Napkin Finance: Build Your Wealth in 30 Seconds or Less

by Tina Hay

WALL STREET JOURNAL BESTSELLER

“An incredible, compelling read. It covers an astonishing amount of ground with basic simplicity and good humor. A masterful starting point for any investor. Tina Hay is a wizard.”—Ben Stein, economist, author, actor and commentator

A handy crash course in personal finance, Napkin Finance is the groundbreaking guide everyone needs to help them manage their money and feel more secure.

Surveys have found that two thirds of Americans can’t pass a basic financial literacy test, and nine in ten believe personal finance should become a required high school course. Tina Hay understands the confusion. While attending Harvard Business School, she struggled to keep up with classmates–many of whom came from the banking world–when it came to understanding jargon and numbers-heavy concepts. Tina developed a visual learning strategy using sketches and infographics that helped her succeed in her studies and master even the most complex financial topics.

Since then, Tina founded Napkin Finance, a thriving company built on the concept of taking seemingly overwhelming topics—such as budgeting, investments, and retirement accounts—and turning them into simple, skimmable explanations. Now, she’s synthesized the most important content into this personal finance handbook. Napkin Finance includes dozens of individual learning modules, on topics ranging from credit scores to paying off student loans to economics and blockchain.

The first illustrated guide that makes finance fun and accessible, Napkin Finance can help even the most numbers-phobic reader learn about complex financial topics without dying of boredom. 

Genres: Nonfiction, Finance, Personal Finance, Money, Self Help, Business, Adult

285 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 30, 2019

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 1 out of 5]

I picked this book up because I love the idea of napkin sketches to explain things (as someone who has learned a large number of things that way - thanks, Dad!). I also got it because even though I have a solid handle on finance, I wanted to expand my financial literacy, especially related to investments.

However, I was disappointed. This book is extremely repetitive and covers topics that are less pertinent at the cost of going in depth on others in my opinion. I would've liked to see more information on investments, retirement and basic economics; I could've done without the explanations on the future of money, bitcoin, "wow your friends" and how companies work. It also defined some terms but not others, leaving me more confused about the more complex topics. Additionally, the order of the book felt off, covering investments before taxes or saving for college/retirement.

Another issue with this book was the weird Napkin Finance snarky comments inserted throughout the book. They were REALLY awkward and weird. Such as "It is important to have an emergency fund in case of unexpected employment. It's important to have a barf bag and pickles in case of an unexpected pregnancy" (pg. 23). Like...what ON EARTH is that doing in this book.

I think (??) the target audience for the book is possibly teenagers, given the snarky comments and napkin drawings. However, some of the snarky comments felt like they were aimed at adults well on their way in life, not teens, so I honestly have no idea.

My biggest beef is that a fair amount of the tone in the book felt extremely condescending and shamey. One of those snarky comments included "If only everyone was as invested in budgeting as they are in finding a show to binge-watch on Netflix"(p. 10). Sure, budgeting is important, but why are we chastising folks for doing something that they enjoy?

The part that almost made me throw the book at the wall was this tidbit: "In a year, the average American family spends $710 on their pet, $558 on alcohol and only $110 on reading materials. #priorities" (p. 9).

Why is Hay throwing shade here?
Why is Hay implying if you spend more money on books, you're better than others who spend more money on their pet or booze?
Some people just don't like to read. And that's okay!
Let's stop shaming people for pursuing things they love.

Also, there are these things called LIBRARIES which provide books for FREE. What a wild concept to ignore in a section about BUDGETING and SAVING MONEY in a FINANCIAL LITERACY BOOK.

My friend Jess summed it up best "I drink a lot faster than I read so sue me, lady."

The money I saved in checking this out from the library, as opposed to be purchasing it, will go towards my drinking.



Cheers.

[Z · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very basic and high level, so as to be almost useless.

Also full of cringey jokes.

