book reviews http://www.wisebread.com/taxonomy/term/10306/all en-US 8 Ways to Get Paid to Read http://www.wisebread.com/8-ways-to-get-paid-to-read <div class="field field-type-filefield field-field-blog-image"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item odd"> <a href="/8-ways-to-get-paid-to-read" class="imagecache imagecache-250w imagecache-linked imagecache-250w_linked"><img src="http://wisebread.killeracesmedia.netdna-cdn.com/files/fruganomics/imagecache/250w/blog-images/beautiful_young_woman_at_home_1.jpg" alt="Beautiful young woman at home" title="" class="imagecache imagecache-250w" width="250" height="140" /></a> </div> </div> </div> <p>I love to read. Like most adults, I don't get nearly enough time to indulge in this pastime, because of this little thing called <em>work</em>. I have to earn money to pay for necessities such as the mortgage and groceries and, obviously, books.</p> <p>But what if reading was my job? This sounds like a book lover's wild fantasy, but there really are plenty of ways to make money by reading, especially if you write well. None of these gigs will make you rich, but some of them could be worthwhile as a book lover's side hustle. At the very least, they can score you free books. (See also: <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/17-cool-jobs-for-book-lovers?ref=seealso" target="_blank">17 Cool Jobs for Book Lovers</a>)</p> <h2>1. Review books</h2> <p>Major magazines and newspapers may pay a few hundred dollars for a freelance book review, but if you've never written professionally, you're not likely to break into <em>The New York Times Book Review</em> on your first shot. There are, however, a number of websites and niche publications that pay a modest fee per review and might be more willing to work with beginners.</p> <p>One site that publishes lots of short reviews is Kirkus Media; the company says it's currently hiring experienced reviewers for its independently-published book section. Kirkus reportedly pays $50 for a 350-word review. Another option is Publishers Weekly. It hires freelancers for 200-word reviews, reportedly for a smaller fee.</p> <p>You could also look for a publication dedicated to a hobby or passion that you have. For instance, <em>Good Old Boat</em>, a sailing magazine, pays $50 for book reviews running 200 to 450 words (by assignment only).</p> <p>Of course, print publications are not your only option. You could look for online reviewing gigs as well. <a href="https://onlinebookclub.org/free-books-for-reviews.php" target="_blank">Online Book Club</a> pays reviewers between $5 and $60, and appears to have an easy application process. The <a href="http://www.theusreview.com/USRreviewer.html" target="_blank">US Review of Books</a> charges authors $85 for a 250&ndash;300 word book review on its site, though the pay it offers reviewers is undisclosed. And Subject Books makes things really easy for beginning reviewers by having the reader fill out a form about the book; check their website to <a href="http://www.anysubject.com/book-reviewers-wanted" target="_blank">see if Subject Books is accepting new reviewers</a>.</p> <p>One final place to check for book review gigs: Authors sometimes offer to pay reviewers directly, through sites such as Fiverr or Upwork. Be wary, however, if they are paying you to post reviews on Amazon, because Amazon is cracking down on such &quot;fake reviews&quot; and could suspend your account if it suspects you're getting paid to write them. (See also: <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/6-great-side-jobs-for-book-lovers?ref=seealso" target="_blank">6 Great Side Jobs for Book Lovers</a>)</p> <h2>2. Read unpublished manuscripts</h2> <p>You may have heard of freelance writers, but did you know there is also such a job as a freelance reader? Literary agents pay $25 to $100 to readers to read manuscripts from the &quot;slush pile&quot; and recommend them either for publication or for the circular file. You usually have to write up your recommendations.</p> <p>This could be a really great job for people who love to read, but it's not the easiest job to get. You probably have to live near a major city and interview for the job in person. It helps to have connections. In the film industry, the same job happens on a freelance basis with scripts, at about $40 to $60 per script. Competition for these jobs is intense.</p> <h2>3. Scout books</h2> <p>This is similar to being a reader for an agent, but more proactive. A book scout goes out and finds good manuscripts for publishers and agents. They attend book fairs and writers' conferences to ferret out future best-sellers. In the film industry, a book scout reads tons of books and highlights those that could be made into profitable films.</p> <h2>4. Proofread</h2> <p>Are you one of those people who not only notices typos in books and articles, but grabs a red pen and circles them? Maybe you were a born to be a proofreader.</p> <p>If you want to get started as a proofreader, you probably won't start out reading books. There are a number of online services that offer to proofread anyone's documents for a fee, and these services often hire freelancers based on online tests. You may find yourself reading someone's term paper or business proposal, but if your goal is to work your way up to proofreading books, you have to start somewhere.</p> <p>Average beginning pay is in the range of $15 an hour, though some sites pay by the page. Once you've got some experience under your belt, apply as a freelance copy editor or proofreader with a publishing company.</p> <h2>5. Edit books</h2> <p>What's the difference between proofreading and editing? Sometimes, nothing. Other times, jobs listed for editors are expecting you to go beyond finding errors. Editors may have to rewrite or reword tricky sentences and make content suggestions.</p> <p>Job sites such as Upwork and Freelancer list editing jobs paying $25 to $30 per job. If you're not sure if you qualify to edit, consider taking an online course. Reference books such as <em>The Elements of Style</em> and <em>The Chicago Manual of Style</em> can also be invaluable.</p> <h2>6. Be a literary agent</h2> <p>Do you love reading, and have sales chops? Consider a career as an agent. As a literary agent, you'll represent authors and pitch their books to publishing companies. You may have to work your way up in an agency by first working as an agent's assistant or a freelance reader.</p> <h2>7. Read aloud</h2> <p>Have you ever thought about who narrates audiobooks, if they're not read by the author? While most reading jobs are about making editorial choices, this opportunity is more akin to voice acting. Learn about the audition process at <a href="https://www.acx.com/help/narrators/200484550" target="_blank">ACX</a>, a platform that connects publishers with narrators, sound engineers, and other professionals.</p> <h2>8. Be a librarian</h2> <p>I've saved the most obvious for last. Those who truly love books often find themselves holding master's degrees in library science. Librarians are by no means limited to books nowadays, with all the databases and other media to navigate. Still, they are expected to know what they're talking about when they recommend something good to read. This generally requires reading enough books to be familiar with a lot of authors and genres.</p> <h2 style="text-align: center;">Like this article? Pin it!</h2> <div align="center"><a data-pin-do="buttonPin" data-pin-count="above" data-pin-tall="true" href="https://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wisebread.com%2F8-ways-to-get-paid-to-read&amp;media=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wisebread.com%2Ffiles%2Ffruganomics%2Fu5180%2F8%2520Ways%2520to%2520Get%2520Paid%2520to%2520Read.jpg&amp;description=8%20Ways%20to%20Get%20Paid%20to%20Read"></a></p> <script async defer src="//assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js"></script></div> <p style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://wisebread.killeracesmedia.netdna-cdn.com/files/fruganomics/u5180/8%20Ways%20to%20Get%20Paid%20to%20Read.jpg" alt="8 Ways to Get Paid to Read" width="250" height="374" /></p> <br /><div id="custom_wisebread_footer"><div id="rss_tagline">This article is from <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/carrie-kirby">Carrie Kirby</a> of <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/8-ways-to-get-paid-to-read">Wise Bread</a>, an award-winning personal finance and <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/credit-cards">credit card comparison</a> website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:</div><div class="view view-similarterms view-id-similarterms view-display-id-block_2 view-dom-id-1"> <div class="view-content"> <div class="item-list"> <ul> <li class="views-row views-row-1 views-row-odd views-row-first"> <div class="views-field-title"> <span class="field-content"><a href="http://www.wisebread.com/7-work-from-home-jobs-for-people-who-hate-talking-on-the-phone">7 Work-From-Home Jobs for People Who Hate Talking on the Phone</a></span> </div> </li> <li class="views-row views-row-2 views-row-even"> <div class="views-field-title"> <span class="field-content"><a href="http://www.wisebread.com/17-cool-jobs-for-book-lovers">17 Cool Jobs for Book Lovers</a></span> </div> </li> <li class="views-row views-row-3 