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Wealthy Choices: The Seven Competencies of Financial Success

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One of the most unique financial advice books today, "Wealthy Choices: The 7 Competencies of Financial Success" teaches sound financial advice is a very open and reader friendly manner. Instead of massive discussion of theory, the book teaches by creating short, realistic vignettes and then explaining what is going on. These vignettes are situations that are sure to strike a responsive chord for many people. For example, one of them reads "How are you, Elise? How am I? You really want to know? My 401(K) statements say I have less money; the credit card company says I owe more money; I'm not having any fun; my checkbook doesn't balance; the machine ate my debit card; I didn't get to watch the videos I'm paying a late charge for; I can't find a house I can afford; and I got a bad haircut.... I'm losing it." Author Penelope Tzougros then goes on to explain what is going on, what needs to be done or how to view the situation, and what to do.

The seven competencies discussed are Valuing, Paying the Bills, Losing, Leveraging, Dreaming, Growing, and Gifting. These are not only important competencies that must be understood to achieve financial success but they are also the areas that cause the most stress in a relationship. When two people have different value systems between money, leisure, assets, etc. things can become very stressful very quickly. Dr. Tzougros does an excellent job of helping people to see where things are just differences in style and philosophy and where they are sound financial principles. This is one of the best books available for the average person untrained in financial theory who just wants to get control of their finances and achieve their goals.

This book is a must for anyone seeking to explore how they arrive at choices in their lives that have financial impact. Ms. Tzougros's keen insights as well as myriad examples bring the principles for making better choices to life and provide practical ideas to make changes to achieve greater financial freedom. It is crammed with valuable insights and ideas. One of the nice things about this book is that many of the examples are ones that I have experienced and can relate to. As a businessman who considers himself fairly astute in making financial decisions, this book provided me with insights I had not thought of and will be implementing to continue to achieve financial success. This is a must read and should be in everyone's bookshelf as a resource to return to over and over again.

Penelope Tzougros' book is a treasure. I have been reading it since I recieved it as a Christmas present, and by the time I was a few chapters into it, I went out and purchased several copies to give as gifts. This is a valuable gift for anyone of any age and any income. It is a pleasure to read the financial suggestions in the context that we experience them in our everyday life. Money management has a role in our lives daily and has a context. Penelope uses these contexts to teach the smart ways to be at peace with our financial interactions. Her handle on psychology and values is so apparent. I applaud her masterful efforts! I truly hope that the people for whom I have purchased these books will read it and gain a better understanding of their financial behavior. Penelope is a wonderful guide through the maze of money matters.

Wealthy Choices: The 7 Competencies Of Financial Success by Boston-based financial planner Penelope S. Tzougros is an impressively accessible financial self-help guide to easy and small steps that any for non-specialist general reader can take to improve his or her financial situation. From dealing with problems paying the bills; to guarding against financial losses; to realistically evaluating financial dreams and lifestyle aspirations; to dealing with gift obligations in a thoughtful yet affordable way, and so much more, Wealthy Choices is a superbly presented resource for people of all financial standings which offers a wealth of tips, tricks, techniques, and insights to balancing fiscally related responsibilities and conserve hard earned dollars.

Amidst the proliferation of books purporting to help us with our finances, WEALTHY CHOICES stands head and shoulders above the others because of its accessibility and practicality. The author approaches her subject in a unique manner. This is no dry as dust discussion of the mechanics of stocks, bonds, options adinfinitum. The author divides money concerns into 7 different categories - called life compentencies - Valuing,Paying the Bills, Losing, Leveraging, Growing, Dreaming, and Gifting. She then humanizes these experiences with believable vignettes of people's encounters with money in their lives. Each one is followed by her analysis to bring home salient points to the reader. This unsuual approach to the volatile ,complicated, and often anguished encounters with money tht we all have had in our lives is tremendously refreshing. It makes learning and thinking about money an enjoyable experience.Anyone who wants to learn how to use and control their money, rather than having thir money control them should read this book.

I got this as an early Christmas gift, and boy I wish I had it before I did my own gift shopping. The advice on gifts would have saved me a bundle and a lot of guilt. I have read a lot of books trying to help me to understand the place of money in my life. I like money and things, but I do not like that it sometimes can rule my life. Spending can make me feel bad, and I sometimes wonder if I really have enough money to be happy.

The stories in this book are things I can understand and look at my own life and say, "HEY, I do that!" Penelope's Perspective always makes me feel like a real person that lives in the real world, and gives advice that comes from that starting point. I have learned a lot not just about money, but about myself and my life and what I need to do next to be happy.

