Budget Wednesday: Young, Fabulous and Broke

Another great book by financial guru, Suze Orman, is The Money Book for the Young, Fabulous and Broke. The pages are chock full of sound financial and budgeting advice, aimed specifically at those who find themselves, well, broke. A perfect gift for new college graduates! Below is a review from amazon.com:

If you are tired of struggling to make ends meet but don't know a 401(k) from Special K, this book is for you. Aimed specifically at "Generation Broke"--those in their twenties and thirties who are working yet buried in credit card debt and student loans--this user-friendly guide offers a clear introduction to practical investing and money management techniques that can turn even a dismal financial situation around. Bestselling author Suze Orman has a knack for taking the fear out of money matters, and in The Money Book for the Young, Fabulous &: Broke, she shows readers how to set priorities and achieve goals, whether it is to buy a house or save for retirement or pay for a child's education. She also offers inspiration to readers to face their financial problems and get started on a solution. After all, there is good news: young people still have the time to correct problems so that they will never be broke again. Readers who find terms such as diversification and IRA rollover scary--or worse, unimportant--will learn much from this book.

In these pages, Orman clearly and succinctly explains what a FICO score is and why it's so important, offers the lowdown on stocks and mutual funds, provides career advice, and offers lots of tips on dealing with student loan debt, saving money even when times are tight, debt consolidation strategies, and the safest way for newlyweds to merge their finances. She also offers information on credit cards, including why canceling cards is not a good idea, when it makes sense to use them, and the best strategies for paying them off. It may not be the only money book you'll ever need, but it's an excellent place to start. --Shawn Carkonen

To purchase this book from amazon, click here.

Budget Wednesday: Suze Orman-- Women and Money

For this week's Budget Wednesday, let me introduce you to financial guru, Suze Orman. She has written numerous books on budgeting and handling money the smart way, and her seminars and testimony is something we all can relate to. One of my favorite books authored by her include:

Women and Money: Owning the Power to Control Your Destiny-- "I never thought I'd write a book about money just for women. I never thought it was necessary. So then why am I doing just that in my eighth book? And why now? Let me explain. All my previous books were written with the belief that gender is not a factor on any level in mastering the nuts and bolts of smart financial management. Women can invest, save, and handle debt just as well and skillfully as any man. I still believe that--why would anyone think differently? So imagine my surprise when I learned that some of the people closest to me in my life were in the dark about their own finances. Clueless. Or, in some cases, willfully resisting doing what they knew needed to be done. I'm talking about smart, competent, accomplished women who present a face to the world that is pure confidence and capability. Do you mean to tell me that I, Suze Orman, who make my living solving the financial problems of total strangers, couldn't spot the trouble brewing so close to home? I don't think I'm blind; I just think that these women became very, very good at hiding their troubles from me.Why not? They had years of practice hiding them from themselves."

In this book, Suze goes through the 8 qualities of a wealthy woman as well as a five month 'save yourself' plan that "delivers long-term financial security". To read more and/or purchase this book for a little over 2$, click here. I definitely recommend reading her books and learning what she has to say- certainly a great addition to any library!

Stay Tuned for more on Suze Orman!!

Who are some of your favorite financial gurus?