views-row-odd"> <div class="views-field-title"> <span class="field-content"><a href="http://www.wisebread.com/12-podcasts-bookworms-will-love">12 Podcasts Bookworms Will Love</a></span> </div> </li> <li class="views-row views-row-4 views-row-even"> <div class="views-field-title"> <span class="field-content"><a href="http://www.wisebread.com/11-great-apps-for-book-lovers">11 Great Apps for Book Lovers</a></span> </div> </li> <li class="views-row views-row-5 views-row-odd views-row-last"> <div class="views-field-title"> <span class="field-content"><a href="http://www.wisebread.com/11-last-minute-gifts-for-book-lovers">11 Last Minute Gifts for Book Lovers</a></span> </div> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div><br/></br> Job Hunting book lovers book reviews bookworms editing librarians literary agents paid to read proofreading reviewing Fri, 05 Jan 2018 10:00:06 +0000 Carrie Kirby 2082460 at http://www.wisebread.com 4 Brilliant Tips From "Smart Mom, Rich Mom" http://www.wisebread.com/4-brilliant-tips-from-smart-mom-rich-mom <div class="field field-type-filefield field-field-blog-image"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item odd"> <a href="/4-brilliant-tips-from-smart-mom-rich-mom" class="imagecache imagecache-250w imagecache-linked imagecache-250w_linked"><img src="http://wisebread.killeracesmedia.netdna-cdn.com/files/fruganomics/imagecache/250w/blog-images/smart_mom_baby_000088665045.jpg" alt="Learning brilliant tips from Smart Mom Rich Mom" title="" class="imagecache imagecache-250w" width="250" height="140" /></a> </div> </div> </div> <p>It's hard enough to save money and focus on building personal wealth when you're single and building your career. But while also raising a family? Forget it. It feels almost impossible. Your kids need to be clothed, fed, cared for, educated, socially stimulated, and financially supported, over and over again until the day they move out of the house and can live on their own. And all of those needs require money in order to be met. Oh, and also? You have needs, too. It's easy to toss those aside, but they are equally as important.</p> <p>It's overwhelming! However, you can create a deep and cozy financial cushion while raising your little ones.</p> <p>Personal finance expert Kimberly Palmer knows this feeling all too well. And in her new book, <em>Smart Mom, Rich Mom</em>, she examines the outdated misconception that women can't become savvy investors while also raising a family.</p> <p>Building personal wealth has historically been a Boys Club, with women serving as mothers and arm candy &mdash; nothing more &mdash; to the powerful men who handle the family finances. Obviously this stereotype needs to be blasted to smithereens, because it's ridiculous and utterly incorrect, and Palmer's advice serves as the metaphorical grenade to do just that. From the very first page, she pulls the pin out and ultimately clears the path for you to become just what her title suggests: a smart mom, and a rich mom. It's a must-read for all aspiring financial lady bosses. (See also: <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/4-common-money-misconceptions-about-women?ref=seealso">4 Common Money Misconceptions About Women</a>)</p> <p>Here are four of her most brilliant tips.</p> <h2>1. Understand Your Power</h2> <p>Women have much more financial responsibility &mdash; and power &mdash; than they know. And that trend is increasing.</p> <ul> <li>By 2020, women will control two-thirds of the country's wealth, and 90% of us will handle our finances completely on our own at some point in our lives, due to death or divorce, according to Fidelity.<br /> &nbsp;</li> <li>In four out of 10 households with children, moms are the only or primary breadwinners, according to the Pew Research Center.<br /> &nbsp;</li> <li>Yet, according to a report from Boston Consulting Group, most women are unhappy with the level of service from their financial services providers, and many feel as if they are &quot;talked down to&quot; by male advisers.</li> </ul> <p>Clearly, the industry has yet to recognize that our lack of male reproductive parts in no way inhibits our ability to be our household's money boss. And in fact, a lot of us are pretty good at it.</p> <p>So don't ever second-guess your power as a financially savvy investor. Don't ever allow your adviser or anyone else make you feel like a clueless housewife.</p> <h2>2. Focus on the Bigger Picture</h2> <p>In chapter one, &quot;Save (and Spend) Like a Mother,&quot; Palmer notes how the Great Recession made saving money cool again. It's no longer embarrassing to shop generics or clip coupons, because why should anyone spend more than they need to?</p> <p>But the practice of penny pinching and coupon clipping are methods of short-term saving, and because they can become time-consuming habits, they can lead to short-term financial planning, too.</p> <p>Not that we should nix the couponing altogether, but we need to leave room to focus on the bigger picture. Palmer suggests finding ways to save more on the grand scheme of things, like with a flex-spending account for childcare, or negotiating monthly bills to put that extra money into your savings account. In a perfect comparison, Palmer encourages becoming more of a &quot;skilled shopper&quot; and not just a &quot;discount chaser.&quot;</p> <h2>3. Embrace Your Ambition</h2> <p>In chapter four, &quot;Like a Boss,&quot; Palmer describes how exhausted she felt after the birth of her first child, and how that exhaustion led to concerns about not being able to contribute financially to the household while on maternity leave. Such a painfully relatable concern, I just wanted to leap onto the page and hug this woman for acknowledging it. You spend your early life building your career, becoming self-sufficient, and then you spend nine months growing a human in your middle, only to be left feeling rundown and dependent on your partner, in every possible way, during those first months of motherhood.</p> <p>Of course, as we all do, Palmer made it through the tough transition. And she did so by keeping that flame of ambition burning. She took on freelance work; she used her child's naptime as time to grow her Etsy shop. She had a moment of clarity early on that motivated her to create her own income stream, and ultimately ensure that her new baby would be given the best care, and the best life possible. So when those moments come, latch on and find ways to be your own boss.</p> <h2>4. Own Your Independence</h2> <p>In chapter five, &quot;Investing Mamas,&quot; Palmer talks about the importance of learning to manage your finances your own, as early on as possible. &quot;We are going to be on our own at some point,&quot;she writes,&quot; whether through choice, tragedy, or the simple fact that wives tend to outlive their husbands. That&rsquo;s why we need to know how to manage our investments with the same confidence we apply to paying bills or planning the week&rsquo;s meals.&quot;</p> <p>So while it's helpful for spouses to split household duties down the middle to make life easier, there shouldn't be a task that your partner does that you have no idea how to do, especially when it comes to managing money.</p> <p>Not only are Palmer's tips insightful and relatable, but she also provides clear, actionable steps at the end of each chapter to help you become the financially savvy, and independent woman you want to be. The book ends with a 12-month guide to creating a year of financial growth and brilliant organization so that in just a year's time, you can go from a stressed, overworked mama, to confident, money-savvy mom boss. Palmer is in your corner, and she's rooting for you to succeed.</p> <p><img src="http://wisebread.killeracesmedia.netdna-cdn.com/files/fruganomics/u5171/Palmer%2C%20Smart%20Mom.jpg" width="605" height="459" alt="" /></p> <p>Feeling inspired yet? Pick up your copy of <a href="http://www.kimberly-palmer.com/smartmomrichmom/"><em>Smart Mom, Rich Mom</em></a>, on sale today!