Wealth Happens One Day at a Time: 365 Days to a Brighter Financial Future [Hardcover]

Brooke M. Stephens (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 7, 1999

Whether you're living from paycheck to paycheck, buried under a mountain of credit card debt, or simply confused by the world of stocks, bonds, and brokers, it's never too late to change your situation. In this text, Brooke M. Stephens walks the reader down the path to financial freedom - step-by-step, day-by-day. From breaking harmful spending habits and creating a positive attitude toward money to learning about investments and building wealth for your future, you'll find everything you need to know in this year-long program for success.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Sometimes our parents plant weird ideas in our heads, such as "You shouldn't be selfish," when the subject of buying something nice arises. As an adult, that often translates into "I don't deserve to have money." Or maybe we feel so good about the money we make that we can't resist spending it on whatever catches our eye: a new pair of shoes, a titanium mountain bike, a leather love seat to go with the leather sofa we couldn't afford last month.

Financial planner Brooke Stephens has heard every excuse for not making, saving, and investing money; she also knows that no matter what attitude a person starts with, he or she can change it. So Wealth Happens starts with baby steps--tiny exercises to change your mind about money, and to increase your knowledge about what it can do. Then she shows the basics of investing, building wealth, protecting what you've built, and, finally, retiring on that wealth.

Sprinkled among the chunks of concrete advice are quotes and proverbs ("Save money and money will save you"), inspirational anecdotes (John D. Rockefeller built an incredible fortune while tithing 10 percent to his church), and real-life scenarios showing how a decent income can get gobbled up with foolish purchases and the resultant credit-card interest. Wealth Happens is about as beginner-friendly as personal-finance guides can possibly be. Because of that, it probably won't be very useful to the person who's already paying off credit-card balances each month and saving for retirement. But for the person who wonders how people who own homes got them, or how anyone can actually afford to retire at 65, this is the book to buy. --Lou Schuler

From Booklist

Stephens is the author of Talking Dollars and Making Sense: A Wealth-Building Guide for African-Americans, in which she made the distinction between income and wealth and focused on reasons the savings rate among African Americans is so much lower than among other groups. One of the barriers to saving, she suggested, is a psychological one: for so long African Americans lacked discretionary funds to save or invest. One way to break through that barrier, she recommended, was simply to start saving $1 each day. Now she expands on that advice, targeting anyone who has had trouble getting started saving or investing. Still relying on a one-day-at-a-time approach, Stephens offers this yearlong motivational day planner filled with inspirational inducements and practical tips. For each day, she suggests a specific, concrete action to move one forward toward the goal of building wealth. Her year is divided into five segments devoted, in turn, to wealth consciousness and its foundation, creation, protection, and preservation. David Rouse

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 384 pages
• Publisher: HarperBusiness; 2nd Printing edition (July 7, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0887309828
• ISBN-13: 978-0887309823
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.4 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,572,704 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars WEALTH HAPPENS ONE DAY AT A TIME, February 7, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Wealth Happens One Day at a Time: 365 Days to a Brighter Financial Future (Hardcover)

Great Book! I totally enjoyed reading it. I have a small collection of books on money management. None have moved me to action such as this one. It was so easy to read. Everything was explained very well. What I also loved about this book was the endless resource Ms. Stephens gave. Her example of everyday people whom did well investing small amounts of money encouraged me tremendously. I founded myself running back to my budget trying to find more money to invest. She removed all my fears and doubt. I hated keeping a budget at first. I hated seeing in printed how much money I did not have. Now I love keeping my financial records. I gladly count my pennies because I know it is my beginning of a bright financial future! Thank you Brooke Stephens.

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars FINALLY A BOOK FOR THE LAY PERSON !, May 24, 2000

By 

RODNEY TRIPP - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wealth Happens One Day at a Time: 365 Days to a Brighter Financial Future (Hardcover)

Brooke Stephens has written a book which is a presentfromheaven. I bought this book... some time ago; what asteal. Anyhow, I thought it was like the Suzie Orman's book, but once I started to read this book, I notice there was something different here. It was a simple day to day plan for personal growth as well as personal finance. The financial guide is not a get rich book but the book is for those of us who truly do not understand finance. BS book could also help the knowlegeable finance manager out there. I must tell you this, I have read only 100 pages and I already must say it is worth 10 stars. This book has drove me to pencil in notes in the margins. The booksellers have not given this book a top spot in their stores, and I must say, I wonder WHY. Good people, please, do not pass up this book if you are interested in making your finances better. Wow, enough said here, but do not forget to come back and check out my next review.

Personal Finance Books are no sure thing for riches, but this BOOK is not just good, but VERY GOOD !

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars excellent book and as easy to read as a novel, June 3, 2000

By 

Ursula Eskridge (Brooklyn, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wealth Happens One Day at a Time: 365 Days to a Brighter Financial Future (Hardcover)

Like the other people who reviewed this book, I just love it. I first borrowed it from the library and then purchased it for myself. I like the way it is made up, in tiny steps and really easy to read and follow. It truly inspired me to take a new look at money and I found out that you can save money in more ways than I ever thought possible. I highly recommend it. It is well worth the price.