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You Don't Have to Be a Bag Lady: A Humorous Survival Guide for the Reluctant Investor

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Reviewed for eBOOKISLE.com

Sheila Peters gives a beginners guide to investing interspersed with humorous accounts of her growing up and how she got involved in investing. She talks about the glass ceiling that many women encounter when they start to enter the "man's world" of work and investments. She illustrates this by describing the double standard she had growing up where the boys earned money mowing lawns and she was allowed to earn money selling lemonade and acting lady like. Ms. Peters continues explaining how money equates to power. Women need to become better educated by reading books, talking to friends, attending workshops, seminars and lectures. Women are hampered by a lack of knowledge about stocks and bonds and that is why we don't invest as much as men.

Now I know why one should read the Prospectus about a company (no matter how boring)! I learned about the different kinds of funds and how diversification is a good thing. I admit I will have to reread some parts that I didn't quite understand. Joining an investment club sounds interesting and a good way to get a start in the investing arena. There were some graphs in the book illustrating how you are supposed to chart different types of growth but the graphs were hard to read. I don't know if that was the PDF format and it would be clearer in paperback format.

This book was extremely interesting and very informative. Sheila has definitely encouraged me to take a greater interest in my portfolio (Does that sound pretentious?) and to ask more questions. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone that is interested in getting started in investing.
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You Don't Have To Be A Bag Lady!: A Humorous Survival Guide For The Reluctant Investor by Sheila Peters is a practical, tip-filled compendium of the "need-to-know" basics of the money market. From the pros and cons of buying mutual funds, to what to watch out for from the stock market, to gaining and evaluating financial information from the Internet, You Don't Have To Be A Bag Lady! blends practical advice with tongue-in-cheek humor ("The only real money secret that men don't share with women is that many of them are just as confused.") As enjoyable to read as it is valuable and accessible to people of all ages and financial backgrounds, You Don't Have To Be A Bag Lady! is especially recommended reading in the context of today's turbulent and volatile stock markets.

"You Don't Have To Be A Bag Lady" is my favorite type of book -- one that makes learning fun! Like most people, my knowledge of the world of investing is pretty slim -- however, I have never been inclined to wade through the numerous thick, heavy, and boring "how-to" books on this subject that get published every year. But this book exactly fills the bill -- it's light, informative and frequently hilarious! If you want useful information delivered with a side of humor, then this is the book for you! I highly recommend it!

Sheila Peters laces useable financial information with very funny stories to make her point: you can safeguard your future. This is a book you can give friends who seem financially challenged without insulting or frightening them. It explains why many women are unaware of the attitudes preventing them from learning to invest their hard-earned money and proves, step by step, that there's nothing to be afraid of. The information is presented logically and is easily digested (and hey, the book's short - you can re-read it as many times as you want.) I consider myself financially knowledgeable and was surprised at how much I learned, too. It has an easy-to-use workbook at the end that helps you determine what you're worth, and what your goals are; then it guides you through the first six months of preparing yourself to invest before you risk (or earn) a dime. I know several friends I'm sending a copy to and if they don't thank me, at least they'll have had a good laugh. (One's a man.)