Household Gold

by Steve W. Price

Household Gold Explores the opportunity to convert household expenses into household income-and own your own life in the process.

Genres: Business, Finance, Nonfiction, Self Help, Buisness, Personal Development

Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

Reviews

[Stacy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm extremely surprised by the high ratings on this book. The only reason I'm giving it two stars instead of one is because there were a couple of good points in the beginning of the book about people thinking they can "get rich quick" by winning the lottery or gambling (and how that's not a realistic way to become wealthy) and there was an interesting story about a retailer during the gold rush. The rest of the book needs some major proofreading, and the main point of the book isn't even brought up until the last few chapters. The first chapters try to tell you that you are creating household equity every time you use up and buy more consumables like paper towels and shampoo (ha). The main point of the book is that you are somehow supposed to either buy your consumables directly from the manufacturers to get rebates and discounts (it doesn't explain the details of how one would do this) or become a "middleman" between Walmart and its suppliers (and, no, it doesn't explain how to go about doing that, either). At first, I thought maybe this was some pyramid scheme and at the end it would tell you to go to their website or call a number to get signed up. But it wasn't even that. It literally just told you to buy products directly from manufacturers or become a product rep, without any instructions or information about how to do that (which is ok with me, since that seems like it would be really impractical anyway). I definitely would say that the subtitle of this book ("How to Convert Household Expenses into Household Income") does not describe the content of this book. This has got to be one of the most useless books I've ever read.

[Acacia Green · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book made me rethink who I gave my everyday spending money to. Do I give it to a big chain, let them have the profit, or do I make the most of my money, and make my household expenses work for me.

[Kashmira Jadhao · Rating 3 out of 5]

While the book has a strong message of mining your Household Gold by being the middlemen between the manufacturers and consumers or the supplier rep, the writing is unnecessarily elaborated around the same concepts. This book could be well conveyed in half the number of pages of its current size.

Having said that, the credit of introducing the concept of alternate way of wealth generation, cannot be taken away from the author.

Finally, just reading the book is of no use unless a mechanism is sort for implementing the concept. The good news is such mechanisms are available today outside but the book does not mention them.

[Elia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I would not recommend reading it, if a „mentor“ told you to. The book is okay but not interesting and the numbers he uses are always strangly formulated and future predictions straightup wrong imo. (e.g. he said walmart will be the first trillion dollar company with not so good arguments, idk)

[Caroline St-Laurent · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bonne façon de pensée pour augmenter ton revenu autre qu’inmobilier!! Être payé à consommer tes propres choses, comme choses essentielles de la maison, produits ménagers, ect acheter sur un site que tu fais affaire avec le fournisseur directement, que tu n’as pas a acheter vers un commerçant! Je mets la note de 2, car le livre pourrait être resumé en 2 chapitres

[Talia Adrian · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really good insight on how to eliminate the retailer and add extra income to yourself.

[Mukundan Singh · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book genuinely opens up a new perspective to see the obvious to create wealth and take ownership of it. Truely a must read book.

[Marilyn Flower · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good basic primer outlining an idea easy to overlook. The case is well made--again and again, but fortunately it's a quick read and a short book. It totally supports c-commerce opportunities and is an idea's whose time has come. Given economic uncertainties, it sure makes sense to maximize any and all assets, with what in this case is called, "anyway money." it also paves the way for more conversation about the power of consumers not only in creating communities that then can leverage prices and profits, but be a voice for higher quality and more sustainable products--the interest in organic cleaning products just one of many examples. So open your cupboards and get familiar with this huge potential!!!!

[Eleftheria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ένα απ' τα καλύτερα βιβλία στο είδος του. Κατανοητή γλώσσα για ένα θέμα που αφορά όλους όσους αποφασίζουν για το νοικοκυριό τους.

[Aaron Lim · Rating 3 out of 5]

One idea: Be the middle man between supplier of goods and consumers; collect commission. Not a pyramid scheme as there is no need to stock up on goods to maintain one's status (Herbalife).

[Jose · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beyond the badly written and simplistic elaboration of the crusade that the author proposes, I do believe in the potential of message conveyed.
This book proposes the next step in the evolution of retail; a direct competion (not only against Wal-Mart as the author only explicitly states, but also) against all types of retail... "the middle man" in all our replenishable purchases.
Basically, it has become easier and more convenient to simply buy directly from the producer; with the technological innovations available, the traditional retail stores are becoming an unnecessary liability and therefore an obsolete element in people's live.
Just as the telephone replaced the telegraph, how cell phones made the pager go extinct, how Netflix put Blockbuster out of business, I do believe that this new model of retail has the potential to replace all retail stores. The author is not just competing directly with stores, but with a system that's in a completely different dimension. If there was ever an innovative business endeavor that I would bet my chips on, it would be this.

Some people might say, "but people like to go to stores for more than just shopping, it's a nice place to browse around and it gives us a reason to get out of the house."
I bet people said the same thing about writing and sending snail-mail, or about memorizing phone numbers, or about doing research at a physical library, but that generation soon dies off and the conveniences of the new system soon allow us to forget the extraneous comforts of the old. And soon people create and/or find other avenues to obtain those comforts.

I'm sold to the legitimacy of the model the author presents, I still gave the book 3 stars because it is terribly written (he communicates more like a speaker rather than a writer) and the message is shallowly communicated ("getting rich/financial freedom" is as big as the picture gets in the author's mind).