Absolutely everyone will find a scenario in this book that relates to them and their friends. Penelope gives a synopsis of a situation that occurs in everyday life from starting a new business, to paying off credit cards, to donating among dozens of others. The synopsis is laid out as an overheard common conversation between two people trying to figure out their dilemma in that synopsis-- ie) Do I begin to put money in my retirement fund while I'm short on cash?-- The one character will discuss the problem and the other will lend advice-- then Penelope gives her thoughts on the situation (Penelope's Perspective). Many of the ideas seem common sense to me, but they are most definitely not for many of those I know that get locked in the situations daily. The book is laid out to make for a very easy read and catergorizes everything putting them into seven ideas- as you will see- from valuing to paying bills-- I love the index so that if I have questions about a particular term I can find it easily and a scenario so I understand it better. The sample pages really give a feel for the book overall-Check it out!

Written in language that anyone can understand. Many people in modest income brackets that are having trouble with finances will want to read this book and then utilize the principles and ideas that Penelople recommends for their particular problem.

Penelople applies real life situations i.e. problems to help the reader identify with the solution. The book does not dictate or talk down to the reader (like so many similar books do) but instead attempts to educate people that have financial difficulties through positive encouragement and tangible, traditional solutions but with a twist. This is not simply another book that relies upon charts or graphs to reinforce a point but instead it makes you analyze your problems and then develop solutions for the individual. Chapter 2 was by far the best chapter in my view and I was able to use a couple of these ideas myself.

Any household that is experiencing any kind of budgeting difficulties, regardless of the level should consider adding this book to their collection.

Dr. Penelope Tzougros's book Wealthy Choices: The Seven Competencies of Financial Success is brillant, insightful and thought provoking. It is a "must read" for everyone as it depicts, in an easy to read fashion, ordinary people in ordinary situations.

There are so many wonderful stories in the Gifting Chapter that I identified with. I totally agree that "the card" is a gift of caring. I have saved cards for years that special people have sent me.

I also have learned that what would be appreciated by the recipient in a gift giving situation is extremely important. Regardless of whether it's an item or money, the gift needs to be what the receiver wants, without any condition imposed by the giver and what would give the receiver the most pleasure. Dr. Tzougros gives many excellent examples of this common situation and suggestions on how to make it a pleasurable experience for everyone or to come to a common agreement that is acceptable to all parties.

We can all identify with Dr. Tzougros's perspective on the "whole of gifting" and its importance and the delightfullness of it. We have all gifted a smile to someone, gifted a compliment, called a family member long distance, spent time with grandchildren in a fun and loving environment and gifted a percentage of our income to charities to help others.

In the Valuing Chapter, Dr. Tzougros asks questions and encourages the reader to think and evaluate ordinary situations and ways that they have handled money matters. She clearly wants to help the reader to improve their financial situation. I am in total agreement with her as I also believe that we are genetically coded from before birth with a "money blueprint." I believe that as we grow, it affects all of our values surrounding money and our whole life in a positive or negative way.

Dr. Tzougros has captured the human spirit and her compassion, understanding and caring comes through in such a way that the reader will surely become a more enlightened human being.

I'm amazed at the amount of thought-provoking, potentially life-changing ideas contained in Dr. Penelope Tzougros' excellent book. The practical aspect of dealing with money is covered in depth; but so is the broader concept of how we think and feel about money and how that affects our relationships and our lives.

It begins by leading us on a fascinating self-discovery voyage, where we learn how our values translate into our money behaviors. Then Dr. Tzougros leaves no stone unturned in addressing all the major areas involving money. In addition to the values evaluation, she covers day-to-day bill paying; how we lose money and how not to; making our dreams and goals a reality; growing money, and even a thoughtful section about gifts. The advice is simple and doable, and can be used immediately, regardless of your financial status.

Many books in the area of financial planning can be heavy-handed. Not so here. Dr. Tzougros' style is natural and unassuming. She uses real life scenarios and typical conversations about money to illustrate the concepts she discusses. This enables the reader to relate in a way that's immediate and practical.

What I found most appealing and unique about this book, however, is the underlying current of real concern for people on the part of the author. Dr. Tzougros has a purpose larger than simply doling out dry, utilitarian financial advice. Her commitment to helping people live better lives comes through in every page. As one example, she offers insight and advice as to why people fight about money and how to solve this problem.

Dr. Tzougros' sincerity in wanting people to live fuller, more joyful lives makes her book stand apart from many other books on business and finance, and is what makes it a pleasure to read. I never expected a book in this genre to be a page-turner, but this one is.