Easy Money: How to Simplify Your Finances and Get What You Want out of Life (Liz Pulliam Weston)

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 Contents......Page 8 Introduction......Page 18 Your Financial Toolkit......Page 20 Set Up Overdraft Protection......Page 21 Open at Least One High-Yield Savings Account That's Electronically Linked to Your Checking Account......Page 23 Consolidate Your Accounts......Page 24 The Right Ways to Pay Your Bills......Page 25 Set Up a Bill Calendar......Page 26 Set Up Alerts......Page 28 Pay Your Bills Electronically......Page 29 Build Your Control Panel......Page 33 Account Aggregation 2.0......Page 34 Excel Spreadsheets......Page 35 Set Up Your Command Center......Page 37 Staying Up-to-Date......Page 39 Your Checklist......Page 42 2 Take Charge of Your Spending......Page 44 The 60 Percent Solution......Page 45 The 50/30/20 Plan......Page 48 How Do I Prioritize My Goals?......Page 56 Couples and Money......Page 58 Your Checklist......Page 62 If You Carry a Balance......Page 64 Zero Percent Jockeys......Page 70 If You Pay Off Your Balance in Full Every Month......Page 71 How to Find the Best Card(s)......Page 74 Your Checklist......Page 77 4 The No-Sweat Guide to Retirement (and other) Investing......Page 78 How to Manage Risk......Page 79 Why Beating the Market Is So Tough......Page 82 Use Low-Cost, Broad-Market Index Funds Wherever Possible......Page 83 Include Bonds and Cash in the Mix......Page 84 Add a Dab of Real Estate......Page 85 Rebalance Annually, but Otherwise Leave Your Investments Alone......Page 86 Why Life-Cycle and Target Maturity Funds May Be the Answer......Page 87 Which Account Do I Use?......Page 90 Coordinating Your Approach......Page 92 Getting Help......Page 93 How Much Should I Save for Retirement?......Page 94 Ballpark E$timate®......Page 95 As You Approach Retirement......Page 100 Your Checklist......Page 102 5 The Easy Way to Save for College......Page 104 Why 529 College Savings Plans Rock......Page 107 Picking the Right College Savings Plan......Page 109 Prepaid Tuition Plans......Page 110 What to Do If You're Starting Late......Page 112 Your Checklist......Page 114 Auto Insurance......Page 116 Renters Insurance......Page 120 Homeowners Insurance......Page 121 Health Insurance......Page 124 Disability Insurance......Page 126 Life Insurance......Page 127 Your Checklist......Page 132 When You're Ready to Buy a Home......Page 135 The Home-Buying Timeline......Page 137 Six Months Out: Review Your Mortgage Options, Start Calculating What You Can Afford, and Create Your New Budget......Page 138 Picking the Right Mortgage......Page 139 Interest-Only Mortgages......Page 141 15-Year Mortgages......Page 142 40-Year Mortgages......Page 144 Final Thoughts on Mortgages......Page 145 The Smart Way to Buy Cars......Page 146 Why We Overspend on Cars......Page 147 What to Do if You've Already Overspent......Page 150 Your Checklist......Page 152 How to Find a Financial Planner......Page 153 Choose a Fee-Only Planner......Page 154 Check Their Background......Page 155 When You Need a Tax Pro......Page 156 Working with an Estate Planning Attorney......Page 159 Your Checklist......Page 162 Sites Worth Paying For......Page 163 Keep Your Defenses Up......Page 164 Review the Return Policy......Page 165 Sites to Bookmark......Page 166 When You're in the Market for Real Bargains......Page 167 A Word about Price Guarantees......Page 168 Pick Your Site......Page 169 Know Your Rights......Page 170 Get to a Human—Fast......Page 171 Hang Up and Try Again......Page 172 Get Help......Page 173 Your Checklist......Page 174 10 Changing Your Uneasy Mind......Page 175 "The One Who Dies with the Most Toys Wins"......Page 176 "I'll Never Have Enough"......Page 177 "I'm Such a Loser; I'd Be So Much Farther Ahead If I Hadn't Made So Many Mistakes with Money"......Page 178 "It's Not My Fault"......Page 180 Money and Your Brain......Page 182 Your Checklist......Page 184 11 Setting Goals, Or What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?......Page 185 Setting the Timer......Page 188 What It's All About......Page 189 College......Page 193 Credit & Debt......Page 194 Investing......Page 195 Retirement......Page 196 Savings Tips......Page 197 A......Page 199 B......Page 200 C......Page 202 D......Page 203 F......Page 204 G......Page 207 I......Page 208 L......Page 209 N......Page 210 P......Page 211 Q-R......Page 212 S......Page 213 U-V......Page 215 X-Y-Z......Page 216

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!

lizweston.com

publishers Weekly

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. (jan.)

copyright 2007 Reed Business Information

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 decisionsfastthis book is your answer. Its one more reason Liz remains one of Americas 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 youll be exponentially better off tomorrow than you are today. Lois P. Frankel, Ph.D., Author of Nice Girls Dont Get Rich and Nice Girls Dont Get the Corner Office Simplify your financial life now and forever! By the Internets #1 personal finance expert, MSNs Liz Pulliam Weston Stop feeling overwhelmed by your 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 the sheer hassle of managing your money! Weston offers practical guidance and easy checklists for every investments, credit cards, insurance, mortgages, retirement, college savings, and more! Discover how to consolidate, delegate, and automate your financessave time and moneyand live a more rewarding, secure life! (http://www.lizweston.com) www.lizweston.com 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, delegat .. Setting up your financial life Take charge of your spending Get the most out of your credit cards The no-sweat guide to retirement (and other) investing The easy way to save for college Insurance : protecting what you have and will have Buying homes and cars When you need help Be a savvy shopper Changing your uneasy mind Setting goals, or what are you doing the rest of your life. Liz Pulliam Weston offers practical guidance and simple checklists designed to help people manage their money, covering investments, credit cards, insurance, mortgages, retirement, college savings, and other related topics