</p> <br /><div id="custom_wisebread_footer"><div id="rss_tagline">This article is from <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/chrissa-hardy">Chrissa Hardy</a> of <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/4-brilliant-tips-from-smart-mom-rich-mom">Wise Bread</a>, an award-winning personal finance and <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/credit-cards">credit card comparison</a> website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:</div><div class="view view-similarterms view-id-similarterms view-display-id-block_2 view-dom-id-1"> <div class="view-content"> <div class="item-list"> <ul> <li class="views-row views-row-1 views-row-odd views-row-first"> <div class="views-field-title"> <span class="field-content"><a href="http://www.wisebread.com/how-to-take-one-vacation-day-and-save-thousands">How to Take One Vacation Day and Save Thousands</a></span> </div> </li> <li class="views-row views-row-2 views-row-even"> <div class="views-field-title"> <span class="field-content"><a href="http://www.wisebread.com/flashback-friday-38-money-lessons-we-can-learn-from-celebrities">Flashback Friday: 38 Money Lessons We Can Learn From Celebrities</a></span> </div> </li> <li class="views-row views-row-3 views-row-odd"> <div class="views-field-title"> <span class="field-content"><a href="http://www.wisebread.com/9-money-lessons-to-take-from-the-great-depression">9 Money Lessons to Take From the Great Depression</a></span> </div> </li> <li class="views-row views-row-4 views-row-even"> <div class="views-field-title"> <span class="field-content"><a href="http://www.wisebread.com/the-financial-perks-of-being-in-your-20s">The Financial Perks of Being in Your 20s</a></span> </div> </li> <li class="views-row views-row-5 views-row-odd views-row-last"> <div class="views-field-title"> <span class="field-content"><a href="http://www.wisebread.com/10-fun-books-that-will-get-your-kids-excited-about-money">10 Fun Books That Will Get Your Kids Excited About Money</a></span> </div> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div><br/></br> Personal Finance Frugal Living Entertainment book reviews budgeting building wealth frugal living investing frugal living hacks Kimberly Palmer new books parenting parenting on a budget saving money Wed, 01 Jun 2016 09:00:11 +0000 Chrissa Hardy 1718633 at http://www.wisebread.com Win a 2012 Money Planner Workbook! http://www.wisebread.com/win-a-2012-money-planner-workbook <div class="field field-type-filefield field-field-blog-image"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item odd"> <a href="/win-a-2012-money-planner-workbook" class="imagecache imagecache-250w imagecache-linked imagecache-250w_linked"><img src="http://wisebread.killeracesmedia.netdna-cdn.com/files/fruganomics/imagecache/250w/blog-images/money_planner.jpg" alt="Money Planner Workbook cover" title="Money Planner Workbook cover" class="imagecache imagecache-250w" width="250" height="145" /></a> </div> </div> </div> <p>Kimberly Palmer knows a few things about financial planning. As author of the book <em>Generation Earn</em>, a guide to finances for young professionals, and a personal finance columnist for <em>U.S. News &amp; World Report</em>, Kimberly has an extensive understanding of how people can successfully achieve their financial goals. Now she's taken this information and distilled it into a series of money-planning workbooks to help people reach goals such as getting out of debt, preparing financially for a new baby, and simply taking better control of their finances over the course of a year.</p> <p>Kimberly's <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/83715653/the-2012-money-planner-printable">2012 Money&nbsp;Planner</a> is a 50-page guide aimed at helping users have a financially great 2012 (and beyond). The workbook begins with an area to set goals for the year, and then helps you by breaking down your financial to-dos into monthly chunks.</p> <p>One of the things I love about this workbook is that it strikes a positive, can-do tone. It's easy to only think about financial planning negatively&nbsp;(&quot;I need to get better at saving...&quot;). But the very first section of the book, &quot;My Money&nbsp;Vision,&quot; has users focus not just on what they need to improve, but also what their financial strengths are.</p> <p>The goal-setting guidance, structured quarterly financial check-ins, and other sections that help you track your finances and visualize your budget are the workbook's strengths, and they provide a solid structure for planning.</p> <p>I do, however,&nbsp;recommend flipping ahead in the workbook if you get it. If you're trying to make a major financial overhaul, the month-to-month suggestions are great, but I would have liked to see many of them come sooner. Several changes aren't addressed in January, but in later months, including making a plan to pay down your debt, carefully examining discretionary spending, and starting an emergency fund. Just because you skip ahead on those doesn't mean you can't also revisit those areas when you reach the month they're addressed in the book, though.</p> <p>If you feel like you need some guidance to help you get your financial plan in order, especially if you like having a pen-and-paper way to track your finances, this workbook could be helpful for you. And if you feel like it would be...enter our giveaway!</p> <h2>Money Planner Giveaway</h2> <p>We're giving away three copies of Kimberly's printable-PDF 2012 Money Planner (an $8 value). To enter, leave a comment with a financial goal you hope to achieve in 2012.</p> <h4>Giveaway Rules</h4> <ul> <li>Contest ends Wednesday, November 30 at 11:59 pm Pacific. Winners will be announced after November 30th on the original post. Winners will also be contacted via email.</li> <li>You must be 18 and US resident to enter. Void where prohibited.</li> </ul> <p><em>Disclosure: I received a free PDF copy of Kimberly's money planner for review.</em></p> <div class="field field-type-text field-field-blog-teaser"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item odd"> This 2012 Money Planner can help you define and achieve your goals for the next year and beyond — and we&#039;re giving away three for free. </div> </div> </div> <br /><div id="custom_wisebread_footer"><div id="rss_tagline">This article is from <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/meg-favreau">Meg Favreau</a> of <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/win-a-2012-money-planner-workbook">Wise Bread</a>, an award-winning personal finance and <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/credit-cards">credit card comparison</a> website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:</div><div class="view view-similarterms view-id-similarterms view-display-id-block_2 view-dom-id-1"> <div class="view-content"> <div class="item-list"> <ul> <li class="views-row views-row-1 views-row-odd views-row-first"> <div class="views-field-title"> <span class="field-content"><a href="http://www.wisebread.com/book-review-and-giveaway-rich-brother-rich-sister">Book Review and Giveaway: Rich Brother Rich Sister</a></span> </div> </li> <li class="views-row views-row-2 views-row-even"> <div class="views-field-title"> <span class="field-content"><a href="http://www.wisebread.com/book-review-the-trap">Book Review: The Trap</a></span> </div> </li> <li class="views-row views-row-3 views-row-odd"> <div class="views-field-title"> <span class="field-content"><a href="http://www.wisebread.com/4-brilliant-tips-from-smart-mom-rich-mom">4 Brilliant Tips From &quot;Smart Mom, Rich Mom&quot;</a></span> </div> </li> <li class="views-row views-row-4 views-row-even"> <div class="views-field-title"> <span class="field-content"><a href="http://www.wisebread.com/share-your-best-purchase-stories-win-33000-in-prizes">Share Your Best Purchase Stories &amp; Win $33,000 in Prizes</a></span> </div> </li> <li class="views-row views-row-5 views-row-odd views-row-last"> <div class="views-field-title"> <span class="field-content"><a href="http://www.wisebread.com/8-myths-about-health-savings-accounts-debunked">8 Myths About Health Savings Accounts — Debunked!</a></span> </div> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div><br/></br> Personal Finance Giveaways book giveaways book reviews Wed, 23 Nov 2011 10:49:04 +0000 Meg Favreau 797312 at http://www.wisebread.com 5 Books to Help You Master Your Business http://www.wisebread.com/small-business/5-books-to-help-you-master-your-business <div class="field field-type-link field-field-url"> <div class="field-label">Link:&nbsp;</div> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item odd"> <a href="http://www.openforum.com/articles/5-books-to-help-you-master-your-business" target="_blank">http://www.openforum.com/articles/5-books-to-help-you-master-your-business</a> </div> </div> </div> <div class="field field-type-filefield field-field-blog-image"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item odd"> <a href="/small-business/5-books-to-help-you-master-your-business" class="imagecache imagecache-250w imagecache-linked imagecache-250w_linked"><img src="http://wisebread.killeracesmedia.netdna-cdn.com/files/fruganomics/imagecache/250w/blog-images/iStock_000001734953Small.jpg" alt="" title="" class="imagecache imagecache-250w" width="250" height="166" /></a> </div> </div> </div> <p>No matter how busy you are, you probably have five or ten minutes each night to skim a book or two and cherry pick the best ideas for your business before you go to bed. Here are five recent books for your bedside table that will help you navigate the choppy waters facing small businesses today.</p> <p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.therestdoctor.com/"><i>The Power of Rest</i></a>, by Matthew Edlund, MD.</p> <p>Why is a title like this on a suggested reading list for entrepreneurs? As Dr. Edlund, a sleep expert explains, it&rsquo;s hard to achieve top performance if you&rsquo;re burning yourself out, day after day. His tips will help you to fit some much-needed time to renew your energy into your schedule, while still getting the important things done. If you feel like a physical wreck, you need to read this book immediately.</p> <p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-0470888024.html"><i>The Most Dangerous Business Book You&rsquo;ll Ever Read</i></a><i>,</i> by Gregory Hartley and Maryann Karinch.</p> <p>We all know it takes mental toughness to succeed as a self-employed professional in today&rsquo;s economy. This fascinating book will help you tap your steely side when necessary, offering you advice on how to ask questions like a trained interrogator, close a deal like a hostage negotiator, and make decisions like a Navy SEAL. Even if you aren&rsquo;t comfortable using all of the techniques, there&rsquo;s value in learning to recognize when others are employing them on you.