[Sean Tordecillas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved reading this book because it broke down personal finance concepts in an easily digestible manner. I liked that the author included quips in each chapter (even though other reviewers had a problem with them) because it helped turn the material into a more light-hearted, fun, and engaging read instead of some unfamiliar, abstruse topic that might be associated with learning about handling money. The humor, brevity, and graphics are great touches on this book since some topics at first glance can seem discouraging to try and learn/read about on your own so yes I’m grateful for that; this would make a cool book to share with your friends!

[Kristian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Es un libro muy básico, toca diversos temas pero no profundiza en ninguno. Si vives fuera de Estados Unidos una parte de este libro no será útil para ti porque está enfocado en leyes y regulaciones estadounidenses. Si no sabes absolutamente nada del tema está bien para comenzar, pero si ya sabes algo probablemente lo encuentres un poco tedioso.

[Ardith]

I liked this book. I'm not going to rate it, but from now on, I'm taking one star off every book that tells me one of my main financial strategies is to stop buying coffee every day.

Other than that, it was a helpful primer and would be good for explaining financial concepts to high school students or adults who are trying to understand the basics.

[Erica Hayes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great snippets and descriptions of many aspects if finance. I read some things I already knew, but learned a lot of things as well. Things that I could really use to improve my finances! Great, easy read.

[Harrison Satcher · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read (mostly introductory) personal finance books to help me fall asleep at night. They're typically pretty dry and uninteresting and I don't have to pay too close attention because after you read one you've read most of them. This one was better than most, very quick and clean. Super basic, would only recommend for those with no background. Is good for what it sells itself as, though.

[Kristi Denham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a fantastic book! I will be buying more copies and gifting this book to people going forward because it easily explains intimidating financial concepts in simple terms. I hope they write more books like this in the future! This is a keeper for my library to reference when it need to.

[Caroline · Rating 2 out of 5]

Parts of this were informative, but one of the suggestions to pay off student debt was to become a software engineer - not sure how this is sound advice for the general reader.

[Carol Kressen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I saw this book on an online list of great gifts to give a high school graduate and decided to check it out. "Fundamentals of personal finance" would be a better subtitle to this book than "Build your wealth in 30 seconds or Less." There are no get rich quick schemes - the book doesn't offer or endorse them, but rather provides tried and true guidance, not from mom and dad. Maybe the kids will listen?

Lots of financial terms explained in easy to understand language. Published in 2019, so even bitcoin is included. (I needed that one). Each chapter starts with the napkin explanation, then delves into terms and guidance in greater depth. Some interesting random facts/examples included to drive points home. Each chapter ends with key takeaways.

I read the whole book in about an hour. Not sure that it would truly be read by a high school graduate, but if it was, that would be great. Maybe instead follow NapkinFinance on Instagram and get it in small doses, the way it was intended?

[Bakari · Rating 2 out of 5]

Seriously basic, don't waste your money

While it may make for nice coffee table display, this book only provides definitional explanation of economic and financial terms and concepts. You're not going get any in debt understanding of budget or investment strategies, how to improve your credit score, or real understanding about different economic systems. She compares capitalism vs communism using sweeping generalizations.

If you're just starting to learn about personal finance, check out good videos on YouTube, read "Rich Dad, Poor Dad," "Financial Freedom," by Grant Sabatier. Yes there's nuggets of information and fun facts in this book, but it's like a well designed Wikipedia of financial and economic terms. It's not a useful guide for personal finance and wealth growth. And the sub-title is down right silly: you can't build your wealth in 30 seconds or less.

Don't waste your money on this book.

[Alejandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an introduction for finance. It is very basic. This is a great books to give to a kids 14 years old and up,or someone who wants to learn/ understand finances. The book is full of fun facts and funny quotes. Favorite quote is "Teach your kids about taxes by eating 38% of their french fries." It is an easy read. This will help you understand or start a conversation with an advisor.

[Alma Grandberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an introduction to finance, it doesn't go in depth with the concepts but it does touch base on quite a few things that we aren't taught in school. It's great as a starting point (which is what it's meant as) or for someone who my need things broken down into terms the understand.

