This is the Safari online edition of the printed book.

Pulliam Weston (Your Credit Score), columnist for MSN Money and author of the nationally syndicated column "Money Talk," provides a practical, easy-to-understand guide to taking control of personal finances and establishing financial security. Like most financial advice books, this collection covers the basics, such as creating a financial toolkit, investing, planning for retirement and saving for college. While Pulliam Weston provides insights into these areas-especially for those without a financial background-she also charts new territory with her "60 Percent Solution" and "50/30/20 Plan," both aimed at spending control, as well as getting the most out of your credit cards and what to do if you've overspent on a car purchase. An advocate of online banking, Pulliam Weston maps out the right way to pay bills and advocates account aggregation and consolidation. She also provides a useful resource guide for finding a financial planner, a tax professional and an estate planning attorney. Checklists are included in each chapter, as well as helpful charts and tables that aid in getting and staying organized. This book will be a valuable guide on the path to financial control and security.

                                                --Publishers Weekly

“If you want to simplify your life and make solid decisions—fast—this book is your answer. It’s one more reason Liz remains one of America’s most trusted financial columnists. Quick, easy, and empowering!”

—Jennifer Openshaw, Author of The Millionaire Zone and CEO, WinningAdvice.com

“As usual, Liz cuts to the chase to provide readers with practical, easy to implement tips for living a rich life. If you follow only half of her on-the-money recommendations you’ll be exponentially better off tomorrow than you are today.”

—Lois P. Frankel, Ph.D., Author of Nice Girls Don’t Get Rich and

Nice Girls Don’t Get the Corner Office

Simplify your financial life…

now and forever!

• By the Internet’s #1 personal finance expert, MSN’s Liz Pulliam Weston

• Stop feeling overwhelmed by your finances: take control, the easy way!

• Save time, avoid mistakes, and help secure your future

Common sense. Easy solutions. Plain English. Best selling author,

Liz Pulliam Weston, takes on the problem everyone has, and nobody talks about: the sheer hassle of managing your money! Weston offers practical guidance and easy checklists for every decision: investments, credit cards, insurance, mortgages, retirement, college savings, and more! Discover how to consolidate, delegate, and automate your finances…save time and money…and live a more rewarding, secure life!

www.lizweston.com

Amazon.com® Reader Reviews (Ranked by Helpfulness)

Average Amazon.com® Rating:  Based on 58 Ratings

A great resource - 2008-10-02
Reviewer Rating:
I first became acquainted with Liz Pulliam Weston when I started reading her weekly column at MSN Money. She's a personal finance columnist, and an author of several books, including the wonderful Your Credit Score. In this book, she takes her wealth of financial knowledge, and presents the reader with a great, step-by-step set of instructions on taking control of your finances. The book begins with Setting Up Your Financial Life, and talks to you about just about everything the common man and woman needs to know about money.

I must say, I have found this to be a great resource. I have read through it several times all ready, and I keep it right by my bed, so that I can always reach down and look something up. The book is very readable, which is nice for someone like me, and I like the way that the author takes no-nonsense approach to her writing. This isn't a self-help, motivational book, it's a how-to book for your personal finances - a great one.

So, as you can tell, I really like this book. I think that everyone should read this book, which will really help you to take control of your finances.

Book Review from the Aleph Blog - 2010-01-23
Reviewer Rating:
For most of my readers, this book may prove to be too basic, but we all have friends that are not "money people." They don't know how to take care of their finances, and they constantly get into money troubles. This book could be of help to them.

Now, as you can see from the picture, you can see that she refers to herself as, "The Internet's #1 Personal Finance Expert." I can't vouch for that. I like to think that I am aware of a wide number of trends in investing and money management, and this was the first time I heard of her.

There were five main things that appealed to me about this book. First, it's not a long book (173 pages in the main body of text), and it is simply written, so an average person not good with finances could make his way through it. Second, even though small, it is pretty comprehensive for the finances of an average person or family. Third, I think she gets most issues right for average people who have relatively simple financial problems. Fourth, it provides advice on where to get more data, without marketing herself directly. Fifth, it summarizes action points for each area of personal finance.

I do write about personal finance a little, but you will never get the detailed advice on cash management, budgeting, personal credit, hiring advisors, and shopping smart from me that you will get from this book. My contribution is a more savvy view of investing and insurance. On the latter topic, insurance, I thought she covered the bases well. (As an aside, she shares my bias against variable annuities.)


Now, was there anything that I wasn't crazy about? I know she wrote a book on the topic, but I think it would have been worthwhile to briefly explain why keeping a high credit rating in this age is so important, because of the effect that it has on insurance premiums, and even employment, leaving aside how much you will pay in interest, and how onerous lenders and creditors will be with you if you ever make a mistake.

Now on investing topics, the book is good but not great. For the average person that doesn't matter. For those wanting to take a step up, I would recommend The Dick Davis Dividend. She focuses on saving enough (most people don't save enough), and asset allocation through passive investments. She is a little too bullish on real estate for my tastes. Someone following her advice in these areas will do better than most, if they have the discipline to avoid panic and greed.

But, leaving those quibbles aside, this is a solid book, and those following its advice will benefit.

Relevant - 2009-08-21
Reviewer Rating:
In these hard economic times, this book could not be more relevant. "Easy Money" aims to help readers simplify their finances, in order to be able to better focus on the things that matter to them.

I have read Liz Pulliam's columns on [...] before, and her advice is always practical and straightforward. It's also aimed at everyday people with everyday financial concerns, as opposed to multi-millionnaires with expansive stock portfolios or multiple properties. Easy Money deals with issues that most of us can relate to: paying down debt, automating bills, buying a house, etc.

The book is more of a reference guide than it is a straight-through read. The reader can easily just peruse the sections that apply to them, while skipping sections that don't (for example, I have no need for sections about buying a house right now). It's a handy tool for all of us trying to navigate 21st century adulthood.

Easy to Understand and Implement - 2009-01-22
Reviewer Rating:
One of the reasons that I chose this book was because I am (sadly) bereft of too much practical knowledge surrounding finances and investment. "Easy Money" is a simple no nonsense guide to creating discipline surrounding money.

Amazing what a few small life adjustments can make and the how quickly the levels of stress surrounding money go down.

A great guide for anyone unseasoned in the ways of the mighty dollar.

Good reading - 2008-11-26
Reviewer Rating:
I was not familiar with Liz Pulliam Weston before reading this book. I don't know a lot about finances, but who doesn't want to simplify their finances and get what they want out of life so I gave this book a try. I think this is a well-written and easy to understand book. Others have made detailed commentaries on her advice. I'm not that much of an expert. I get input from various sources and will accept the advice that makes sense to my common-sense approach to financial matter. So, I recommend it for people looking for a little financial advice.

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