Customer Reviews

Start Over, Finish Rich: 10 Steps to Get You Back on Track in 2010

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

First, let me say that this book makes sense and there is nothing in it that I disagree with. Having said that, if you already own The Automatic Millionaire and you are do not need a motiviational kick in the pants to keep going during this gut wrenching recession, then my advice would be to do the plan from the Automatic Millionaire and you will finish rich. In my opinion, The Automatic Millionaire is the best book on Personal Finance and the best plan I have come across. I have read many books on the subject, but for my money The Automatic Millionaire really is a no fail plan.

However, if you are like many poeple I know (including myself), although you will probably not learn anything new from this book, the motivation that this book provides to get back up after losing faith in the system is more then worth the price of this book.

This book has many, many excerpts from his other books, it really is the best of put into 10 steps. I love David Bach and he really is motivational, but I notice he does rehash a lot of material from other books. If you do not own The Automatic Millionaire, buy this book and follow it. It makes sense, is easy and gives you all the tools and material you need to finish rich.

In a world full of World Street hucksters, David Bach's common sense and ease of use is a breath of fresh air.

This is the book and the plan a LOT of people need right now! I rarely endorse another author or book but I think David's book should be in the hands of everyone this year. He's exactly right that we need to fix the huge mistakes many of us made in 2009 and that it's time to get back on track to wealth. This book lays out the exact path you need to take. I was surprised at how much detail there is on how to do that, all wrapped up in a small and readable book. I highly recommend it.

- Brendon Burchard, author of Life's Golden Ticket: An Inspirational Novel.

(Full disclosure: I interviewed David on my blog and had him speak at my Experts Academy seminar. I think he's a really great guy. I've learned a lot from him and my audiences loved him).

David Bach's books are awesome, but there is no reason to buy more than one. If you read, "Smart Women Finish Rich", that's all you need (with the exception on Going Green). All his books have the same information in them said in a different way. The reason he finishes rich is because he keeps taking one idea and writing a whole book around it, adding old information in there to fill pages. His advice is fantastic, but you only need to read one of his books to get everything you need. Save your money on this one: the market is down but it'll go up again so keep investing when prices are low so you get more stock at a lesser price. This isn't rocket science, it's Economics 101.

What did the recent Wall Street meltdown do to your retirement savings? If yours is like most, you probably lost close to a third of its value between late 2007 and early 2009. This setback has led many to cut back their contributions, or worse yet end them entirely. I work in Human Resources, and at my company several employees have actually cashed out their 403b entirely, in spite of the penalties. A 2009 survey by AARP found that four of ten workers said they had cut back their contributions. David Bach, author of nine consecutive national bestsellers, says "Giving up like this is one of the worst things anyone hoping to finish rich could do - and it's hard to think of a worse time than right now to be doing it."

Why? Mr. Bach tells us that we couldn't pick a better time than now to recommit to our retirement savings, given that an economic surge usually follows a deep recession. And judging from the recent upswing of the Dow, I would say he's right. Ups and downs are normal in the stock market. When the market is down, it is like a sale at your favorite department store ... it's time to buy. During a five month period in 2009, the Dow experienced a 38% increase, right after many people cut back on or cashed out their retirement plans. Did they miss an opportunity? You bet they did.

David Bach believes that 2010 will be the best opportunity for building wealth that we have seen in decades. And as the economy recovers, you have to be in the market to win. So if you're one of the millions who cut back back or eliminated entirely their retirement contributions, it's time to admit you made a mistake and increase your contributions RIGHT NOW!

In addition to retirement and the market, Mr. Bach also includes tips on dealing with credit card debt, fixing and protecting your credit score, rebuilding with real estate, and my personal favorite ... twenty-five ways to save $5,000.00. Do you know you can save $2,250 by bringing your lunch to work? I love the story of Mr. Bach's grandmother, who brown-bagged her lunch when she worked at Gimbel's department store. She invested the money she saved from not eating out and became a millionaire! I'd say Grandma Bach left her imprint on her grandson, wouldn't you?

