Book Review: Enjoy Your Money!: How to Make It, Save It, Invest It and Give It [Kindle Edition]

I have a Kindle and lately have derived much pleasure from borrowing Kindle books from the library, and finding fun books that are free.

I just finished reading the following:

Enjoy Your Money!: How to Make It, Save It, Invest It and Give It [Kindle Edition]

It was free when I got it, but I notice that it is back to its normal price of $6.99.

I would say it is worth every penny, though!

This is an AWESOME book.  I do enjoy financial books, especially "practical" ones that talk about real life ways to steward our money. 

This is one of the best I've read.  It is aimed at the secular market and there is no overt statement about Christianity, but I THINK the author is probably a Christian. He quotes Jesus, Solomon, and a few proverbs. 

The overall feel of the book is fun as well.  The author creates a fictitious group of teens who are meeting with a senior high school teacher every Saturday morning for many months. The goal of the young people is to learn from this lady, who successfully retired a bunch of debt when she was left a widow at age 30.  The young people, in their teens, are all aware that their own parents are struggling with money issues and are mostly "living for the weekends" and from paycheck to paycheck.

Part of the book takes place years later when the group gets together for a reunion breakfast.

Every chapter addresses a specific money issue, like investing, how to lose your money in stupid ways, groceries, cars, and houses.  Each chapter ends with some suggestions about what to think about, plus a recommendation to younger readers that they ask their own parents about the money issue of the chapter. 

But more than just the money issues is a continual discussion of basic truths about life.  For example, one of young men is bent on making a ton of money and getting a fancy car.  The others talk about the WHY behind that...does money really make you happy?  Why do we buy things to impress other people?  There are examples from real life about people who made a lot of money and were relatively happy, and others with a ton of money who were miserable.

Another major theme is that most of the millionaires in the United States are frugal with their money. They often buy used cars and live in relatively modest homes. They made their money by being careful with it, not spending lavishly. I know that is true, but it isn't the picture of millionaries that many carry around with them -- most of us tend to think of actors and sports figures who spend foolishly.

Many of the very wealthy people in the world who made their money through business worked very long hours. The people in the book talk about how relationships are important and that sometimes people work too hard, to the point that they neglect family and friends.

One minor caveat is that there is some mention of casual dating, but it isn't a major theme of the book.  At the very end, there are a couple of marriages between members of the group.