Break Down Your Money: How to Get Beyond the Noise to Profit in the Markets

by Tracy Byrnes; Foreword by: Liz Claman

• ISBN13: 9780470379455
• ISBN10: 0470379456
• Format: eBook
• Copyright: 2008-09-01
• Publisher: Wiley

Summary

Praise for Break Down Your Money "Tracy Byrnes writes like she speaks on FOX-clearly, passionately, and yes, lovingly. She is that rare expert who helps enrich your portfolio and your soul. You can do both, and Tracy shows you how. Others talk about what your goals should be. For the first time, finally, someone who shows you how to reach them in finances, and in life." -Neil Cavuto, FOX News Channel, FOX Business Network "Break Down Your Money is unique-smart, wisecracking market insights. You'll learn and laugh, a lot." -Dan Colarusso, Managing Editor, Conde Nast Portfolio.com "Tracy Byrnes is truly one of the best at helping investors get a grip on their finances. In Break Down Your Money, she delivers on that promise so eloquently-with the kind of bite-size information and entertaining flair that makes her a TV standout. This is one money book you won't want to put down." -Jennifer Openshaw, author, The Millionaire Zone, host of ABC Radio's Winning Advice "Being in the financial business, I have read plenty of books about the markets, and would never use the word 'fun' to describe any of them. Until now. Tracy paints a colorful picture of the markets. Her book is an entertaining, well-informed, fun read for the expert and the novice alike." -Steven Grasso, Floor Governor at the NYSE, Managing Director, Stuart Frankel & Co. "Tracy offers a comprehensive walk through the basics of finance in an easy-to-understand manner. A great read!" -Todd Harrison, founder and CEO, Minyanville Publishing and Multimedia, LLC "As a money manager, university professor, financial writer, and frequent media guest, I am constantly challenged with the objective of explaining complex concepts to an audience that is trained to focus on sound bites and instant messages. You have to boil down these complex concepts to a quick and digestible form accented by down-to-earth language and humor when necessary. Tracy Byrnes has accomplished these goals in Break Down Your Money and, in the process, makes learning about financial and money management more enjoyable to the reader. I wholeheartedly recommend Break Down Your Money to readers of all ages and investment skill levels." -Scott R. Rothbort, founder and President, LakeView Asset Management, LLC, Professor of Finance, Stillman School of Business, Seton Hall University, founder and Manager, TheFinanceProfessor.com "Tracy has a unique knack of explaining the market to folks who are not 'in the market.' It is really a wonderful gift. A must-read for anyone wanting to invest and who is too overwhelmed to dive in." -John Layfield, CEO, Layfield Energy, and, as WWE wrestler John "Bradshaw" Layfield, the longest reigning World Champion in SmackDown history

Table of Contents

Foreword

Introduction

Acknowledgments.

Be An Owner, Not an Employee.

To Market To Market, to Buy aà What?

So What Exactly Is the Stock Market?

Buy a Stock and Become a Restaurateur

Look to the Indexes for the Scoop Market Scoop

Wrap-Up

The Lamborghini Murciélago LP640 Roadster: A Lifetime of Dividends

The Derivation of Dividend

Dissecting a Dividend's Date

Rev the Engine with Some Ratios

Drive through the Financials

It's All About the Little Things

Get To Know a DRIP (Dividend Reinvestment Program)

What's a DRIP?

Of Course, the Company Benefits, Too

So How Do You Find a DRIP?

DRIP Downers

Wrap Up

Bond, James Bond

Bond with the Family

The Mature Bond

A Bond's Yield

Wrap-Up

Mutual Funds and ETFs: For Folks on the Go

Mutual Funds: Funds for Kegs

Mixing in Exchange-Traded Funds

Wrap-Up

Look under the Hood.

Navigating the Financial Statement: Your ôJust Get to the Good Stuffö Guide

Find the Financials (Hint: They're in the Annual Report)

Where to Begin

Wrap-Up

Auditing Your Potential Investment

Open the Company Checkbook: The Balance Sheet

Check the Company Report Card: The Income Statement

Wrap-Up

Cash Is the Real Deal. Earnings Reports Are Not

Find Your Two Dollars on the Cash Flow Statement

Earnings Release: The Ultimate Optimist

Wrap-Up

Breakfast with the Federal Reserve: Getting the Economic Porridge ôJust Rightö

Where Did the Fed Come from, and Why Do We Need It?

Inflation: Bad for the Porridge and the Economy

Recession: Bad for Your Hairline and the Economy

How the Fed Keeps the Porridge ôJust Rightö

Adjusting Interest Rates: The Long, Slow Simmer

Testing the Porridge

Wrap-Up

Decisions, Decisions.

Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?: Growth, Value, and Momentum Stocks

Growth Stocks: Hidden Gems

Value Stocks: Till Death Do Us Part

Momentum Stocks: One Night Stands

Wrap-Up

Evaluating Cars and Stocks

Price-to-Earnings Ratio

Price-to-Book Ratio

Growth Rate

Knowing What's Important: A Case-by-Case Decision

Hard to Get Good Help

Wrap-Up

The Ins and Outs of IPOs

Pop Goes the IPO

A Beneficial Blow

Knowing When to Make the Move from Public to Private

Take That IPO on the Road

Sorting through the S-1

Getting a Ticket to the Hottest Party in Town

Leave the Stock, Take the Fund

Wrap-Up

Options and Futures

An Introduction to Options

Check the Expiration Date: Options Expiration Week

Use the Futures Market to Foresee Market

Wrap-Up

Bringing It All Together.

Be Specific About Your Goals

Spread the Risk Around

Don't Marry Your Holdings

Do Your Homework

Don't Forget to Pay Uncle Sam

Wrap-Up

Appendix

About the Author

Index

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