Power Up E-Book

Howard S. Dvorkin

• Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
• Kategorie: Fachliteratur
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 213

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2013

Beschreibung

A proven survival guide for these economically rocky, debt-ridden times Millions of people suffer financial hardship due to job loss and a variety of other factors. What you need to do in order to take control of your financial destiny includes changing the way you confront and deal with everyday pressures related to shopping, advertising, credit cards, keeping up with the Joneses, and spending money. In Power Up, Howard Dvorkin--founder of Consolidated Credit Counseling Services--draws on his years of experience helping thousands of people overcome devastating financial hardship. He provides you with time-tested strategies and powerful tools to rebuild your financial life on a solid and enduring foundation. Besides discussing guidelines for creating a realistic budget and sticking to it, Dvorkin also shares tips on how to learn to live without credit cards--and love doing it--as well as puts you in a better position to understand the difference between what you want and what you need. * Filled with effective budgeting tools, worksheets, and other valuable forms * Provides a look at the tricks that lenders and credit card companies use to make you a slave to debt * Offers ideas on how to redirect your urge to shop into activities that satisfy your deeper needs and methods to improve your fiscal psychology * Contains priceless advice on how to educate your kids about money and personal finance Do you want a chance to start over again with a clean slate? Do you want the peace of mind that comes with knowing you're in charge of your financial destiny? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then it's time to Power Up!

Leseprobe

Contents

Introduction

Chapter One: The Path That Led You Here

Who the Heck Are the Joneses, and Why Are You Trying to Keep Up with Them?

Adding to the Cart

Emotional Buying

Buying What You Can’t Maintain

The Influence of Advertising

Chapter Two: Start to Become Empowered

Crafting a Budget

Examples of Budget Sheets

Worksheets for Expenses

Fixed Expenses

Flexible Expenses

Discretionary Expenses

Time to Calculate

The Frugal Philosophy

Chapter Three: Discovering a New Outlook on Life and Money

Identify Your Values: Work, Friends, and Family

The Value of Money

The Value of Living for Tomorrow

Chapter Four: Staying on the Right Path

Find a Hobby

A Life without Credit Cards

Differentiating Needs from Wants

Chapter Five: Teach Your Children Well

Talk to Your Kids about Money

Kids and Values

Prepare Your Teenagers

Chapter Six: Introduction to Banking

Choosing a Bank

Credit Unions

Types of Accounts

What Is a Check?

How to Open an Account

Electronic Banking

Types of Loans

Investing Your Money

Mutual Funds

Chapter Seven: Continuing on Your Financial Freedom Quest

Find Your Green

It’s Time to Step Out on Your Own

Glossary

About the Author

Index

Cover image: Debra Todd

Cover design: Paul McCarthy

Copyright © 2013 by Howard S. Dvorkin, CPA. All rights reserved.

Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey.

Published simultaneously in Canada.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc., 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, [phone], fax [phone], or on the Web at www.copyright.com. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, [phone], fax [phone], or online at www.wiley.com/go/permissions.

Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: While the publisher and author have used their best efforts in preparing this book, they make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this book and specifically disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales representatives or written sales materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation. You should consult with a professional where appropriate. Neither the publisher nor author shall be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data:

Dvorkin, Howard S.

Power up : taking charge of your financial destiny / Howard S. Dvorkin.

pages cm

Includes index.

ISBN 978-1-118-73149-9 (paper); ISBN 978-1-118-78056-5 (cloth); ISBN 978-1-118-73141-3 (ebk); ISBN 978-1-118-73152-9 (ebk)

1. Consumer credit. 2. Finance, Personal. 3. Debt. 4. Budgets, Personal. I. Title.

HG3755.D874 2013

332.024–dc23

2013014157

I dedicate this book to all of the millions of people I have come across over the last few decades who have allowed me to impact their lives in a positive way.

To April Lewis-Parks and Brian Bienkowski for all of their assistance and research to help produce a product that I can be proud of.

To my family, who are as always my strength, my passion, my being . . .

Introduction

Now that you have opened this book and are taking the time to read this introduction, I want you to think of this as a new day, a new beginning, a new journey, and a new you. Your past financial difficulties are just that—in the past; they are over with and done. It’s time to take control of your financial and personal life and I’m going to help you do that.

We are officially a team working toward the goal of getting you back on your feet, confident in your ability to handle your finances and thrive in this unpredictable world. Stick with me and I’ll help you be a better money manager and give you tips on how to ignore the myriad of outside influences that persuade people to spend money.

I realize money is important, but how you spend it and what you spend it on is more important. You will come to learn that and realize, as you continue to read, that you are not alone in this journey. Millions of Americans have suffered some sort of financial turmoil. Some fight back to regain control of their lives and some don’t. You are a fighter. You want your life back. We are going to take some punches along the way but we are going to keep swinging, keep fighting, and working toward your goal.

You are your own person. You don’t need to impress anyone; you simply need the courage and the guidance to see this journey to the end. I know you have the courage and I will supply you with the guidance. So let’s make the commitment to fight together and finish this freedom quest.

Chapter One

The Path That Led You Here

Okay, it’s happened. You’ve lost your financial freedom and now you have to start making changes to get back on your feet. It’s easy to make excuses, and there may be some legitimate issues that spurred your run of bad luck. You may have lost your job or were confronted by medical bills that you just couldn’t pay. That happens in life and it doesn’t seem fair. Unfortunately “fair” plays a minuscule role in the world of personal finances. Regardless of the reason, now, not later, is the first day of your financial life and you need to take charge. You and only you must be in charge from this day forward.

If you’re reading this book, debt, spending, and overall unfortunate cash management probably prompted your tumble off the cliff. You’re not alone. Millions of people take that same fall every year. In this country debt is as prevalent as shopping malls, but the insidious thing is you don’t see it—you don’t advertise or brag about it. You keep debt to yourself. You sit in your bed at night thinking about it, wondering how it got this bad. The debt is always there, like a bad habit that’s nearly impossible to break. You hide it as best as you can because you don’t want anyone to find out. It’s somewhat embarrassing, and it’s frustrating because most people don’t know what to do about it once it occurs. You didn’t mean to get into debt; there was no plan—“Hey, I think I’ll get into debt this year.” Some folks even rationalize debt as part of our culture, by thinking that everybody is in debt.