Straight Talk On Your Money

Everything you know about money is wrong! In his thirty-year career, bankruptcy trustee Doug Hoyes has watched countless intelligent, well meaning people let their emotions get the better of them as they follow conventional financial wisdom and get into serious money trouble. Straight Talk On Your Money exposes some of the biggest money myths and traps that we accept as financial truths: why a good credit score may be detrimental to your financial well-being why a house is not an investment why you should never pay a collection agent why budgeting is a waste of time - and much more Straight Talk On Your Money cuts through the biggest myths about money and the hype of the financial industry to give you a fresh perspective, the facts you need to know, and practical advice to help you prevent financial problems before they happen. With a seasoned expert to point you in the right direction - someone who's seen thousands of people in financial crisis, and helped them out of it - you can make informed decisions, improve your financial health, and live a debt-free, stress-free life.

Simple Numbers can guide you to increased business profitability Take the mystery out of small business finance with this no-frills guide to understanding the numbers that will guide your business out of any financial black hole. Author Greg Crabtree, a successful accountant, small business advisor, and popular presenter, shows you how to use your firm's key financial indicators as a basis for smart business decisions as you grow your firm from startup to $5 million (and, more ) in annual revenue. Jargon free, and presented in an easy-to-follow, step-by-step format, with plenty of real-world examples, Crabtree's down-to-earth discussion highlights the most common financial errors committed by small businesses, and how to avoid them. You'll be fascinated to learn: Why your numbers are lying to you (and why you are the cause ) How labor productivity is the key to profitability and simplifying human resource decisions Why the amount of tax you pay is your #1 key performance indicator Take advantage of Crabtree's years of experience teaching clients how to build successful businesses by ''seeing beyond numbers'' with this step-by-step guide to increasing your businesses profitability.

Classic investment guidance for everyone As Chairman and CEO of one of the most respected mutual fund companies in the world, The Vanguard Group, Jack Brennan has made a career out of helping people invest for long-term success. In Straight Talk on Investing, he cuts to the chase and provides readers with sound advice and solid guidance to investing for today and tomorrow, in a bull market or bear market. Starting with a clear explanation of the financial facts of life, Brennan explains that investing is a lot easier than most people think. He shows readers how to develop a financial plan, construct and manage a sensible investment program, and maintain perspective in a sometimes crazy world. Refreshing in its simplicity and honesty, Straight Talk on Investing is a badly needed tonic to the hangover of the bull market of the 1990s. Filled with meaningful guidance for investors from a leading investment luminary, this invaluable resource will help readers make better investment decisions and restore financial faith in themselves, so they can confidently navigate the markets toward their financial goals. Jack Brennan (Wayne, PA) is the Chairman and CEO of The Vanguard Group, the world's second-largest mutual fund company, with $600 billion in assets under management and 15 million shareholder accounts. Mr. Brennan is a frequent guest on financial news programs and is regularly quoted in leading business and personal finance publications, including The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times. In 2000 and 2001, SmartMoney ranked him as one of the most influential individuals in investing. Marta McCave (Wayne, PA) is a senior financial writer for The Vanguard Group and a former journalist. She was a founding member of the national reporting staff of USA Today and was a contributor to a number of newspapers and magazines before joining Vanguard.

A practical and pithy guide to investing to help everyday investors achieve their long-term goals The 21st century has been beset with three financial market shocks in its first 20 years, the bursting of the Tech Bubble in 2000-2002; the Global Financial Crisis of 2008-09; and 2020 COVID-19 crash. Given this backdrop, it is no wonder that investing can appear to be so daunting to individual investors. As Chairman and CEO of Vanguard, one of the largest and most respected investment management companies in the world, Jack Brennan has spent his career helping people invest their money. In the newly updated More Straight Talk on Investing, he shares with you the lessons he has learned over his over four decades at Vanguard from a variety of market participants—from Main Street investors and 401(k) plan holders to veteran portfolio managers at the helm of Vanguard funds and sophisticated investment professionals overseeing top endowments and foundations. This a comprehensive, but approachable book will help you develop the knowledge, confidence, and discipline to navigate the financial markets and attain investment success over the long term. While the financial planning and investing principles covered are timeless, a considerable amount has changed in the nearly 20 years since the first edition, including new products and services, lower costs, and ever-evolving regulation and legislation. An entire generation of investors has come of age over the past two decades and could benefit from understanding that sound and sensible investing is an effective way to achieve financial security. This book will assist your manage your “serious” money—the dollars that you set aside for long-term goals, such as retirement or the education of your children. The book also emphasizes the concept of thinking of yourself as a “financial entrepreneur”—managing your financial life like owner manages a business. In a straightforward, plain talk manner, the book demonstrates how to: Build a balanced, diversified portfolio that meets your needs and goals Evaluate mutual funds and ETFs with a discerning eye Adhere to a long-term, disciplined approach to investing Control your emotions and tune out the incessant “noise” in the media Understand the risks and rewards of financial markets Develop a prudent plan and investment policy statement to guide your path forward Avoid the pitfalls and mistakes that can derail your investment program With wit and wisdom, Brennan relays anecdotes and observations that demonstrate the enduring investment precepts that will serve as a guide to novice investors and as a practical refresher for seasoned investors. He has also added three new chapters focusing on evaluating advice options, garnering lessons from endowments, and dealing with the challenges of a low interest rate environment.

