This book would have been more valuable if she had told us more about her successful clients. How did they develop the right "attitude", "spirit", and "instinct"? Are they basing their buy and sell decisions on feelings, gut instincts, etc., or is there also a lot of analysis of data involved? Also, I think it is misleading for her to write that it is not a matter of luck to make money for those people that have the correct instinctual response. Most people would agree that Peter Lynch and Warren Buffet have good instincts for making money but both of them have lost money because at times they had bad luck or their good instincts failed them. Suze ignores the element of luck in her book at the peril of her readers. An investor with the best instincts who just bought before 9/11 would have made a big mistake, and a "kiss-of-death" investor who, by chance, for whatever reason, sold on that day would be by luck a winner. The element of chance (luck) makes the real world more uncertain in the end than the one Ms. Orman portrays. Just because you make a decision that reflects your instinctual response it will not always be the right answer for you because the element of luck has a much bigger role to play than Ms. Orman thinks. Feeling good about things won't make them necessarily so. Having good instincts is good, but you have to be lucky sometimes.
She is also the most credible and most knowledgeable, especially among the female sector. A close second would be Jean Chastby or Terry Savage.
Suze really pounds the credit card dilemna. It is unfortunate that so many companies induce the naive and get them suckered into credit card deals. Many credit cards companies are using "bait and switch" type techniques and getting consumers into such debt, that to pay off their credit card debt requires years and so much money that they could have bought a home!
Some companies like Bank One are using a gimmick called "repricing" and 2 cycle billing. These people really need Suzes advice.
Suze also recommends a 15 year mortgage in place of a 30 year mortgage and I agree. You pay so much more in interest with a 30 year mortgage. Likewise for auto loans. Many bank officers will have you take out a 60 month loan because the lower payments are so appealing. Wrong! Take out a 24 month or 30 month loan and save thosands for your next car purchase. Also, buy a car used rather than new and invest the difference.
Suze also makes a strong case against cash value type insurance products and recommends term instead. Again, I agree. Especially as I use to sell insurance and know the drill. CASH VALUE insurance products are essentially better for the insurance salesman, not the consumer.
Suze recommend no-load mutual funds and a gain I have to agree. Average investors have no business playing the stock market and statistics show that most investors lose money. Despite the recent mutual fund scandal, mutuals are still the best place for most. And unlike Quinn, Suze does explain that even no-loads carry a maintenance fee.
Suze is big on index funds. At the time this book was written, that was not the best advice as the markets tanked in 2000 when the Clinton/Gore bubble bursted. And with index funds, when the market goes down, well...just run a chart on index funds from 1999 to 2004. Even with the big move up since October 2003, these funds are still in negative territory.
Overall a good book. A great start for anyone interested in money management. Suze's mind-to-money concept is great and the best part of this book.
I would also recommend Suze's other books, The Road To Wealth, The Laws of Money and The Courage To Be Rich. In addition, readers will find great advice on investing in More Wealth Without Risk by Charles Givens and Ric Edelmans new book, The Truth About Money.
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Suze great boo. Keep em coming!
I like the fact that Suze brings the mental side to money. Much overlooked by far too many people.
Great book Suze. Also recommend Suze's newest book, The Laws of Money which offers updated information and More Wealth Without Risk by Charles Givens.