“Personal Finance Author Says Simplifying Increases Happiness and Wealth - YAHOO!” plus 1 more

Personal Finance Author Says Simplifying Increases Happiness and Wealth - YAHOO!

Posted: 01 Feb 2011 12:09 PM PST

Less is more; it's an old adage that is often quoted but not often practiced in American life. Money Smart, a new personal finance management book by author Ted Hunter, makes the argument that having less will increase your happiness and your wealth. "If you're like most people, you probably can benefit greatly from simplifying your life," states Hunter, "when you do, you will find that the financial rewards can amount to some pretty terrific numbers over time. Even better yet will be the improvement in quality of life you'll likely experience."

(Vocus/PRWEB) February 01, 2011

According to the Money Smart author, simplifying doesn't necessarily mean doing without, but rather living a less stressful, more balanced life. It means having more time for the things that bring happiness and balance into day-to-day life. It is a choice Americans should embrace, especially in difficult economic times. "How complicated has your life become over the years? How many things do you do every day, week, and month that you'd rather not do?" asks Hunter, "Look at the things you do out of habit and the things you've been convinced to do by others."

Many Americans equate the consumption and collections of things with happiness. In his book, Hunter asks readers to examine the items that surround them and recognize the things that aren't needed. "How many things do you own that you don't use? Do you really need such a big residence? Do you live far from your job and commute hours each day, leaving you tired and with too little time for your family or for yourself? Is each thing you do, each thing you own, worth the price you pay?"

A happy life seldom comes from material wealth. Good health, meaningful relationships, and spending your days in an enjoyable and satisfying way are what really matters most in life. "I don't think that anyone, at the end of their life, wishes they made more money," Hunter states "If you make the mistake of trading away the things that matter most for money I believe it will end up among your life's greatest regrets."

Combining Hunter's sixty years of experience and a common sense approach, Money Smart shows readers that they are capable of managing their money better than anyone else. Presenting easy-to-use tools and a clear list of rules to follow, Money Smart teaches readers to make solid, educated decisions so they can effectively eliminate debt, manage their money and make their dreams a reality.

Money Smart can be purchased online at http://www.MoneySmartOnline.com and Amazon.com.

About the Author
Ted Hunter has been a successful businessman and entrepreneur for over 60 years, including several decades as an insider in both the real estate industry and on Wall Street. Thirty years ago, he built a successful real estate brokerage with over 100 agents, which went bust in the real estate crash of the late '80s. Learning from this experience, he entered the world of Wall Street at the end of 1990. He helped his clients to consistently outperform the market, and then advised them to get out of the stock market in early 2000 before the market started to dive. In the fall of 2005 he did it again by warning all who would listen of the coming crash of the real estate market. He is passionate about exposing the problems with the current money management system and sharing a better approach.

Ted is a native of the New York City area and now resides in Davis, California, with his wife, Suchit, and their daughter, Kat. Ted is also the proud father of three adult sons: John, Dave, and Dan.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Email: connie(at)georgeacommunications(dot)com
Phone: 708-715-2079
Web: http://www.MoneySmartOnline.com

REVIEW COPIES AND INTERVIEWS AVAILABLE

###

Connie Mastrodonato
Georgea Communications
708-715-2079
Email Information

This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php
Five Filters featured article: Collateral Damage - WikiLeaks In The Crosshairs.

Turn Your Kids Into Personal Finance Champs - Forbes (blog)

Posted: 01 Feb 2011 11:48 AM PST

If you are tired of "must-have-that-toy-right-now" tantrums as you walk down the aisles of Target or Toys "R" Us, go straight to your nearest bookstore and buy Alisa T. Weinstein's new book, Earn It, Learn It. Alisa tosses the old allowance-based system of teaching your kids about money and replaces it with: J.O.B.S. But not in the way you might think…

Innovative learning lessons can transform a child's life. When I was growing up one of my pivotal memories was sitting down with my dad who showed me how to calculate how much money I'd have in my IRA down the road if I contributed my babysitting and lawn mowing money to it and it grew at 6%, 8%, 10%, etc. Yeesh. Once I saw that if I saved $2,000 a year (the annual max contribution back then) for 50 years and earned 8% average annual returns I'd have over $1,000,000 – I was hooked. It changed my attitude about money forever. Learning to be responsible with money became fun. Now most kids aren't as wonky as I was so punching the keys of an HP12C financial calculator might not do it for them, but I have a strong hunch Alisa's unique approach will. Read on to hear more in Alisa's own words.

Alisa, how did you come up with this concept of using jobs to teach kids about money?

I credit my daughter completely. She wanted "one more lip balm Mommy!" and I thought 13 lip balms were plenty for a four-year-old (a four-year-old!). In my exasperation I told her to "get a job." As soon as I said it, I just knew that was how she was going to earn her allowance: by test-driving real jobs.

How does EARN IT, LEARN IT work?

For the book, I interviewed 49 people with 49 different careers. I then translated their day-to-day responsibilities into kid-friendly tasks, many of which take 15 minutes. So when Mia was a Toy Designer, she cut out a paper version of her favorite stuffed toy and we talked about things like hard costs (which she apparently doesn't have because "Mom, I don't pay for [that stuff]. You do!")

What is the most surprising reaction you've had so far from a child?

I say this with a big smile: the most surprising reactions don't come from kids. The real surprise reactions are from parents, who didn't realize it could be so easy, and take so little time, to get their kids engaged in something totally worthwhile.

What is the most common challenge parents have today when teaching their children about money?

It has to be just getting started. Talking about money makes people uncomfortable. On top of this, the traditional methods (paying for chores, odd jobs, or no strings attached) aren't much fun. Since we're all so busy, it would seem easier to avoid the subject altogether. But then you end up with a kid who thinks the world exists to provide her with another lip balm.

What have you personally learned about money while writing this book?

I was lucky. My parents taught me early on that what we do to earn money can be even more valuable than the money itself. Which means being more open to finding a career that simply makes us feel good. And this not only makes life richer, it makes living with (and learning about) money a lot more fun. [You can follow Alisa on Twitter at @EarnMyKeep]

What experiences have you had teaching your kids about money?

[This post originally appeared at ManishaThakor.com.] Want more financial love? You can follow Women's Financial Literacy Initiative founder, Manisha Thakor, on Twitter at @ManishaThakor, sign up to get her email updates delivered right to your inbox here, and enroll in her innovative new online personal finance course called "Money Rules."

Personal Finance

Tuesday, February 1, 2011