book

Your Money: The Missing Manual

by J. D. Roth

March 2010

Beginner

338 pages

10h 52m

English

O'Reilly Media, Inc.

Read now

Unlock full access

About the AuthorAbout the Creative TeamAcknowledgements
About This BookAbout the OutlineAbout MissingManuals.comSafari® Books Online
How Money Affects HappinessThe Fulfillment CurveCaught Up in the Rat RaceHow Much Is Enough?Understand your goals and valuesPractice conscious spendingReduce clutterSeek balanceIt’s Not About the MoneyLiving a Rich Life
The Road to SuccessThe Importance of PassionSetting SMART GoalsTools and Resources to Help You Achieve Your GoalsAccountability PartnersWeb-Based ToolsOld-School ToolsCoping with Mistakes and SetbacksFinal Thoughts on Pursuing Goals
Mapping Your Financial FutureBuilding a Budget That WorksSimple Budget FrameworksBudgeting in PracticeSticking to a BudgetTracking Your SpendingEnvelope BudgetingThink YearlyAutomating Your BudgetDesktop SoftwareWeb-Based ToolsWhy Budgets Fail
The Power of Positive Cash FlowCash Flow BasicsThe Basics of Debt ReductionStop Accumulating DebtEstablish an Emergency FundDestroy Existing DebtDestroying high-interest debt firstDestroying low-balance debt firstOther approachesOther Tips and TricksCurbing Compulsive SpendingWhere to Find HelpDebtors AnonymousConsumer credit counselingFinancial Peace UniversityStart Now

Why Frugality MattersThe Power of Small ChangeFrugal Tactics Anyone Can UseEat Well for LessSupermarket savingsDining outGreens from the gardenPay Less for PowerThe electric companyThe phone companyThe cable companyDoctors and DrugsMaximum Fun at Minimum CostSave While ShoppingThe Tyranny of StuffLeading a Rich Life on a Budget
Working for OthersFor Love or Money: Which Career Should You Choose?Starting on the Right Foot: Salary NegotiationsHow to Ask for a RaiseMoving OnTaking a Second JobWorking for YourselfThe Pros and Cons of EntrepreneurshipResources for EntrepreneursMoney-Making HobbiesDo what you loveBe creativeDon’t expect too muchDon’t underestimate yourselfMarket yourselfHone your skillsChoose carefullyOther Ways to Make MoneySelling StuffSelling on eBayHolding a yard salePosting items on CraigslistDonating to CharityEarning Extra Cash in Your Spare TimeResearch studiesTutoringMystery shoppingRenting out a spare roomUnclaimed propertyBloggingOther ideasA Pep Talk
Choosing a BankTypes of BanksTraditional banksCredit unionsOnline banksThe Right Bank for YouFinding Accounts That Meet Your NeedsTypes of AccountsChecking accountsSavings accountsMoney market accountsCertificates of DepositChoosing AccountsMaking the Most of Your AccountsFinding the Best RatesKeeping Your Accounts OptimizedGetting Fees WaivedSwitching BanksAvoiding Overdraft FeesTargeted Savings AccountsBuilding a CD LadderProtecting Yourself with Parallel CDsGet in the game
Credit CardsWhy Use a Credit Card?Choosing a CardUsing Credit Without Getting BurnedDisputing ChargesHow and When to Cancel a CardYour Credit ReportGetting a Free Credit ReportYour Credit ScoreThe Anatomy of a Credit ScoreHow to Get Your Credit ScoreBoosting Your ScoreFinal Thoughts on Credit
Counting the DollarsBuying a CarThe Wrong Way to Buy a CarThe Right Way to Buy a CarBuying NewMoney mattersDo your homeworkTake your timeGo for a test driveResearch pricesMake a dealClose the dealTake deliverySell your old car separatelyBuying UsedSelling a CarReducing Your Cost of OwnershipLowering maintenance costsSaving on gasCar-Free LivingFinding Deals on Vacation and TravelTravel for the AdventurousHospitality exchangesVolunteer tourismTravel ToolsHometown VacationsCash Is King
The Eternal Question: Rent or Buy?Tips for RentersBuying a HomeHow Much House Can You Afford?Choosing a HomeGetting pre-approvedMaking a listShopping smartPicking a MortgageClosing the DealOwning a HomeSaving Money through Regular MaintenanceMaking Mortgage PaymentsPrivate Mortgage InsuranceShould you prepay your mortgage?Strategies for prepaying your mortgage
An Introduction to InsuranceGeneral Insurance TipsCar InsuranceHomeowners InsuranceLife InsuranceHow much life insurance do you need?What You Need to Know About TaxesHow Income Tax WorksTax-Trimming TipsKnow what you oweShift income and expensesHire a proDon’t cheatOther movesWhat To Do If You Can’t Pay Uncle SamThe Pros and Cons of RefundsWhere to Get More Tax InfoA Brief Overview of Estate PlanningDrawing up a Will
Why Invest?How Much Do Stocks Actually Earn?Average is not normalThe future is not the pastThe Tools of InvestingStocks and BondsMutual FundsIndex fundsBeing on Your Best BehaviorKnow Your GoalsThink Long TermKeep Costs LowKeep It SimpleDon’t Follow the HerdIgnore the Financial NewsCommon-Sense InvestingLazy PortfoliosThe Couch Potato Portfolio by Scott BurnsThe Second-Grader Portfolio by Allan RothThe No-Brainer Portfolio by William BernsteinThe Coffeehouse Portfolio by Bill SchultheisOther lazy portfoliosSingle-Fund PortfoliosLifecycle fundsAll-in-one fundsGetting Started with Systematic InvestingDiscount brokersEmployer-sponsored plansMutual fund companiesMake it automaticConduct an annual reviewAction beats inaction
What Will Retirement Look Like?Figuring Out How Much to SaveA Better WayRetirement CalculatorsWhy You Should Start Saving TodayThe Power of CompoundingA Brief Guide to Retirement AccountsFunding Your Future with a 401(k)Advantages of 401(k)sDisadvantages of 401(k)sLearning to Love Roth IRAsRoth IRA rules and requirementsHow to open a Roth IRA accountExtreme Retirement SavingEarly Retirement and Other DreamsThe Final Frontier
Financial BlueprintsFriends with MoneyHandling Peer PressureLending and BorrowingLove and MoneyThe Importance of TeamworkJoint or Separate Finances?Kids and MoneyRaising money-smart kidsAllowancesChurch, Charity, and CommunitySocial CapitalTrue Wealth

Content preview from Your Money: The Missing Manual

About the Author

J.D. Roth is an accidental personal-finance expert--a regular guy who found himself deep in debt. After deciding to turn his life around, he read everything he could about money and finance. In 2006, he started the award-winning website Get Rich Slowly, which Money Magazine named the Web's most inspiring personal-finance blog. Over the past four years, Get Rich Slowly has grown into an active community where thousands of readers a month share ideas on how to improve their financial lives. J.D. lives with his wife and four cats in a hundred-year-old house in Portland, Oregon.