[Barrett · Rating 1 out of 5]

The author offers few good points, then just jump around parroting ideas without explaining how they could be applied. "You fail to see the obvious"-I've read this line a dozen times in the book, and there is no follow-up to that statement. The obvious, the obvious, ok, what is obvious? Okay, household stuff have equity in them. Yes, I've read this line a dozen times too.

This book is a poorly-written book, but may be some sort of parable for such pathetic individuals "downline" of a network marketing scheme. I'm starting to think Steve Price himself represents, or writes this book on behalf of, such a business. And you know what, when they have registered their IBO and become part of the pyramid, there is no way they'd realize how terrible a mess of ideas this book is.

Overall, I could only relate to the moral drawn from the Gold Fever example. Everything else are either too banal or plainly flawed. Have you ever tried to think what would happen to the people down the line when the network of buyers become too saturated? Well, think of that, and you will see why "Network marketing is the business of the 21st century" is nothing more than a big sham. If it were, Amway would be a top-tier business now.

And, don't delude yourself by saying something like "Network marketing shall thrive best in the age of internet, and we just haven't seen that yet. Look at Amazon, wasn't it unpopular until 2010?" No, ladies and gentleman, isn't its basis supposed to be mouth-to-mouth? The internet and technologies play no role here. Network marketing is an inefficient and bogus model in the first place. That is why it have not, and cannot, succeed. Period.

[Animesh Kharel · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is a total waste of time nothing in this book is exciting or informative. This book goes round and round about the importance of earning money through every retail product you have in your home but never actually gets to how it is done. This book focuses on MLM, Network Marketing and is mostly referred by the people wanting to add you to their downline. I am a big supporter of MLM and understand its importance on average working class family or individuals but better avoid these people who are trying to recruit you and cannot explain or choses not to explain the concepts of MLM and network marketing thenselves and gives you a copy of this book.

[Amber · Rating 2 out of 5]

90%-98% of the book is the author leading up to what “Household Gold” is. The rest is a blink-of-an-eye explanation of Household Gold as something that the discerning reader would know as a Multilevel Marketing Company. The author encourages readers to stop investing in retailers and grab income from consumers directly and “teach others how to mine gold” to get further income. Some good nuggets in there and quotes. If you’re looking for an answer to the question the author alludes to the majority of the book, you’ll get it in chapters 7 and 8. Chapter 8 was decent. Decent for a quick read!

[Shagun Sharma · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book could have been simply written in one chapter, or even in one line - be a direct retailer or a network marketer and you could just save yourself from going to the nearest Wal Mart.
Seriously? This book is a genuine waste of time. Till chapter 6, the mystery box is not even touched upon. 'There's a mystical way how you can convert your household expense into income.' And the fun part - you do not even completely get it after completing the book.

[Venkata Ramana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a lovely book for people who want to understand the enormous potential of what we all use on a day to day life. Especially the way the author explains about concept of household equity and anyway money. Highly recommend all individuals read to understand the bigger picture. This book made me rethink how I am spending money for household items and make my anyway money concept work for me.

[Priya Trivedi · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is an amazing book which talks about how you can create assets with the money that you would spend in your household anyway for the products that you need on a regular basis like vitamins, personal care products.
It talks of a great strategy to generate a cash back, cash flow and cash cow based on your efforts , talent and need.
We learn that our household also has an equity along with the house that we own.
Best quote:
Seeing the obvious is a matter of common sense, not intelligence.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book had some good concepts and explanation on household expenses. Really enjoyed reading about how companies (more specifically retailers) gained from this business opportunity. Didn’t give me applications for my own expenses. These are good concepts but without good application, I feel as though it’s just marketing gimmicks.

[Carl · Rating 1 out of 5]

I’m surprised that there are so many good reviews. This book gives unemployment statistics from 2003, tells you that gambling is a bad way to earn money, and explains that you should buy your household products wholesale (doesn’t say how, though). That’s about it. I really hoped to learn something useful, but I ended up wasting 3 hours of my time. :(

[Vipul Lawande · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has been one of the best books that I have had the opportunity of reading. It allowed me to see all the household products which we use in our daily lives with a whole new perspective.
A must read for everyone!!

[Mohammad Ak · Rating 4 out of 5]

I finished this book in a night. It has so much valuable information about strategy to start a business and get benefit from it. "If you own a gas station, you will not fill your car from another gas station"
This is basically what the book is trying to teach you. See the Obvious!

[Ngân Giang · Rating 4 out of 5]

Có thể tóm tắt là hoạt động kinh doanh nhượng quyền => nên làm để thay đổi việc ném vàng ra khỏi nhà thành việc sở hữu doanh nghiệp bất động sản bán lẻ của bạn. Hãy thay đổi mắt xích trong chuỗi dây chuyển.

[Jessica Earl · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot of repetiveness but good points were made in a great, upbeat, energetic tone

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Provides the concept of getting return on investment for everyday items that you have to buy daily from companies such as cleaning products food, etc.

[Heather Thomase · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommend this book.

[Vickie Moua · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book, but overly repetitive to get one point across.

[B. Mulenga Sindala · Rating 4 out of 5]

Everything in your house should pay you.

[Manish Choudhary · Rating 3 out of 5]

quite good

[Abhishek · Rating 3 out of 5]

Author has been successful in explaining one methodology which can be used to earn additional income.

[Rashida Serrant-Davis · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a quick read and an interesting perspective on how to become financially independent. It didn't blow my mind.