If you're like most Canadians, divorce, blended families, market meltdowns, children who don't leave home (or who come back with babies in tow), health challenges, real estate mistakes, golden handshakes -- just to name a few -- have left you wondering just what exactly you're supposed to do next, this book is for you. In my 12 years of advising Canadians on the straightest path to prosperity, I've discovered that most books about money are about just that -- money. And that there isn't really a book about life and how money fits into it. That's why I decided to write one. I've organized the book by what might be happening in your life and how you can handle the money decisions that impact it. Therefore, if you've not experienced divorce, there's probably no need to read that chapter. Feel free to graze for the topics that mean the most to you. But don't miss the chapters "One Tick Box Can Change your Life" and "The Bucket system for Retirement." They are truly universal.

"Straight Talk for Startups memorializes age-old best practices and empowers both experienced and new investment professionals to beat the odds."—David Krane, CEO, Google Ventures "Straight Talk for Startups is filled with real, raw, and fact-based ‘rules of the road’ that you need to know when diving into our ultra-competitive startup world. A must read and a re-read!"—Tony Fadell, Coinventor of the iPod/iPhone & Founder of Nest Labs Veteran venture capitalist Randy Komisar and finance executive Jantoon Reigersman share no-nonsense, counterintuitive guidelines to help anyone build a successful startup. Over the course of their careers, Randy Komisar and Jantoon Reigersman continue to see startups crash and burn because they forget the timeless lessons of entrepreneurship. But, as Komisar and Reigersman show, you can beat the odds if you quickly learn what insiders know about what it takes to build a healthy foundation for a thriving venture. In Straight Talk for Startups they walk budding entrepreneurs through 100 essential rules—from pitching your idea to selecting investors to managing your board to deciding how and when to achieve liquidity. Culled from their own decades of experience, as well as the experiences of their many successful colleagues and friends, the rules are organized under broad topics, from "Mastering the Fundamentals" and "Selecting the Right Investors," to "The Ideal Fundraise," "Building and Managing Effective Boards," and "Achieving Liquidity." Vital rules you’ll find in Straight Talk for Startups include: The best ideas originate from founders who are users Create two business plans: an execution plan and an aspirational plan Net income is an option, but cash flow is a fact Don’t accept money from strangers Personal wealth doesn’t equal good investing Small boards are better than big ones Add independent board members for expertise and objectivity Too many unanimous board decisions are a sign of trouble Choose an acquirer, don’t wait to be chosen Learn the rules by heart so you know when to break them Filled with helpful real-life examples and specific, actionable advice, Straight Talk for Startups is the ideal handbook for anyone running, working for, or thinking about creating a startup, or just curious about what makes high-potential ventures tick.

In Straight Talk on Money the famous financial advisors share their wisdom on money and money management, discussing five questions to ask a financial planner, six ways to cut your credit card payments, and four types of insurance never to buy. In an electronic world of hype and hard sell, it is refreshing that the husband-and-wife team of Ken and Daria Dolan is not trying to sell you anything. What they do offer is good solid advice that shows you how to stretch your income simply and painlessly, how to make your money go further without scrimping on life's necessities or cutting out life's little luxuries.

All seven life-changing books from the Straight Talk series by bestselling author Joyce Meyer are within these pages. Readers will find powerful insights, stories of the author's personal experiences, and practical advice backed up with Scriptures and presented in Joyce's straightforward, incomparable style.