The best financial planner Michelle Singletary ever knew was Big Mama,
her grandmother. Big Mama raised Michelle and her four brothers and
sisters on a salary that never reached more than $13,000 a year. Yet at
her death, Big Mama owned her own home, had paid off a car loan, and had
a beautiful collection of Sunday-go-to-meeting church hats and a savings
account that supplemented her Social Security check and small pension.
Most important, she had taught Michelle "7 Money Mantras for a Richer
Life." Those mantras serve as the inspiration for this straight-talking
book of practical personal financial advice that really works.
The 7 Money Mantras are:
1. If it' s on your ass, it's not an asset!
2. Is this a need or is it a want?
3. Sweat the small stuff.
4. Cash is better than credit.
5. Keep it simple.
6. Priorities lead to prosperity.
7. Enough is enough.
Michelle Singletary is a syndicated columnist for The Washington Post
whose popular personal finance column appears in more than 120
newspapers. She's also a mother of three children who understands what
it's like to live on a budget. In a plainspoken, sassy, no-nonsense
voice, Michelle provides answers to the financial issues that confront
almost every household: how to teach children the value of money; how to
address money issues in a relationship or marriage; household saving
tips; getting the best loans; and much more.
"This book is about saving enough money to have choices," she writes.
"It's about feeling free to be cheap if you can't afford to buy a ton of
gifts at Christmas. It's about eliminating wasteful spend-ing so you can
begin to save and invest. It's full of uncommon commonsense lessons and
guidance on the way people should use their money."
With humor and down-home financial wisdom, Michelle Singletary offers
practical and realistic advice that will help you live well with the
money you have.
Michelle Singletary on . . .
Romance and Money
"It's okay to say: 'Honey, I love you and everything, but if you need
money, ask your mama.'"
Credit Cards
"We are minimizing our financial potential by making minimum credit-card
payments."
Car Buying
"If you want to save money, keep your car until you're on a first-name
basis with the local tow-truck drivers."
Leasing a Car
"You, too, can drive a car you can't afford and then have to give it
back. It's crazy."
Gift Giving
"Generosity isn't about how much you spend. It's about how much thought
you put into the gift."
Penny Pinching
"I once bought a stick-shift car because it was $1,000 cheaper than the
automatic in the same model. There was just one little problem. I
couldn't drive a stick-shift. But at least I saved $1,000!"
