For women torn between shopping and budgeting, Lisa Serwin shares fun and creative money management tips in So Many Shoes, So Little Money: A Girl's Guide to Finance ( publisher Booksurge, 2009, ISBN: 9781439231214)
“Dressing with style takes patience, planning, and strategy. So does managing your money”, Serwin explains in the preface. There’s a pop quiz included that proves it’s not necessary to be a math whiz in order to learn how to create a plan, stick to goals and manage money.
Lisa Serwin includes but goes beyond the wise advice to use credit cards in moderation. She does this by providing easy to follow steps that teach how to save money while still having some leftover for fun.
How to Budget
Basic budgeting isn’t easy for everyone and this book would be helpful for the beginner budgeter to boost their confidence by pointing out the skills they already have. Balancing a checkbook and allowing for fluctuating bills are things that take practice. So Many Shoes, So Little Money is a useful tool that could help women avoid learning the hard way.
How To Spend
In How to Spend (Chapter 3) the differences between needs and wants are clearly outlined. So Many Shoes, So Little Money makes it easier to prioritize and budget successfully by sharing secrets that teach how to plan, focus, invest and hunt for bargains. There are also useful tips for curtailing impulse spending.
How to Save
There is sensible money saving ideas in So Many Shoes, So Little Money. They include: sticking to a budget, starting an automatic savings plan, tracking spending, avoiding debt, saving on utilities by going green, cutting down on take out and paying bills in full.
Other chapters expand on interesting information about how to choose and manage bank accounts, credit cards and checking accounts. There’s also a guide on how to choose a broker as well as information and tips on investments like stocks, bonds and mutual funds.
Professional Help
It’s a good idea to seek financial experts for certain tasks that could become complex. Serwin explains what accountants, attorneys, advisors, planners, stockbrokers and realtors specialize in as well as what to look for with their licenses and experience.
- There is fun “fashionista facts” included every few pages as an aside for light and fun educational trivia. All women may not be obsessed with fashion or shopping and that assumption may be So Many Shoes, So Little Money’s weakness. However, it is a witty and fun book that does serve the purpose of breaking down money management issues into non-threatening straighforward language. Lisa Serwin has a master's degree in business administration, so her ability to simplify her financial advice for young women is admirable.
More books for women:
Addicted to Stress by Debbie Mandel
Living a Charmed Life by Victoria Moran
How to Say NO And Live to Tell About It by Mary M. Myers
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