Table of Contents
The Missing Credits vii
Introduction 1
Part 1 Blueprint for Financial Prosperity
Chapter 1 It's More Important to Be Happy Than to Be Rich 7
How Money Affects Happiness 8
It's Not About the Money 16
Chapter 2 The Road to Wealth Is Paved with Goals 23
The Road to Success 24
Tools and Resources to Help You Achieve Your Goals 29
Coping with Mistakes and Setbacks 33
Chapter 3 "Budget" Is Not a Four-Letter Word 37
Mapping Your Financial Future 38
Building a Budget That Works 38
Sticking to a Budget 44
Automating Your Budget 48
Why Budgets Fail 51
Chapter 4 Defeating Debt 53
The Power of Positive Cash Flow 54
The Basics of Debt Reduction 57
Curbing Compulsive Spending 65
Start Now 71
Part 2 Laying the Foundation
Chapter 5 The Magic of Thinking Small 73
Why Frugality Matters 74
Frugal Tactics Anyone Can Use 77
The Tyranny of Stuff 96
Leading a Rich Life on a Budget 99
Chapter 6 How to Make More Money 101
Working for Others 102
Working for Yourself 111
Other Ways to Make Money 118
A Pep Talk 127
Chapter 7 Banking for Fun and Profit 129
Choosing a Bank 130
Finding Accounts That Meet Your Needs 135
Making the Most of Your Accounts 139
Chapter 8 Using Credit Wisely 147
Credit Cards 148
Your Credit Report 158
Your Credit Score 161
Final Thoughts on Credit 165
Chapter 9 Sweating the Big Stuff 167
Counting the Dollars 167
Buying a Car 168
Finding Deals on Vacation and Travel 185
Cash Is King 193
Chapter 10 House and Home 195
The Eternal Question: Rent or Buy? 196
Buying a Home 200
Owning a Home 210
Chapter 11 Death and Taxes 219
An Introduction to Insurance 219
What You Need to Know About Taxes 230
A Brief Overview of Estate Planning 239
Part 3 Building a Rich Life
Chapter 12 An Intro to Personal Investing 245
Why Invest? 246
The Tools of Investing 250
Being on Your Best Behavior 255
Common-Sense Investing 261
Chapter 13 Retirement: The Final Frontier 271
What Will Retirement Look Like? 272
Figuring Out How Much to Save 273
Why You Should Start Saving Today 276
A Brief Guide to Retirement Accounts 279
Early Retirement and Other Dreams 288
The Final Frontier 290
Chapter 14 Friends and Family 291
Financial Blueprints 292
Friends with Money 292
Love and Money 296
Church, Charity, and Community 304
True Wealth 307
Index 309
