Smart Women Finish Rich [ILLUSTRATED] (Hardcover)

by David Bach (Author) "I'll never forget the moment I asked my mom, ""What really makes the world go round-money or love?""..." (more)
Key Phrases: retirement basket, dream basket, pretax retirement account, Smart Women Finish Rich, Defined Contribution, Smart Woman (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
David Bach's Smart Women Finish Rich is a homage to the financial wisdom of his grandmother; it's also an excellent foundation for women who are starting to get their financial lives in order. Bach's approach to money management is rooted in years of investment seminars for women and his work as senior vice president of investments at Morgan Stanley Dean Witter. During that time he recognized that "people rarely know what is truly driving them emotionally when it comes to money." In response, Bach has written a guide to money management for women based on his belief that "financial planning is as much an emotional issue as it is an intellectual one." Are you considering your values in your work and investing? What part of your daily work is driven by your goals in life? Is your latte habit preventing you from accumulating substantial wealth? Bach addresses tax strategies, wills, insurance, retirement plans, and investments in a highly accessible manner. Smart Women Finish Rich ably bridges the gap between simple saving strategies and preparing for widowhood and financial independence. --Brad Doll

Review
Advance Praise for Smart Women Finish Rich:

"David Bach is the one expert to listen to when you're intimidated by your finances. His easy-to-understand program will show you how to spend, save, and invest your money to afford your dreams."
--Anthony Robbins, bestselling author of Awaken the Giant Within

"David Bach is a financial genius with a passion for helping women get rich. Read this book--and prosper!"
--Laurie Beth Jones, bestselling author of Jesus CEO

"Finally a book for women that talks about money in a way that makes sense. David Bach is not just an expert in managing money--he's the ultimate motivational coach for women. I can't recommend this book enough. It's a must read!"
--Barbara DeAngelis, Ph.D., bestselling author of Real Moments

"Finally, a financial planning guide that addresses the unique issues that women face today. But what I like the most is that David starts with the most important principle: aligning your money with your values. And yes, men will be caught secretly reading this book."
--Harry S. Dent Jr., bestselling author of The Roaring 2000s

"David Bach both educates and enlightens his readers through his sound investment advice and humor. I highly recommend this book!"
--Marci Shimoff, bestselling coauthor, Chicken Soup for the Woman's Soul

"I love this book! It's more like a motivational seminar than a financial primer. Following David's insightful steps, you will not only increase your net worth, you will change your life. Everyone, not just women, should read this book--at least once!"
--Barbara Stanny, author of Prince Charming Isn't Coming -- Review

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Broadway; 1 edition (December 29, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0767902424
• ISBN-13: 978-0767902427
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (141 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #280,245 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

91 of 93 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent investment book, May 10, 2002

By	Ariel Pawlak (POMPANO BEACH, FL United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Smart Women Finish Rich: 9 Steps to Achieving Financial Security and Funding Your Dreams (Revised Edition) (Paperback)

I am a 29 year old mother of a two year old girl and my husband and I have our own business. I knew absolutely nothing about investing but I felt that we were getting older and we needed to start thinking about saving for the future. This book has opened up a new world to me. We have very little money and I was scared to risk or needlessly spend what we do have. This book has shown me how to secure our financial future. Before this book I never even considered getting life insurance. After reading this book, the first thing I did was go out and buy a term life policy so my daughter will be protected in case anything happens to my husband or myself. My insurance agent was so impressed at what I knew about life insurance that he told me that 95% of the people he sold insurance to did not have my insurance buying knowledge. I learned everything I knew about life insurance in 20 minutes from reading this book. This book lays out in terms that anyone can understand how to protect your family and make your dreams come true. Being a small business owner I especailly appreciated Davids advice for those of us who are self employed. The best part of this book is the section that shows you do not have to be rich to save and invest. Even those of us with modest incomes can achieve our financial goals. It's all about make wise spending choices. The wisest choice of all would be to buy this book! I can't really say enough good things about it. The only part missing for me was a section on investing for college. I was looking for some advice on how to invest for my daughter's college education. I also bought Suze Orman's book Road to Wealth and this topic is covered quite thoroughly in there. Actually whenever I have a financial decision to make I read the topic in David's book and then follow up with Suze's for a second opinion. They always seem to agree in their own ways and I feel like I am making the best decision I can to secure my family's financial future.

44 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I'm FINALLY motivated to put my financial house in order, November 6, 2004

By	Susan E. Priller "Bibliophile" (Ann Arbor, MI USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Smart Women Finish Rich: 9 Steps to Achieving Financial Security and Funding Your Dreams (Revised Edition) (Paperback)

I'm turning 40 next year, and I've done a fair share of reading/research on retirement planning -- not a lot, mind you, but a fair bit. Much of it was dry, boring, or just plain incomprehensible. As a result, my savings and investing were haphazard (at best), and my record keeping was, frankly, pathetic.

"Smart Women Finish Rich" has motivated me like nothing else has. I don't know if it's because it's easier to understand and doesn't through a lot of jargon around, or if it's because Bach is so personable and seems genuinely interested in his readers.

What really lit the fire underneath me though were the various charts he had illuminating the value of compounded interest, using time to your advantage, etc. Now, this is something we all "know" at the intellectual level, but the way he presented it was enough to get me off my rear and working on putting my financial house in order.

In the past several days, I have set up my filing system, reviewed my IRA account, requested and reviewed my credit report, opened an account for my "emergency fund" and scheduled automatic deposits, and made a plan for paying down credit card debt. In the next week I'll get the ball rolling to contribute to my employer's 401(k) and get estate planning done for myself and my husband.

I can't say enough good things about how this book has helped me put my financial priorities in order. The reduction in my anxiety level over money is amazing. Well worth it!

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Women can talk about mutual funds over lunch, too!, July 29, 1999

By A Customer

I'm a boomer and an artist, and I steadfastly avoid reading "how-to" books about where I "should-be" in my savings. Debentures sounds so much like dentures, that I steer clear of the whole Wall Street world. But David Bach's book, Smart Women Finish Rich, not only penetrated my "artistic curtain," but actually changed my woeful banking habits. His book is clear and precise, underscoring how any woman can be rich, regardless of salary. Kind of "it's-about-savings-stupid" love tap to the wallet side of your brain. Not only do I have an idea what mutual funds, bonds, stocks, T-Bills and T-Notes are, I've put together, for the first time in my life, a portfolio. And it doesn't stop there. Bach writes clearly about health and life insurance policies, and I'm currently reexamining my own. How can a person who comparison shops for canned tomatoes not do the same for insurance and pocket the difference? If you need help getting started on a savings program, don't miss this wise financial primer, written by a guy who handles portfolios worth more than half a billion dollars each year.