Deal With Your Debt: The Right Way To Manage Your Bills And Pay Off What You Owe

by Liz Pulliam Weston

Most people carry debt for most of their adult lives. Yet, most books on debt focus mainly on how to pay it all off, and live forever without it. Too often, following that advice leads only to failure. People either give up, or pay off the wrong kinds of debt. They strand themselves with too little flexibility to survive a financial crisis -- and land in bankruptcy court. They neglect saving for retirement, homes, or college, and end up poorer than they might have been. For most people, it’s more realistic -- and smarter -- to control and manage debt effectively, rather than eliminating it completely. Debt Smart shows how. Award-winning personal finance columnist Liz Weston explains the rules and explodes the myths surrounding debt. Discover the crucial role debt can play in a portfolio, identifying debts that actually contribute to wealth and flexibility, while avoiding or eliminating “toxic” debts. Weston presents effective strategies for evaluating, monitoring, and paying every form of debt, from credit cards and mortgages to student and auto loans. She offers practical guidelines for how much debt one should take on. Find realistic (and often surprising) guidance on everything from home equity loans and 401K borrowing to small business loans.

Genres: Nonfiction

214 pages, Paperback

First published August 17, 2005

Reviews

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book offers a few helpful hints for those who know nothing about managing their finances. Much of the information is along the lines of 'don't purchase things you do not really have the money to pay for and put them on a credit card because you will end up paying threefold for that item and dig yourself a giant hole of debt' Duh. Then again, most American's should probably read this book.......

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting in that she says debt in and of itself is not bad and to be avoided completely. Rather debt is a useful tool when used correctly. The focus of the book is on when and why and how to (and not to) use debt.

[Gloria Creech · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book and another book by Liz Pulliam Weston called "Your Credit Score" helped me improve my credit from something very negative to the point that when I leased a car the dealer told me I was the first person he had ever met with that high a rating.

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

A must read for the finacially inept.