</p> <p><a target="_blank" href="http://theentrepreneurequation.com/"><i>The Entrepreneur Equation</i></a><i>,</i>by Carol Roth.</p> <p>The &ldquo;do what you love, the money will follow&rdquo; mindset can be dangerously misleading to entrepreneurs. As any experienced business owner will tell you, building a business isn&rsquo;t just about self-fulfillment. It&rsquo;s about serving a need in the marketplace. In this practical book, Roth, a successful entrepreneur, offers some tough-minded advice for those contemplating a new venture, to help in evaluating everything from its timing to whether it&rsquo;s a good fit. This book is not just for newbies. If your company isn&rsquo;t growing the way you want it to, you&rsquo;ll find valuable insights to help you diagnose it.</p> <p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.doneforyouwriting.com/fearbook/fearoffer.html"><i>How the Fierce Handle Fear: Secrets to Succeeding in Challenging Times</i></a>, edited by Sophfronia Scott.</p> <p>Many people allow their fears to prevent them from going after their entrepreneurial dreams, even when they&rsquo;re fully prepared for the challenge and well beyond qualified. This book of essays, from everyone from Donald Trump to innovation expert Sandy Glass, offers advice on how to keep your insecurities from derailing you.</p> <p><a target="_blank" href="http://jimjosephexp.squarespace.com/"><i>The Experience Effect: Engage Your Customers with a Consistent and Memorable Brand Experience</i></a>, by Jim Joseph.</p> <p>I&rsquo;ve interviewed the author, who runs Lippe Taylor, a successful brand communications firm in New York City, several times and found his branding tips to be very useful &mdash; and immediately actionable &ndash; for small business owners. In this book, he offers insights on how to create a memorable experience for your customers when they come into contact with your brand &mdash; the kind that builds loyalty. And he&rsquo;ll help you learn from what well-known brands, from Pottery Barn to The Biggest Loser, have done right.</p> <br /><div id="custom_wisebread_footer"><div id="rss_tagline">This article is from <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/elaine-pofeldt">Elaine Pofeldt</a> of <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/small-business/5-books-to-help-you-master-your-business">Wise Bread</a>, an award-winning personal finance and <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/credit-cards">credit card comparison</a> website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:</div><div class="view view-similarterms view-id-similarterms view-display-id-block_2 view-dom-id-2"> <div class="view-content"> <div class="item-list"> <ul> <li class="views-row views-row-1 views-row-odd views-row-first"> <div class="views-field-title"> <span class="field-content"><a href="http://www.wisebread.com/250-tips-for-small-business-owners">250+ Tips for Small Business Owners</a></span> </div> </li> <li class="views-row views-row-2 views-row-even"> <div class="views-field-title"> <span class="field-content"><a href="http://www.wisebread.com/book-review-wabi-sabi-simple">Book review: Wabi Sabi Simple</a></span> </div> </li> <li class="views-row views-row-3 views-row-odd"> <div class="views-field-title"> <span class="field-content"><a href="http://www.wisebread.com/book-review-the-road-out-of-debt">Book Review: The Road Out of Debt</a></span> </div> </li> <li class="views-row views-row-4 views-row-even"> <div class="views-field-title"> <span class="field-content"><a href="http://www.wisebread.com/book-review-the-trap">Book Review: The Trap</a></span> </div> </li> <li class="views-row views-row-5 views-row-odd views-row-last"> <div class="views-field-title"> <span class="field-content"><a href="http://www.wisebread.com/the-5-best-credit-cards-for-small-businesses">Best Credit Cards for Small Businesses</a></span> </div> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div><br/></br> Small Business Resource Center book reviews books business books small business Fri, 03 Jun 2011 19:16:39 +0000 Elaine Pofeldt 550556 at http://www.wisebread.com Book Review: The Road Out of Debt http://www.wisebread.com/book-review-the-road-out-of-debt <div class="field field-type-filefield field-field-blog-image"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item odd"> <a href="/book-review-the-road-out-of-debt" class="imagecache imagecache-250w imagecache-linked imagecache-250w_linked"><img src="http://wisebread.killeracesmedia.netdna-cdn.com/files/fruganomics/imagecache/250w/blog-images/road_out_of_debt_2.jpg" alt="Cover of The Road Out of Debt" title="Cover of The Road Out of Debt" class="imagecache imagecache-250w" width="250" height="140" /></a> </div> </div> </div> <p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0470498862?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=wisbre08-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=0470498862"><em>The Road Out of Debt: Bankruptcy and Other Solutions to Your Financial Problems</em></a> by Joan N. Feeney and Theodore W. Connolly</p> <p>You've read stories of people becoming debt-free. In personal-finance blogs, the stories are always ones of debt problems overcome through hard work and frugality. Sadly, in the real world, that doesn't always work. For reasons like illness, divorce, job loss, economic downturn, business failure, natural disaster, war &mdash; some debts entered into in good faith simply cannot be paid back. (See also: <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/citimortage-told-me-to-default-on-my-loan-if-i-want-their-help">CitiMortgage Told Me to Default on My Loan</a>)</p> <p>Feeney and Connolly's new book is about how to find the dividing line between these cases, and what to do once you know which side you&rsquo;re on.</p> <h2>Money-Management Skills</h2> <p>The authors provide a good short course in money management much like you&rsquo;d find in any personal finance book or blog &mdash; how to budget, how to cut expenses, and how to take control of your finances. Then the book starts talking about debt &mdash; mainly about the many, many ways to use debt unwisely. In particular, they&rsquo;ve got a great chapter on the sort of debt that people with financial troubles turn to in a usually futile effort to stave off financial catastrophe for one more month &mdash; payday loans, car title loans, pawn shops, loan sharks, etc.</p> <p>Even before that, they provide some basic advice on negotiating with your creditors. Especially in the world of finance as it is today, there are plenty of people who could actually fulfill their obligations &mdash; except that the creditors have written rules that let them lard up a debtor&rsquo;s obligations with late fees and penalty interest rates. A knowledgeable debtor with good negotiating skills can often cut through those problems and get their obligations settled reasonably cheaply.</p> <p>One bit in that section that I particularly like is on the psychology of debt collectors: Some will browbeat you, some will humiliate you, some will pretend to be your friend &mdash; but however they act, they&rsquo;re all just trying to get as much money from you as possible. They don&rsquo;t care what other debts you have or whether you can support your family. If you don&rsquo;t understand this &mdash; if you allow yourself to imagine that the ones who act like friends are actually friendly &mdash; you&rsquo;re going to be less successful in your negotiations. (I talk about the same psychological issues in my post <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/dont-treat-businesses-like-people">Don&rsquo;t Treat Businesses Like People</a>.)</p> <p>The authors provide some useful advice on seeking help (credit counselors and the like) if your financial problems are beyond what you can manage with those basic skills &mdash; and about avoiding the scams that often masquerade as help for people with debt troubles.</p> <p>Sometimes, even with help, debt problems cannot be overcome. Specifically, if you can&rsquo;t cover your minimum expenses plus interest on your debts and have money left over to pay down the principle on your debts, then you're over the line. Once you're in that situation, your financial situation can only get worse &mdash; your debt burden will rise every month, even if you don't borrow any more money.</p> <h2>When to Consider Bankruptcy</h2> <p>If you could support yourself &mdash; pay for your family&rsquo;s shelter, food, and clothing &mdash; except that other obligations drain away more than all the rest of your money, then it&rsquo;s time to consider bankruptcy.</p> <p>Even if it&rsquo;s time to consider bankruptcy, it may not be the best choice. Some obligations (child support, student loans) cannot be wiped out in bankruptcy. Alternatively, if you can&rsquo;t even afford the necessities, then your household is not a viable economic unit and bankruptcy won&rsquo;t help.</p> <p>The core of the book is the information you need to figure whether bankruptcy is worth considering &mdash; and the information to consider it and make an informed decision.