Quotables: Your Money or Your Life -- Prologue

I am currently reading Joe Dominguez & Vicki Robin's Your Money or Your Life: Transforming Your Relationship with Money and Achieving Financial Independence and reading Trent's (The Simple Dollar) extensive reviews.

As I finish each chapter, I will post some of the quotes I find interesting and helpful. Think of it as letting the authors reviewing the book themselves.

Today, we flip through the Prologue:

• What [most money] books have in common is that they assume that your financial life functions separately from the rest of your life. This book is about putting it all back together. It is about integration, a "whole systems" approach to life (xviii).

• Even though we "won" the Industrial Revolution, the spoils of war are looking more and more spoiled...the old road map for money has us trapped in the very vehicle that was supposed to liberate us from toil (xx).

• FI (financially independent) thinking is about cartography--making your own map, one that accurately depicts the terrain of your life as it actually is today (xxv).

• FI (financially independent) thinking will lead naturally to Financial Intelligence, Financial Integrity and Financial Independence (xxv).

The authors make the point that much of our financial shortcomings today have resulted from using the "old road map"--born from the Industrial Revolution--in a time where a much different map is needed. I think it's a strong and plausible argument.

I also appreciate how their approach is designed for individuality. Too many people (especially the most famous ones) in personal finance try to give virtually the same advice no matter the situation.

WYTI Links 10.03.2007

Some links for your Wednesday:

• The Simple Dollar Book Club: Your Money or Your Life (via The Simple Dollar) I'm two chapters away from finishing my current reading material (Visioneering by Andy Stanley). When I finish (hopefully today), I plan to start Your Money or Your Life and read Trent's detailed reviews. He's previously published a review of the entire book.
• Top 50 Christian Business & Finance Blogs (via Bootstrapper)

From ChristianPF.com (who might have commented on one of Wes's recent posts):

• What is an IRA account? I know we've mentioned IRA's before, but this is another helpful summary about them. If you're a preacher or paid minister, opening an IRA of some sort is a very helpful thing...chances are, you have no other retirement, like a 401k. Some congregations will even match (either 100% or 50%) your donations to an IRA...thereby giving you free money.
• How to Budget with ING Direct This highlights the usefulness of online accounts--specifically the ING Direct savings account, which allows for easy multiple accounts.

WYTI Links: 08.24.07

It's Friday!!! Here's some material to check out...

• Life is Like a Game of Chess (via Money, Matter, and More Musings) I love a good analogy...this is nice.
  

• What Does an Insomniac Who Has a Personal Finance Blog Do at 2 AM? (via No Credit Needed) Very simple--but helpful--guide to making purchases.

• 20 Great Nuggets of Personal Finance Advice (via Get Rich Slowly) Nice collection of quotes...

Car Corner:

• Free Crash Test Videos from Consumer Reports (via Get Rich Slowly) I personally think safety is the most overlooked aspect in considering the cost of a car. These are helpful if you're in the market for a vehicle.

• You Can't Trust That CARFAX Report! (via Clever Dude) This is a little scary, actually. We just bought a car back in May, so we went through the whole CARFAX process. It's a shame it might be unreliable.
  

WYTI Links: 08.16.07

• The Frugality Cheat Sheet: 147 Tiny Tips to Live Healthier, Happier, Greener, and Better (via Frugalist)

• Building a Personal Finance Library: 25 of the Best Books About Money (via Get Rich Slowly)

• Like Those 100 Calorie Packs? You're Paying Twice As Much (via Consumerist)

• Why I Keep My Emergency Fund at the Low Interest Bank (via Chief Family Officer)

• Look at Debt in the Context of Your Life, Not Everyone Else's (via Mighty Bargain Hunter)

• Starbucks @ Target: Buy 1 Get 1 Free (via Money, Matter, and More Musings)
  

WYTI Links: 08.15.07

I'm feeling very "foundational" this week for some reason...so here are some current links that reinforce sound--and basic--financial principles:

• The 11 Principles (via Money Crashers) One sentence summaries of MC's basics.
  

• 24 Signs That You Could Be in Financial Trouble (via Generation X Finance) Foundational Principle: You have to honestly evaluate yourself and your financial standing.

• A Maxed Out Roth IRA = $11 A Day (via My Money Blog) Foundational Principle: A little done a lot is more than a lot done a little.

• The Top 3 Mental Blocks to Personal Finance [And How to Get Past Them] (via Get Rich Slowly) Foundational Principle: There is an emotional aspect to finances that must be addressed.
  

• Getting Rid of Debt Without Worrying About the Latte Factor (via Money, Matter, and More Musings) Foundational Principle: There is more than one way to do things and still be financially healthy.
  

• How to Balance Your Checkbook in the Era of the Debit Card (via The Simple Dollar) Foundational Principle: You have to know what's coming in and what's going out.
  

WYTI Links: 07.23.2007 (Back from ICYC Version)

Top 25 Personal Finance Myths (via Ask the Advisor)

The Best Time to Buy Everything (via Smartmoney)

8 Ways to Save for a Short-Term Emergency Fund (via Getting Finances Done)

Earn $1 Million by Not Watching TV (via Free Money Finance)

Handle Your Online Life After Your Death (via Lifehacker)

5 Great Ways to Leave a Tip (via Personal Finance Advice)

WYTI Links: 07.10.07

My computer caught a nasty spyware/malware bug a couple of weeks ago, so it's been fun getting rid of that, and next week, I'll be down at ICYC for Clark Sims' week, so the updates may not be regular next week either...