When it comes to success in life, we don't have to have the highest IQ ... we just need to get educated. So a good step right now is to buy this book and read it. Get yourself on the fast track to a comfortable retirement. Mr. Bach believes that "the post-recession period we're in now offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to build wealth and start over." You'll never know unless you get your feet wet. Let opportunity guide you, not fear.

If only this book came into my life 15 years ago before I made some stupid financial decesions. But I've learned a lot over the years, so I am confident in saying this book is full of good advice, but it's not scary or overly complicated. It's written with real people in mind, using terms you can understand. It's worth your time to get this book. It's filled with web sites you can check out and actions you can take that will make things much better. If you're just starting out, I urge you to read this!

(The publisher provided this book to me at no charge through Smile.ly. Thank you for giving me the chance to read this).

Smile.ly shared a free copy of START OVER, FINISH RICH - 10 Steps to Get You Back on Track FOR 2010. If you need to get organized get a copy. This book is very easy to understand and Bach's methods can be quickly implemented at any level. I recommend this book to anyone who spends money.

I don't know why I continue to read these personal finance books. They are almost a guilty pleasure at this point. They are certainly similar to fantasy or romance books in their formulaic approach and content.

Bach's latest effort is typical of the genre with a lot of Tony Robbins-like motivational writing (yes you can!) and a common sense approach to paying down debt and saving for the future. The first few chapters are really aimed at people whose financial life is out of control (drowning in credit card debt, etc) so if this isn't you, much of the book will feel like it doesn't apply. The attempt at making this content new and relevant is how the book tries to counter the recession hysteria by pointing out that panic and fear resulting in stopping 401(k) payments and other saving activities will hurt more than they help. Good advice, but it would have been more effective if it had been published nine months ago. Aside from that, it contains the typical personal finance advice and recommendations that all the other books will point you to. It's not bad content, just nothing new.

If you think you need a book like this, I'd recommend something by Dave Ramsey instead, but that's mostly just personal preference.

As with all these books, you can save some time reading it if you just remember to spend less than you make.

No one likes to start over - especially in mid-life - but for many, given shrinking 401Ks, foreclosed upon real estate, and job losses, hitting the reboot button it is the only option. In his most personal book yet, David Bach's Start Over, Finish Rich provides a step--by-step- plan for getting back on track financially. As Bach notes, "the journey of falling down and getting up again happens to ALL OF US. And the fruit of life, the true blessings, often comes when we get back up again."

Start Over, Finish Rich is a financial planning book that wants to be more than just an informative read. The table of contents aptly conveys the roadmap to recovery: Recommit to Wealth; Find Your Money; Deal with Your Credit Card Debt; Fix and Protect Your Credit Score; Rebuild Your Emergency Savings; Re-energize Your Retirement Plan; Make it Automatic; Rebuild with Real Estate; Rebuild Your College Fund (and Restructure Your Student Loan); 25 Ways to Save $5,000; Find Your Power - Give to Others; and A Final Word: My Personal "Start Over" Story. In addition, each chapter ends with a "To Do in 2010" checklist to stir the reader to action.

Starting Over isn't fun, but with Bach's expert guidance, we can still finish rich!



Publisher: Broadway; 1 edition (December 29, 2009), 224 pages.
Advance Review Copy Provided Courtesy of the Publisher.

I received a free copy of this book, that made me a bit skeptical about the contents. I was wrong, this book was a very quick simple read. It provides easy to follow simple advice for fixing your financial state that applies to ANYONE, regardless of what state your finances may be in today. Very similar to Mary Hunt books advise wise but in an easy to understand condensed version. Websites are provided to help you track and reach your goals.

I love the writing style of David Bach! He is very easy to understand and his tips are realistic. I especially love his advice about 401k accounts and getting into the stock market. I'm hoping to get started putting some of David's advice to work very soon! I own a small business and appreciate David's candor about all things financial. Thanks for the quick read, David! I received this book free via Smile.ly (the social media product and experience sharing site) from Broadway. I would definitely recommend this book to my friends and family who are struggling through these tough financial times.