The Ultimate Depression Survival Guide: Protect Your Savings, Boost Your Income, and Grow Wealthy Even in the Worst of Times (Hardcover)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Having an effective financial and personal plan for the future is now more crucial than ever. And with The Ultimate Depression Survival Guide, readers will quickly learn how to create such a plan. This comprehensive guide was especially designed to help people map out a practical financial plan in this unpredictable economic environment, so that they can stop worrying about their money and just enjoy life. Step by step, Martin Weiss--America's Consumer Advocate for Financial Safety--introduces, explains, and helps solve many of the new challenges and risks that face millions of Americans. Throughout the book, Weiss provides readers with sound strategies for coping with the credit crunch, housing bust, and decline of the U.S. dollar. The Ultimate Depression Survival Guide also examines important topics that today's investor must be familiar with--including global investing, foreign currencies, and commodities--if they intend to make it through the decade ahead.

From the Inside Flap

With no end to the global debt crisis in sight and the American economy sinking into depression, traditional advice on money could lead millions of innocent victims down the road of deepening losses. But with this timely book, Martin Weiss will guide you to the truly safe havens and show you how to turn this crisis into a unique wealth-building opportunity.

As Editor of the Safe Money Report and author of Crash Profits, Martin Weiss specifically warned of this crisis well before it began. He helped thousands of investors avoid losses by forecasting the financial difficulties of Washington Mutual, Wachovia Bank, Fannie Mae, Lehman Brothers, General Motors, and Citigroup—plus nearly every major troubled firm—well in advance. Indeed, the accuracy of his analysis is why the U.S. Government Accountability Office has praised his work; the New York Times wrote that he was "the first to warn of the dangers and say so unambiguously"; and the Wall Street Journal reported that his company's research outperformed that of all Wall Street firms they covered.

Martin Weiss's father, one of the only economists in the modern era who not only advised investors during the 1930s Great Depression, but also predicted it, performed a similar service for investors. And now, with The Ultimate Depression Survival Guide, Weiss combines the past analysis of his father with his own contemporary insights to help you protect your money, improve your income, and build wealth in the worst of times.

Step by step, Weiss outlines effective strategies that will help you to sidestep the continuing dangers in stocks, cut your losses in real estate, escape a banking crisis, build a substantial cash nest egg, and put that cash away in the safest possible place. If you feel you're stuck with sinking real estate or falling stocks, he offers you a solution that will help you sleep at night despite continuing market declines. Plus, he shows you how to recognize the ultimate bottom in real estate and stocks, giving you the opportunity to buy choice assets at bargain prices.

For the duration of this crisis—and beyond—you can also benefit from regular follow-up e-mails directly from the author. Visit www.moneyandmarkets.com/guide to sign up for free financial updates such as critical warnings on upcoming dangers and new opportunities as they arise.

To survive the crisis on Wall Street and Main Street, you don't need extensive investing experience or the ability to forecast the future. All you need is the courage to get out of its way. So throw out your preconceived notions, start with a clean slate, and follow the commonsense guidance found in this reliable resource to survive—and thrive—during the turbulent times ahead.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Wiley (April 6, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0470393777
• ISBN-13: 978-0470393772
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 6.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (77 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,886 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #5 in	Books > Business & Investing > Personal Finance > Budgeting & Money Management
  #8 in	Books > Professional & Technical > Accounting & Finance > Industries & Professions
  #8 in	Books > Business & Investing > Accounting

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

88 of 100 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Comprehensive survival guide for the depression, April 13, 2009

By	Sandy Winnich "Certified Financial Planner" (Arlington, TEXAS) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Weiss' "The Ultimate Depression Survival Guide" is a smart, well-written book full of sound financial principles, all of which make it worth buying. Using historical examples, recent trends, and advice from dad, Weiss brings a well-rounded understanding of the current economic crisis to the reader in a simple, easy-to-understand fashion.

His advice is summed up in a couple quotes: the depression was inevitable because of the housing bust, the mortgage meltdown, and the biggest debt crisis in history. The housing bust was cased by Fannie and Freddie Mac (as Weiss explains, "some of the largest speculative bubbles of all time were born out of government-sponsored monopolies"). And we can "kick the can down the road" (meaning we can bailout broken firms and "stimulate" the economy, but that will just delay the inevitable major crash.

But we can't do anything about our governments' reckless behavior until the next election, so Weis offers immediate advice to readers that they can do somehting about: save, reduce debt and sell stocks (the latter one might not be such a hot idea since it appears the markets have at least started a major rebound). He gives very good advaice about looking for the bottom of the economic retraction: look for the government to capitulate (give up trying to save the world!). He recommends investing in etfs (or reverse etfs) and treasury-only MM Funds.

This is a great read and highly recommended, though Weiss neglects a major contributor to the problem: the Federal Reserve. If you're looking for a bit more unconventional but very beneficial techniques for thriving in this economy check out Surviving the Second Great Depression: How to Take Advantage of the Government That Is Trying to Take Advantage of You. For a better summary of what got us here check out Meltdown: A Free-Market Look at Why the Stock Market Collapsed, the Economy Tanked, and Government Bailouts Will Make Things Worse.

34 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Think Outside the Box Kind of Book !, April 8, 2009

By	Jo Ana Starr "Mind-Body-Spirit" (USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

First of all, I was impressed by the author's almost clairvoyant predictions of the financial nightmare involving the banks, brokerage companies, etc that we are now living through. What attracted me to this book were the book's title promising answers and guidance that Americans need right now and the author's reputation. I admit that I was a bit skeptical that one book could do all the title claims to do.

I was happily surprised to find solid, bottomline advise on battening down your financial hatches and once that's done, investing safely in these unpredictable times. Maybe even thriving without risking whatever you've got left after the recent stock market ups and downs.

This is a great book that I think anyone who's concerned about the current US economic situation and their own financial options within the current situation will find to be very helpful.

27 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Help for the Weary Mind, April 15, 2009

By	J. Stone "Mommys Treasures" (Asheville NC) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Dr. Weiss has written a book that even the not-so-adept financial person can easily understand and relate. During the recent months - so many words have been floating across the media - bailouts, bankruptcy, stimulus, financial tsunami - that I have encountered sleepless nights and worry for my family and our income. Thanks to Dr. Weiss, I now have a better understanding of why this crisis happened, what the next phase will be, and most importantly - how I can better prepare for the future. He explains everything from choosing my bank...keeping more of my money... paying down debt... to whether to sell or keep my home . Even better he shows steps to secure my investments and how to even grow my wealth now and when the economy recovers.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is concerned about theirs and their family's financial future.