</p> <h2>Navigating the Rules</h2> <p>Bankruptcy is basically a bunch of rules for recognizing that some debts will never be paid back, and then sorting out how that situation will be dealt with. But because they're <em>rules,</em> it&rsquo;s possible to break them &mdash; and get into kinds of trouble that ordinary people don&rsquo;t need to worry about.</p> <p>For example, it&rsquo;s legal (although perhaps foolish) to borrow money even if you don&rsquo;t know how you&rsquo;re going to pay it back. But if you&rsquo;ve already decided to declare bankruptcy and have no intention of paying the money back, it&rsquo;s probably fraud. Normally you can choose to pay back some creditors (such as a relative who lent you money to keep the electricity turned on) before others (such as the credit card company). But once you've decided to declare bankruptcy, those decisions must be made according to the rules.</p> <p>A big chunk of the book is about threading a path through those rules &mdash; protecting your ability to make a fresh start while making sure that you meet your obligations to the extent required by law.</p> <p>A <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/bankruptcy-is-a-good-thing">system of bankruptcy</a> is a good thing. Some debts are never going to be paid back. A system that refuses to recognize that just drives economic activity underground (ruining lives in the process).</p> <h2>An Important Story</h2> <p>There's a reason why the story of overcoming debt problems through hard work and frugality is so compelling: The story models successful financial behavior. The behaviors that it takes to work through debt problems &mdash; spending less than you earn, taking control of your finances &mdash; are the same behaviors that lead to financial security in general.</p> <p>That, I think, is why the story of bankruptcy is less compelling: It doesn&rsquo;t serve as much of a model for households that aren't in debt. The skills &mdash; understanding an arcane area of law, filling out government forms correctly &mdash; don&rsquo;t contribute much to an average person's life.</p> <p>But that doesn&rsquo;t make it an unimportant story. For those who are in trouble with debt, bankruptcy can free up the time and effort they&rsquo;ve been spending trying to handle the demands of creditors and put that effort toward supporting their families.</p> <p>Written by a bankruptcy judge and a bankruptcy lawyer, <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0470498862?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=wisbre08-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=0470498862">The Road Out of Debt</a></em> does a good job of integrating these two stories in a way that illuminates the line between the sort of debt that can (and should be) worked through, and the sort of debt that will never be paid back.</p> <p><em><span>Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, and I will earn a commission for any purchase made through these links.</span></em></p> <br /><div id="custom_wisebread_footer"><div id="rss_tagline">This article is from <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/philip-brewer">Philip Brewer</a> of <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/book-review-the-road-out-of-debt">Wise Bread</a>, an award-winning personal finance and <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/credit-cards">credit card comparison</a> website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:</div><div class="view view-similarterms view-id-similarterms view-display-id-block_2 view-dom-id-1"> <div class="view-content"> <div class="item-list"> <ul> <li class="views-row views-row-1 views-row-odd views-row-first"> <div class="views-field-title"> <span class="field-content"><a href="http://www.wisebread.com/how-you-know-when-it-s-time-for-bankruptcy">How You Know When It&#039;s Time For Bankruptcy</a></span> </div> </li> <li class="views-row views-row-2 views-row-even"> <div class="views-field-title"> <span class="field-content"><a href="http://www.wisebread.com/credit-counseling-when-you-need-it-and-when-you-dont">Credit Counseling: When you Need it and When you Don&#039;t</a></span> </div> </li> <li class="views-row views-row-3 views-row-odd"> <div class="views-field-title"> <span class="field-content"><a href="http://www.wisebread.com/5-debt-management-questions-youre-too-embarrassed-to-ask">5 Debt Management Questions You&#039;re Too Embarrassed to Ask</a></span> </div> </li> <li class="views-row views-row-4 views-row-even"> <div class="views-field-title"> <span class="field-content"><a href="http://www.wisebread.com/book-review-debt-free-for-life">Book Review: Debt Free for Life</a></span> </div> </li> <li class="views-row views-row-5 views-row-odd views-row-last"> <div class="views-field-title"> <span class="field-content"><a href="http://www.wisebread.com/book-review-the-trap">Book Review: The Trap</a></span> </div> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div><br/></br> Debt Management bankruptcy book reviews books credit counseling Mon, 07 Mar 2011 12:36:07 +0000 Philip Brewer 500426 at http://www.wisebread.com Book Review: The Little Book of Big Dividends http://www.wisebread.com/book-review-the-little-book-of-big-dividends <div class="field field-type-filefield field-field-blog-image"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item odd"> <a href="/book-review-the-little-book-of-big-dividends" class="imagecache imagecache-250w imagecache-linked imagecache-250w_linked"><img src="http://wisebread.killeracesmedia.netdna-cdn.com/files/fruganomics/imagecache/250w/blog-images/bigdivs.jpg" alt="The Little Book of Big Dividends" title="" class="imagecache imagecache-250w" width="250" height="250" /></a> </div> </div> </div> <p>Did you know that from 1926 to the present, dividends have accounted for 43 percent of the total return of the S&amp;P 500 index? <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0470567996?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=stuffies-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=0470567996"><em>The Little Book of Big Dividends</em></a> (affiliate link) by Charles B Carlson, CFA is a new book that teaches you how to invest in great dividend paying companies for the long term.</p> <p>The author gives a good explanation as to why dividend stocks are currently attractive. Yields on savings and bonds are fairly low, and stocks have taken a serious beating in price. As a result, may dividend paying stocks have great yields compared to the past. Additionally, the weaker companies have been flushed out in the recent recession so many of the companies that are still growing their dividends are showing strength.</p> <p>The book also describes how dividend reinvestment is great for investors who like to buy and hold. The idea behind dividend reinvestment is a combination of compound interest and dollar cost averaging. Each dividend is used to buy new shares of the stock, and those new shares are entitled to more dividends. In some cases this is more powerful than basic compound interest because when you reinvest your dividends you are buying shares automatically during high and low markets. In the recent recession, those dividends would have purchased more shares as prices have gone down. Investing in this manner takes the emotion out of buying more shares of a good stable company.</p> <p>One thing I learned from this book is that investors can buy stocks directly from companies through direct purchase programs. Some of these programs even offer a discount on the stock price because the companies want a good relationship with long term investors. The book offers some investment ideas for those who want to invest in this manner. If the investor wants to invest through these plans he or she has to keep very good records of the investments and dividends since each plan is a separate account.</p> <p>In conclusion, this is a great book for those want to begin building a growth and income portfolio with dividend stocks. It explains the basics of dividend stocks in a very clear manner and tells investors what components makes up a good dividend stock. The book ends with a list of stocks screened by the &quot;Advanced Big Safe Dividends&quot; formula, and anyone could go to the book's companion site at <a href="http://bigsafedividends.com/">Big Safe Dividends</a>to check out the current scores of stocks in the S&amp;P 1000. I definitely got a few investing ideas out of this book, and I think it is really an excellent introduction to income investing.</p> <p><em>Disclosure: I received a free review copy of this book.</em></p> <br /><div id="custom_wisebread_footer"><div id="rss_tagline">This article is from <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/xin-lu">Xin Lu</a> of <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/book-review-the-little-book-of-big-dividends">Wise Bread</a>, an award-winning personal finance and <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/credit-cards">credit card comparison</a> website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:</div><div class="view view-similarterms view-id-similarterms view-display-id-block_2 view-dom-id-1"> <div class="view-content"> <div class="item-list"> <ul> <li class="views-row views-row-1 views-row-odd views-row-first"> <div class="views-field-title"> <span class="field-content"><a href="http://www.wisebread.com/7-reasons-to-invest-in-stocks-past-age-50">7 Reasons to Invest in Stocks Past Age 50</a></span> </div> </li> <li class="views-row views-row-2 views-row-even"> <div class="views-field-title"> <span class="field-content"><a href="http://www.wisebread.com/is-there-such-a-thing-as-a-safe-investment">Is There Such a Thing as a &quot;Safe&quot; Investment?