Have fun with the links:

• One Thing You Can Do Today That Will Put You In Better Financial Shape Tomorrow...genius idea (via The Simple Dollar)
• True Cost of a New Car (via Money Musings)
• How I Escaped Living From Paycheck to Paycheck (via Get Rich Slowly)
• 12 Mistakes to Avoid With Your Retirement Savings Plan (via Generation X Finance)
• 10 Misconceptions About Retirement Security (via Generation X Finance)
  

WYTI Links: 06.25.2007

I'm glad to be back from a week in Ohio--although I'm not sure a youth trip could have possibly went better than this one did (I was gonna post from the hotel, but the wireless network was down. That's not necessarily a bad thing, though.).

Here are some Monday links:

• How to Start a Roth IRA (and Where to Do It) Planning for retirement personally is an absolute must for a preacher. This might be the best summary of the Roth IRA option (one of several options). Personally, I anticipate opening a Roth IRA in the next several months. (via Get Rich Slowly)
  
• What to Discuss Before You Get Married Might be helpful in your "Marriage Counseling" file. (via Dual Incomes No Kids)
• Ten Things to Do When You Move Into a New Home This is self-driven; Lord willing, we should be in the preacher's house by the end of the week. (via The Simple Dollar)
• Mom and Dad, Your Financial Decisions Matter Financial stewardship is certainly one of those areas parents are expected to train their children. (via Wisebread)
• And in honor of the release of the iPhone next week...Apple's New iPhone (via The Onion)
  

WYTI Links: 06.14.2007

An Easy Way to Make Debt Disappear More Quickly...(via The Simple Dollar) Notice how the math adds up over time. Very helpful tip for reducing debt.

102 Personal Finance Tips Your Professor Never Taught You (via Ask the Advisor)

How to Avoid Being Audited When You Are Self-Employed (via Ask the Advisor) Helpful suggestions since most preachers and paid-ministers are considered self-employed for tax purposes.

WYTI Links: 06.13.07

Massive Personal Finance Resource List (via The Frugal Law Student) One word; two syllables: Jackpot.

10 Tips for Dealing with Car Salesmen (via Generation X Finance)

Confessions of a Former Circuit City Worker (via Consumerist)

Money Savvy Pig: The Piggy Bank for the 21st Century (via Money Savvy Generation) This looks quite cool...check out reviews at The Simple Dollar and Get Rich Slowly. Pig available in five colors; also available as a cow or football. Hmmm...do you have to be a kid to have a piggy bank?

The "Professional" Links

Here are three links to people/places that are involved in personal finance from a professional perspective:

-- Color of Money (Michelle Singletary, Washington Post) About two years ago, I subscribed to receive about 10 categories of e-mail updates from the Washington Post. It didn't take long for me to get aggravated at the abundance of e-mails. Now all I receive from the Post is "Breaking News" and "Color of Money" from Mrs. Singletary.

-- Kiplinger.com One of the standard personal finance resources. Also publish Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine. A lot of their information is investment-driven (because that's what a lot of people want to read about), but they do probably have helpful information for whatever you're looking for. It just might take you a minute to find it.

-- Motley Fool This resource leans toward investment (especially the Stock Market) information most heavily on the front page, etc. It does have a long list of links on the left for personal finance interests though. It has the most comprehensive list of calculators that I've run across. You might not use the Fool as often as other sites, but it's worth keeping handy.

Color of Money
Kiplinger.com
Motley Fool

The Consumerist: Shoppers Bite Back

The Consumerist is a resource blog that appeals to the consumer in all of us. It posts links, articles, and announcements that have anything to do with saving money or getting a fair deal as a customer.

Their material is a little more "aggressive" than a personal finance blog, but it can be very helpful. I am most interested in their "Confessions of..." series's. For instance, there is a "Confessions of a [insert cell phone company] Salesman" for virtually every major cellular service provider. Articles like these give valuable insight to keep from getting taken advantage of, etc. There is an abundance of content added daily, so there's plenty to keep you busy here if you enjoy what it has to offer.

The Consumerist: Shoppers Bite Back

Get Rich Slowly: Personal Finance that Makes Cents

The other personal finance blog to which I subscribe (in addition to The Simple Dollar) is Get Rich Slowly: Personal Finance that Makes Cents.

GRS's offerings may, at times, be geared more to the more-informed reader, but it is still done at an overall practical level. I'm a fan of the cleverness of the title and subtitle (and the title is grammatically correct, at that!). The regular links offerings are normally really helpful.

Take some time to check out GRS. And then get...rich...slowly.

Get Rich Slowly: Personal Finance that Makes Cents

The Simple Dollar: Financial Talk for the Rest of Us

My most regular and most enjoyable financial blog visits occur at The Simple Dollar. The blog is very well done and maintained from a usability and aesthetic standpoint. Trent's personal perspective makes it effective as well.

He mentions sound financial principles that we've all heard before, but he does so in a very practical manner. It's one of two Personal Finance blogs to which I subscribe. Go check it out.

The Simple Dollar: Financial Talk for the Rest of Us