Bill O'niel and CharlesSchwab. Unless you have money to throwaway, skip this book!

Ms Quinn has written a very good book on personal finance. I bought this book when I saw it was recommended by Charles Schwab. The book is very big and it is a lot of reading, although, easy to read and understand. I don't totally agree with her opinion on stock splits. They are tricky. If you check AMTD, AMZN, CMGI, MSFT, LU and a few others, you will see that it is indeed easy and predictable to more than double your money very quickly with splits. On the other hand check NBTY, RI and some others-- dead in the water. Obviously, I play splits and believe in them, but you have to be careful. I do prefer to see someone like JBQ warning investors on splits than seeing others pushing splits as a get rich quick scheme. It doesn't work all of the time. Overall a good book. I also suggest More Wealth Without Risk and The Millionaire Next Door. These are also "Wealth Building Books" not "Get Rich Quick Books". Nice book. But I wouldn't make this your only financial book.

I am surprised at the attitude and number of 1 star reviews on Making the Most of Your Money by Jane Bryant Quinn.

I mean, what would you expect? Quinn is a reporter, not a financial expert. She went to school to study journalism, not p/e ratios, taxes, living trusts, mutual funds, annuities, stocks, bonds etc.

Admit it 1 star reviewers; you bought into the hype. You bought into Quinn's shills posting those 5 star reviews and her articles so you presumed that she was/is a financial expert.

Shame on you!

I suppose if you go to a bad restaurant, you bash the restaurant
too rather than admitting that you made a bad choice.

Making the Most of Your Money is a BAD choice for those seeking personal finance or investment advice.

Some good choices are Millionaire Next Door, The Truth About Money, Ordinary People/Extraordinary Wealth and 9 Steps to Financial Freedom.

I also surprised at the number of 1 star reviews because I had no idea that that many people bought this over hyped and mostly worthless book. As best as I can recall, it was never on the best seller lists and nobody with financial savvy that I know recommends it.

Listening to Quinn on her program, she (Quinn) starts off somewhat neutral regarding Term vs Cash value insurance but then goes on and on talking about the "tax deferred benefits", "borrow money tax free" and "cash buildup" of whole life and other cash value type life insurance.At one point Quinn even suggests increasing your Universal Life Insurance each year because you "may not be paying enough."As another reviewer alluded to, Quinn recommends paying Insurance advisors as much as "$200-$400 per hour" and suggests that "it's a good deal".And, Quinn says that cash value insurance is better than term "because the premiums stay level." and that with cash value insurance"premiums stay the same."All of this has some basis of truth in it....but is still bad advice for the masses.You can borrow money from your cousin Henry or your Aunt Nelie for free. Why use a overpriced cash value life insurance policy to do it?Cash value premiums are level but that is only because the premiums are so high.ART premiums increase upon renewal, BUT are much lower than Whole Life or Universal Life. You can also buy LPTinsurance which is also less than cash value insurance. As I see it, Quinn attempts to muddy the waters pretending to take a neutral stance but then overselling cash value insurance.In one of her examples, Quinn says; "Cash value insurance or Term with a mutual fund. Which is better?Then Quinn goes on to suggest that the cash value insurance is a better deal! WRONG!Quinn also conveniently neglects to mention that as your cash value is going up in a cash value policy, your insurance is going down. Consequently, a $100,000 cash value life insurance policy will have a $100,000 worth of insurance at origin and no cash value BUT $100,000 of cash and no insurance at the end (the cash buildup replaces the insurance--you never have both).I got burned by a life insurance agent on a cash value so I can relate to the other reviewers who are upset by Quinn.

Unquestionably, this is one of the worst financial books I have ever read. Easy to see why all of the 1 star reviewers are not too happy. I gave the book 2 stars for Quinn's writing abilty. -3 stars for financial information.

Not only is the personal finance and investing advice way off, so is the college funding advice. I recommend "How to Go to College Almost for Free" by Kaplan and "Schlorships 2002" (KAPLAN) by Gail Schlacter for some real advice on getting your children to college without costing a fortune.