</a></span> </div> </li> <li class="views-row views-row-3 views-row-odd"> <div class="views-field-title"> <span class="field-content"><a href="http://www.wisebread.com/8-things-millennials-can-do-right-now-for-an-early-retirement">8 Things Millennials Can Do Right Now for an Early Retirement</a></span> </div> </li> <li class="views-row views-row-4 views-row-even"> <div class="views-field-title"> <span class="field-content"><a href="http://www.wisebread.com/how-to-make-sure-you-dont-run-out-of-money-in-retirement">How to Make Sure You Don&#039;t Run Out of Money in Retirement</a></span> </div> </li> <li class="views-row views-row-5 views-row-odd views-row-last"> <div class="views-field-title"> <span class="field-content"><a href="http://www.wisebread.com/the-3-rules-every-mediocre-investor-must-know">The 3 Rules Every Mediocre Investor Must Know</a></span> </div> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div><br/></br> Investment book reviews dividend stocks Fri, 02 Apr 2010 14:00:07 +0000 Xin Lu 6151 at http://www.wisebread.com Book Review: The Trap http://www.wisebread.com/book-review-the-trap <div class="field field-type-filefield field-field-blog-image"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item odd"> <a href="/book-review-the-trap" class="imagecache imagecache-250w imagecache-linked imagecache-250w_linked"><img src="http://wisebread.killeracesmedia.netdna-cdn.com/files/fruganomics/imagecache/250w/blog-images/the-trap-cover.jpg" alt="Cover of The Trap" title="Cover of The Trap" class="imagecache imagecache-250w" width="250" height="370" /></a> </div> </div> </div> <p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0805088016?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=wisbre08-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=0805088016"><em>The Trap: Selling Out to Stay Afloat in Winner-Take-All America</em></a> by Daniel Brook.</p> <p>For more than two years now writing at Wise Bread, my whole thesis has been that frugality leads to freedom &mdash; if you can live cheaply enough, you can choose whatever work calls you, instead of whatever work pays the most. This book thoughtfully presents the case that my view is not just shortsighted but actually harmful.</p> <p>I've always recognized that the lifestyle I advocate has its limits. All sorts of perfectly ordinary aspects of a normal life &mdash; whether positive, such as having kids, or negative, such as becoming seriously ill &mdash; make it a lot harder to live a very frugal life.</p> <p>Brook talks a good bit about the limits of frugality as a way to do whatever work calls you. Many of the examples Brook uses are people whose work requires that they live in a big city:</p> <ul> <li>Activists who need to live where there's a critical mass of others with the same vision.</li> <li>Social workers or community organizers who need to live in the community that they serve.</li> <li>Creative types of the sort who can't just do their work by themselves the way a writer can &mdash; filmmakers, dancers, actors.</li> </ul> <p>It's possible to live frugally even in a big city, but living very frugally requires not only luck and flexibility but also a level of constant attention that makes it hard to focus on the work that was the whole point.</p> <p>Sure, Brook says, it's possible to live frugally enough that you can do whatever you want &mdash; as long as what you want doesn't include expensive things like sending your kids to college or paying for your healthcare if you get sick or living in a big city.</p> <p>But that's really Brook's secondary point. His central point is that the way we've organized society is harmful.</p> <p>Low tax rates were supposed to be good and fair. Letting everybody keep what they earn seems only right, and in a growing economy it wasn't supposed to be harmful for some people to become extremely rich. After all, as long as the poor and middle-class are also making progress, does it matter if some people are super-rich? Brook's answer is that it does matter.</p> <p>Perhaps it wouldn't matter if the super-rich were spending all their vast wealth on Old Master paintings and private islands &mdash; but they aren't. They're spending significant amounts on stuff like college for their kids and healthcare and apartments in the city. Stuff, in other words, that the rest of us need to buy too. And, since they have so much money, they end up bidding up the price of the ordinary necessities of middle-class life.</p> <p>The result of that is that people are pressured into selling out. Even people who are strongly inclined toward service in government or a non-profit find that they just can't do it &mdash; not and pay off their student loans, get married, buy a house, and support a family.</p> <p>The big reason I advocate frugality as the path to freedom is that it's entirely within your own grasp &mdash; it doesn't depend on the government nor on changes to the way society or the economy are structured. But that doesn't mean that society and the economy are structured perfectly. Whether you're with me on the advantages of frugality or disagree, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0805088016?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=wisbre08-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=0805088016"><em>The Trap</em></a> provides a fascinating look at the issues.</p> <br /><div id="custom_wisebread_footer"><div id="rss_tagline">This article is from <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/philip-brewer">Philip Brewer</a> of <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/book-review-the-trap">Wise Bread</a>, an award-winning personal finance and <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/credit-cards">credit card comparison</a> website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:</div><div class="view view-similarterms view-id-similarterms view-display-id-block_2 view-dom-id-2"> <div class="view-content"> <div class="item-list"> <ul> <li class="views-row views-row-1 views-row-odd views-row-first"> <div class="views-field-title"> <span class="field-content"><a href="http://www.wisebread.com/the-8-classic-personal-finance-books-you-must-read">The 8 Classic Personal Finance Books You Must Read</a></span> </div> </li> <li class="views-row views-row-2 views-row-even"> <div class="views-field-title"> <span class="field-content"><a href="http://www.wisebread.com/5-audiobooks-about-money-you-need-to-hear">5 Audiobooks About Money You Need to Hear</a></span> </div> </li> <li class="views-row views-row-3 views-row-odd"> <div class="views-field-title"> <span class="field-content"><a href="http://www.wisebread.com/8-ways-being-patient-saves-you-money">8 Ways Being Patient Saves You Money</a></span> </div> </li> <li class="views-row views-row-4 views-row-even"> <div class="views-field-title"> <span class="field-content"><a href="http://www.wisebread.com/who-really-owns-your-digital-assets">Who Really Owns Your Digital Assets?</a></span> </div> </li> <li class="views-row views-row-5 views-row-odd views-row-last"> <div class="views-field-title"> <span class="field-content"><a href="http://www.wisebread.com/4-brilliant-tips-from-smart-mom-rich-mom">4 Brilliant Tips From &quot;Smart Mom, Rich Mom&quot;</a></span> </div> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div><br/></br> Personal Finance book reviews books reviews selling out Wed, 20 Jan 2010 14:00:05 +0000 Philip Brewer 4738 at http://www.wisebread.com Book review: Wabi Sabi Simple http://www.wisebread.com/book-review-wabi-sabi-simple <div class="field field-type-filefield field-field-blog-image"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item odd"> <a href="/book-review-wabi-sabi-simple" class="imagecache imagecache-250w imagecache-linked imagecache-250w_linked"><img src="http://wisebread.killeracesmedia.netdna-cdn.com/files/fruganomics/imagecache/250w/blog-images/wabisabisimplecover2.jpg" alt="Cover of Wabi Sabi Simple" title="Cover of Wabi Sabi Simple" class="imagecache imagecache-250w" width="164" height="219" /></a> </div> </div> </div> <p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1593371780?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=wisbre08-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=1593371780"><cite>Wabi Sabi Simple: Create beauty. Value imperfection. Live deeply.</cite></a> By Richard R. Powell.</p> <p>Is there an intersection between living large and simple living? I think so. To me, living large is not about having more stuff or more expensive stuff, it's about living my life exactly as I choose, without being constrained by what my boss wants me to do, what the neighbors think, or what my creditors will allow. It's about the breadth and width of my life, not about how high I can pile up stuff. If that is how you want to live large, you'll find a lot of inspiration in Richard R. Powell's book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1593371780?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=wisbre08-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=1593371780"><em>Wabi Sabi Simple</em></a>.