The Little Book of Main Street Money 21 Simple Truths that Help Real People Make Real Money

by Clements, Jonathan; Bernstein, William J.

• ISBN13: 9780470473238
• ISBN10: 0470473231
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2009-06-09
• Publisher: Wiley

Summary

In a financial world gone mad, you still need to manage your money, put your kids through college, and save for retirement. To the rescue comes Jonathan Clements with 21 easy-to-follow rules to help you secure your financial future. Clements has spent a quarter century demystifying Wall Street for ordinary, real people on Main Street, including more than thirteen years as the Wall Street Journal's hugely popular personal-finance columnist.In The Little Book of Main Street Money, Clements brings us back to basics, with commonsense suggestions for intelligent money management. Chock-full of financial guidance that will stand up in any market, the book also reflects a financial philosophy that Clements has developed over a lifetime of watching Wall Street and writing about money-and that is even more important in the current volatile market. From the big picture (home, retirement, financial happiness) to the micro (taxes, inflation, investment costs), he offers clear-cut advice for taking control of your financial life, detailing the strategies needed to thrive in today's tough economic times.The 21 truths outlined throughout this book are a guiding light for everyone, young and old, whether starting out or soon retiring. Each chapter reads like a Clements column-clear, pithy, and feisty. From the obvious to the counterintuitive, the truths will bolster your returns, cut your costs, and give you financial peace of mind. Collectively, the 21 truths show you how to think about your entire financial life-not just stocks and bonds, but your home, your debts, your financial promises to your children, your income-earning ability, and so much more. They will help you not only survive today's treacherous financial terrain, but also prepare you for success tomorrow.Renowned for his spirited writing and shrewd investment guidance, Clements is the sane voice investors need to stay grounded in the midst of so much financial insanity.

Author Biography

Jonathan Clements is Director of Financial Guidance for myFi (www.myFi.com), a new financial service from banking giant Citicorp. Before joining myFi, he spent eighteen years at the Wall Street Journal, where he was the newspaper's award-winning personal finance columnist. He has appeared on ABC's Good Morning America, CNBC, CNN, Fox News Channel, MSNBC, NBC's Today show, and Consuelo Mack WealthTrack, and is an occasional guest on public radio.

Table of Contents

Foreword

Introduction: Let the Rebuilding Begin

Our Finances Are Bigger Than a Brokerage Account

We Can't Have It All

Money Can Buy Happiness-If We Spend It Carefully

Even the Best Investors Need to Be Great Savers

Time Is as Valuable as Money

No Investment Is Risk-Free

Portfolio Performance: It's All in the Mix

Stocks Are Worth Something

To Add Wealth, We Need to Overcome the Subtractions

Aiming for Average Is the Only Sure Way to Win

Wild Investments Can Tame Our Portfolios

Short-Term Results Matter to Long-Term Investors

A Long Life Is a Big Risk

Markets May Be Rational, but We Aren't

Our Homes Are a Fine Investment That Won't Appreciate Much

Paying off Debts Could Be Our Best Bond Investment

Saving Taxes Can Cost Us Dearly

A Tax Deferred Is Extra Money Made

Insurance Won't Make Us Any Money-If We're Lucky

Even If We Have a Will, We May Not Get Our Way

Financial Success: It's About More Than Money

Conclusion: Wall Street? That Isn't So Far from Main Street

Acknowledgments

Table of Contents provided by Publisher. All Rights Reserved.