The Complete Idiot's Guide to Personal Finance in Your 20s and 30s

by Sarah Young Fisher and Susan Shelly

Book Overview

This guide gives readers an edge in getting through financial hardships, investing in the future and saving money for the long haul. Included is coverage of taxes, stock market investing, borrowing money and interest rates and technology.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0028643747
• ISBN13: 9780028643748
• Release Date: April 2002
• Publisher: Penguin Putnam
• Length: 392 Pages
• Weight: 1.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 7.4" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

Very informative

I found this book very informative. There were some terms that are out of date due it being published before the recession, but that was expected. I wish I had read it five years ago!

good book for young people

even if you don't have a lot of money, this book offers helpful tips on how to manage, budget, and invest.

Excellent for Gen-X

I think this is the absolute best book out there for members of generation X. The ideas are presented in a clear and easy to understand way. I have purchased three copies of this book and keep loaning it out to friends. I have read many others including Personal Finance for Dummies, Complete Idiot's Guide to Getting Rich, and Investing for Dummies, but this is the best by far. If you are looking for a personal finance book and are under age 40, try this one.

Financial Guidance for me?the 24 year-old Idiot?

Okay, I am not an idiot by most standards. I do have a Master's Degree and certificates telling me honor societies let me join them. However, despite all my specialized studies, I learned very little about finances, investments, and economics. Since I try not to discuss things I know little about, at parties I avoided these topics. However, party-talk aside, the major benefit to knowing about finance is that it can help you plan you and your family's future.Fisher and Shelly have compiled a very easy to read and direct book. I am a beginner, and felt as if I grasped most of what I read. Some of the material was even basic for me. They discuss bank accounts (compound or simple interest?), credit (annual fee or not?), personal budgets (do you need that $.70 Coke out of the machine everyday?), investments (CD here is not compact disc!), Housing, and much more. They cover every important aspect of personal finance for younger people approaching middle age. They make use of some quizzes so you can evaluate your financial know-how. The book will even pay for itself if you follow the 40 ways to save 10 dollars a week section. I have used many of their tips already. I recently (finally) got a credit card in order to establish my credit, but was sure to shop around using the web pages they provided.Overall, this is not an advanced book, but it does cover the basic points. Some points might seem very simple and commonsense, but many of us have not had any education in financial matters. If you are in your 20s and 30s and feel like you have no financial guidelines or knowledge (as I did), this book should get you started in the right direction.

Fantastic Beginning Book for all the Basics

This book covers EVERYTHING from saving money, moving out on your own vs. staying home, budgets, taxes, debt, your credit, insurance, buying vs. leasing a car, renting vs. buying a home, investing from 401k's, mutual funds, IRA's, CD's, marriage, and buying a house. As a 22 year old, out of college about 2 years and on my own just as long who knew very little about any of this, I found this book to be WONDERFUL and very useful. It really walks you through all of the important milestones that you will have in your 20's and 30's. It is actually one of the best books I have ever read and all my friends are impressed with my new Financial knowledge. After reading it I feel I really have a game plan for all the hurtles that I have not yet passed. I do have to stress that it is just for beginners and people who pay little to no attention to their finances past this month. OUTSTANDING BOOK! LOVED IT!