</p> <p>Wabi Sabi is a Japanese term for a concept that is fundamentally Japanese, but that will also resonate with people from any culture. The term, Powell explains, comes from two Japanese words:</p> <ul> <li>wabi means poverty--but poverty of the genteel sort where you have everything you need, even if you don't have everything you want.</li> <li>sabi is a technical literary term used to describe a certain kind of melancholy feel such as evoked by images of nature, rural scenes, and autumn.</li> </ul> <p>Together, though, they describe a certain kind of simplicity:</p> <blockquote><p>It is about respectful conversation, harmonious and peaceful dwellings, and modest behavior. It is ordered but not orderly, planned but not scheduled, simple but not simple-minded, and deliberate without being rigid.</p> </blockquote> <p>This is a book that speaks to me. It finds words to describe many of the pieces that go together to make a life that is filled with both ease and meaning:</p> <blockquote><p>Filling life with wabi sabi might be as simple as emptying it of clutter. Wabi sabi cannot be contained in anything square, boxy, or bright, nor can it ever be modular. Quality control kills it, and uniformity negates it. It has to be authentic, genuine, and natural. It perishes under refinement, and sameness wilts it.... Having lots of wabi sabi is a contradiction.</p> </blockquote> <p>And they are beautiful words:</p> <blockquote><p>A friend and I kayaked on a July evening across Northumberland Channel to De Courcy Island just before sunset. The warm golden glow of the sun, low near the horizon, cast elongated shadows along the curving surfaces of the island's weathered sandstone cliffs. A bald eagle soared along the fir- and arbutus- covered ridge at the top of the bluff. We paddled slowly around each bend of the island's varied coastline and craned our necks to look up at the sculpted cookie dough shapes. When we pulled the craft in close, mottled rock, twisted trees, and barnacle-covered stones radiated the day's heat toward us, mirroring the warmth we felt at being there.</p> </blockquote> <p>The book is not a how-to manual. It is an explanation of what wabi sabi is (and what it is not) with some illustrations of how simplicity enriches your life--at home, with your friends, at work. Implicit in the book is the notion that, if you understand simplicity, you don't need someone to tell you how to achieve it or how to apply its lessons to your life. Once you understand you won't need instruction or exhortation--you'll just see that simple living is better. This makes it an easy book to read. The author isn't trying to convince you of anything or talk you into anything. He's just showing you some things that he has found to be true and meaningful.</p> <p>I'm all about simple living. To me, frugal living is a means to an end; when I have to choose between frugality and simplicity, I'll go with simplicity if I can possibly afford it. (Fortunately, simplicity often leads to reasonably frugal choices even when it doesn't lead to the most frugal choices.) If you have any interest in simplicity as a lifestyle choice--whether you're already living simply or not--you'll find much to enjoy and much to think about in Richard R. Powell's <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1593371780?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=wisbre08-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=1593371780"><em>Wabi Sabi Simple</em></a>.</p> <br /><div id="custom_wisebread_footer"><div id="rss_tagline">This article is from <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/philip-brewer">Philip Brewer</a> of <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/book-review-wabi-sabi-simple">Wise Bread</a>, an award-winning personal finance and <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/credit-cards">credit card comparison</a> website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:</div><div class="view view-similarterms view-id-similarterms view-display-id-block_2 view-dom-id-1"> <div class="view-content"> <div class="item-list"> <ul> <li class="views-row views-row-1 views-row-odd views-row-first"> <div class="views-field-title"> <span class="field-content"><a href="http://www.wisebread.com/book-review-work-less-live-more">Book review: Work Less, Live More</a></span> </div> </li> <li class="views-row views-row-2 views-row-even"> <div class="views-field-title"> <span class="field-content"><a href="http://www.wisebread.com/book-review-the-happy-minimalist">Book Review: The Happy Minimalist</a></span> </div> </li> <li class="views-row views-row-3 views-row-odd"> <div class="views-field-title"> <span class="field-content"><a href="http://www.wisebread.com/book-review-retire-on-less-than-you-think">Book review: Retire on Less Than You Think</a></span> </div> </li> <li class="views-row views-row-4 views-row-even"> <div class="views-field-title"> <span class="field-content"><a href="http://www.wisebread.com/simplicity-and-being-cheap">Simplicity and being cheap</a></span> </div> </li> <li class="views-row views-row-5 views-row-odd views-row-last"> <div class="views-field-title"> <span class="field-content"><a href="http://www.wisebread.com/book-review-in-defense-of-food">Book review: In Defense of Food</a></span> </div> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div><br/></br> Lifestyle book review book reviews books poverty review simple living simplicity voluntary simplicity wabi sabi Tue, 24 Feb 2009 19:16:44 +0000 Philip Brewer 2868 at http://www.wisebread.com Book Review and Giveaway: Rich Brother Rich Sister http://www.wisebread.com/book-review-and-giveaway-rich-brother-rich-sister <div class="field field-type-filefield field-field-blog-image"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item odd"> <a href="/book-review-and-giveaway-rich-brother-rich-sister" class="imagecache imagecache-250w imagecache-linked imagecache-250w_linked"><img src="http://wisebread.killeracesmedia.netdna-cdn.com/files/fruganomics/imagecache/250w/blog-images/rich brother rich sister pic.jpg" alt="Rich Brother Rich Sister" title="Rich Brother RIch Sister" class="imagecache imagecache-250w" width="240" height="240" /></a> </div> </div> </div> <p class="MsoNormal">Robert Kiyosaki&rsquo;s <a target="_blank" href="&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0446677450?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=wisbre09-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=0446677450&quot;&gt;Rich Dad, Poor Dad&lt;/a&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=wisbre09-20&amp;l=as2&amp;o=1&amp;a=0446677450&quot; width=&quot;1&quot; height=&quot;1&quot; border=&quot;0&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; style=&quot;border:none !important; margin:0px !important;&quot; /&gt;">Rich Dad, Poor Dad</a> catapulted him into the financial spotlight with his well-written way of helping just about anybody redefine their relationship with and views towards money: how to get it, keep it, and make more with it.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p>Since then a number of his other books have built upon this concept and financially enlightened yet more readers:</p> <ul> <li><a target="_blank" href="&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0751533165?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=wisbre09-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=0751533165&quot;&gt;Rich Dad's Guide to Investing&lt;/a&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=wisbre09-20&amp;l=as2&amp;o=1&amp;a=0751533165&quot; width=&quot;1&quot; height=&quot;1&quot; border=&quot;0&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; style=&quot;border:none !important; margin:0px !important;&quot; /&gt;">Rich Dad&rsquo;s Guide to Investing</a></li> <li><a target="_blank" href="&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0446693219?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=wisbre09-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=0446693219&quot;&gt;Rich Dad Poor Dad for Teens&lt;/a&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=wisbre09-20&amp;l=as2&amp;o=1&amp;a=0446693219&quot; width=&quot;1&quot; height=&quot;1&quot; border=&quot;0&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; style=&quot;border:none !important; margin:0px !important;&quot; /&gt;">Rich Dad Poor Dad for Teens</a></li> <li><a target="_blank" href="&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0446677477?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=wisbre09-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=0446677477&quot;&gt;Cashflow Quadrant: Rich Dad's Guide to Financial Freedom&lt;/a&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=wisbre09-20&amp;l=as2&amp;o=1&amp;a=0446677477&quot; width=&quot;1&quot; height=&quot;1&quot; border=&quot;0&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; style=&quot;border:none !important; margin:0px !important;&quot; /&gt;">Cash Flow Quadrant: Rich Dad&rsquo;s Guide to Financial Freedom</a></li> <li><a target="_blank" href="&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00076QGSM?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=wisbre09-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=B00076QGSM&quot;&gt;Rich Dad Cashflow 202&lt;/a&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=wisbre09-20&amp;l=as2&amp;o=1&amp;a=B00076QGSM&quot; width=&quot;1&quot; height=&quot;1&quot; border=&quot;0&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; style=&quot;border:none !important; margin:0px !important;&quot; /&gt;">Rich Dad Cashflow 202</a><o:p></o:p></li> </ul> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><a target="_blank" href="&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1593154933?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=wisbre09-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=1593154933&quot;&gt;Rich Brother Rich Sister&lt;/a&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=wisbre09-20&amp;l=as2&amp;o=1&amp;a=1593154933&quot; width=&quot;1&quot; height=&quot;1&quot; border=&quot;0&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; style=&quot;border:none !important; margin:0px !important;&quot; /&gt;">Rich Brother Rich Sister</a> is a much more personal look at the life of Robert Kiyosaki, along with his sister: Emi Kiyosaki, now known as the Venerable Tenzin Kacho since being ordained as a monk by His Holiness the Dalai Lama.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b>And&hellip;Wise Bread scored two copies to give away! Keep reading for more information&hellip;<o:p></o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Although Robert is a corporate tycoon of sorts, keeping company with the likes of Donald Trump and Steve Forbes, there are many similarities between him and his Buddhist monastic sister Emi. But those similarities are not apparent on the surface; Robert fought in <st1:country-region><st1:place>Vietnam</st1:place></st1:country-region>, while Emi protested the war and kept company with hippies. Robert went into business many times over, making (and losing, and making again) millions of dollars, while Emi &ndash; as a single mother and monk living in Los Angeles &ndash; was intent on making only enough money to survive, spurning material possessions in the name of her practice towards enlightenment.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">But both Robert and Emi coincidentally learned from the same teachers (including and in addition to their parents) at different points in their lives. Both have found their own inner peace, spiritual families, and wealth, in very different ways. They have identified the ties that bind, some of which are harder to see than you may think.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">The book is written in each of Robert and Emi&rsquo;s voices equally. They address such topics as religion, spirituality, death, fear, and life. Some of their poignant life lessons are to be found: <em>&ldquo;Today, I meet many people who live in fear of dying rather than the joy of living,&rdquo;</em> Robert writes on the topic of Life and Death. <em>&ldquo;Many cling to job security, inadequate pay, abusive relationships, and live below their means, oftentimes in poor health and facing other challenges that seem insurmountable. In my opinion, many live in fear of some form of crucifixion, not realizing that their fear is already crucifying them&rdquo;</em>.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">There are also some tough questions asked of the reader:</p> <ul> <li><em>&ldquo;If money were no object, would I continue to work at my job?&rdquo;</em></li> <li><em>&ldquo;If money were no object, would I work at my job for free?&rdquo;</em></li> <li><em>&ldquo;If the answers are &lsquo;no&rsquo; to the first two questions, then what would you work at forever and for free?&rdquo;</em></li> <li><em>&ldquo;If you are not willing to work forever and for free, then the chances are you have not yet found your soul&rsquo;s purpose for your life. If there is something else you would rather do, maybe you should do it.&rdquo;</em></li> </ul> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">The idea of working not for financial gain but for spiritual gain is well-addressed by both Robert and Emi. And despite their lives being apparently lived on opposite sides of the spectrum, both arrive at similar conclusions. Emi calls it Karma, and Robert simply calls it giving a gift to the world. Both acknowledge receiving gifts in return for their well-intended actions that far outweigh their original contribution.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Although the book was entertaining and an easy read, I must question how interesting it would be to somebody who is not already familiar with &ndash; and a fan of &ndash; Robert Kiyosaki. Discovering the life lessons and circuitous routes to a similar place of happiness and enlightenment of brother and sister Robert and Emi are intriguing, but then again, we all have an intriguing story to tell. The question is: Why should we read it?</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">I will say that the book helped me to better define my own place in the financial and spiritual spectrum; not as a result of their words or recommendations directly, but more as a function of simply reading somebody else&rsquo;s definition of growth and journey through it. If you are a fan of Robert Kiyosaki and on a spiritual journey yourself, I imagine you will find <a target="_blank" href="&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1593154933?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=wisbre09-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=1593154933&quot;&gt;Rich Brother Rich Sister&lt;/a&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=wisbre09-20&amp;l=as2&amp;o=1&amp;a=1593154933&quot; width=&quot;1&quot; height=&quot;1&quot; border=&quot;0&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; style=&quot;border:none !important; margin:0px !important;&quot; /&gt;">Rich Brother Rich Sister</a> to be a pleasurable read.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Are you intrigued? Would you like a copy to peruse yourself to compare conclusions? Great! Leave a comment below with your own thoughts on the parallel life journeys of siblings, or what being rich &ndash; financially and spirituality &ndash; really means. Two lucky commenters will receive a free advance copy of the book. Good luck!</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p> <p>Drawing will close on January 25, 2009. <st1:country-region><st1:place>U.S.</st1:place></st1:country-region> and <st1:country-region><st1:place>Canada</st1:place></st1:country-region> only.&nbsp; Must be 18 or older to enter. <o:p></o:p></p> <p><em>Wise Bread will not sell or use your email address for any purpose other than to contact the winner.</em><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><strong>This drawing is closed. Congrats to <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/book-review-and-giveaway-rich-brother-rich-sister#comment-211424">Maria</a> &amp; <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/book-review-and-giveaway-rich-brother-rich-sister#comment-211526">Peggy</a>!</strong> <br /> </o:p></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <br /><div id="custom_wisebread_footer"><div id="rss_tagline">This article is from <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/nora-dunn">Nora Dunn</a> of <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/book-review-and-giveaway-rich-brother-rich-sister">Wise Bread</a>, an award-winning personal finance and <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/credit-cards">credit card comparison</a> website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:</div><div class="view view-similarterms view-id-similarterms view-display-id-block_2 view-dom-id-3"> <div class="view-content"> <div class="item-list"> <ul> <li class="views-row views-row-1 views-row-odd views-row-first"> <div class="views-field-title"> <span class="field-content"><a href="http://www.wisebread.com/3-reasons-taking-a-loan-for-your-wedding-is-a-bad-idea">3 Reasons Taking a Loan For Your Wedding Is a Bad Idea</a></span> </div> </li> <li class="views-row views-row-2 views-row-even"> <div class="views-field-title"> <span class="field-content"><a href="http://www.wisebread.com/how-to-build-financial-stability-after-divorce">How to Build Financial Stability After Divorce</a></span> </div> </li> <li class="views-row views-row-3 views-row-odd"> <div class="views-field-title"> <span class="field-content"><a href="http://www.wisebread.com/8-traits-of-people-who-live-debt-free">8 Traits of People Who Live Debt-Free</a></span> </div> </li> <li class="views-row views-row-4 views-row-even"> <div class="views-field-title"> <span class="field-content"><a href="http://www.wisebread.com/3-simple-ways-to-split-bills-with-your-spouse">3 Simple Ways to Split Bills With Your Spouse</a></span> </div> </li> <li class="views-row views-row-5 views-row-odd views-row-last"> <div class="views-field-title"> <span class="field-content"><a href="http://www.wisebread.com/4-money-lessons-you-can-learn-from-the-joneses">4 Money Lessons You Can Learn From the Joneses</a></span> </div> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div><br/></br> Personal Finance Giveaways Lifestyle book giveaways book reviews Cashflow Quadrant Rich Brother Rich Sister Rich Dad Poor Dad Robert Kiyosaki Mon, 12 Jan 2009 04:24:32 +0000 Nora Dunn 2735 at http://www.wisebread.com
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