[John McPhee · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS is easy to read and is clear and well organized ... is a great example of how to make complicated topics memorable. Also a great use of diagrams and flowcharts to bring pictures and quant concepts to life.

[Holly Pablo Monasterial · Rating 3 out of 5]

We grabbed this book from the 'new' shelf during our mad dash to borrow heaps of books from the library before they shut down indefinitely due to COVID-19 concerns.

I agree with other reviewers that this would be a great book to give a high school student or young adult. I would have appreciated it in my earlier years because it gives just a little bit of info about many financial topics. Nothing too heavy.

Each section/topic opens up with cute doodles. I could do without the silly jokes throughout each section, and the chapter quizzes are a little obnoxious so I skipped those entirely. It's appropriate for this title though, as the playfulness lends well to the lightning-round tone of this book.

ps: I first learned about Napkin Finance from the So Money podcast with Farnoosh Torabi, and I love that Tina Hay collaborated with Michelle Obama for the former First Lady's education initiative, Better Make Room!

[Elanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Finance 101 for dummies like me. Very useful for introducing yourself to basic terms and concepts in a practical way, directly linked to real-life advice, although it's a bit gong-ho about stock investment and how wow capitalism is. Well, it's American.
Of course, if you don't live in America, you can gloss over the chapters on student's loan repayment and other American quirks.
And the one on Adam Smith, and the Invisible Hand. Capitalism unbridled regulates itself. Of course, what can possibly go wrong?
Let's say that the book fails miserably at the end, when it leaves the technical solid ground for the mires of the likes of game theory. Still good to have at hand until I grow more confident about the basics.

[Susan Bewley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before I go any further, I want to make one thing very clear – this is an introductory book to finance. This book gives a very basic understanding of very important financial topics, allowing anyone to learn anything they need to know in the financial world, such as getting your force mortgage, crowdfunding, insurance, and more.  As someone who taught high schoolers, I would love having this book as a textbook with my students, especially with the very down to Earth approach the book takes, accompanied by fantastic illustrations. Overall, I think Napkin Finance: Build Your Wealth in 30 Seconds or Lesson is a fantastic introductory book.

[Kayla · Rating 3 out of 5]

To be honest, I almost abandoned this book because I felt like some of the advice in the beginning about saving money and taking on debt is absolutely terrible, and I agree that most of the fortune cookie-like "Finance Napkin" sayings at the end of the chapters were weird and awkward. But then after page 50 or so it started to get interesting because then it started covering types of investments that are relevant to this era, simply explaining ETFs, blockchain technology, and the Invisible Hand and Game theories in layman's terms so I'm giving it two more stars than I originally would have. So my "Finance Napkin" advice? Start this book on page 50 (upside down smily emoji face).

[William Jeanes Memorial Library]

The book "Napkin Finance" by Tina Hay had some good basic information, but sometimes went into odd tangents on things like crypto currency. At this point, I've just come to expect fearmongering about social security as par for the course for books on finance. While attending Harvard Business School, she struggled to keep up with classmates–many of whom came from the banking world–when it came to understanding jargon and numbers-heavy concepts. Tina developed a visual learning strategy using sketches and infographics that helped her succeed in her studies and master even the most complex financial topics.
-Patron S.N.

[Erika wickwire · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, the author broke down different financial topics so normal people can understand more difficult concepts. I really enjoyed the tidbits at the end of the sections, alot of the time they were quite funny or punny but they went with the theme. The author also included short multiple choice quizzes at the ends of the chapters and used graphs/colorful info graphics to help those who are visual learners.

[Brittney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brief, informative. I wouldn't say it "builds wealth in 30 seconds or less" but I would say it provides a very digestible surface-level insight of the many aspects of finance. If you already have knowledge of finance or hate kitschy pop-culture jokes, this book isn't for you. If you are just starting out your financial journey and don't understand things like GDP, mutual funds, or 401ks, this is a good place to start.

[Lamya · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE this book so much. Finance and economics and all those related matters always bores me and I ended up feeling dumb, until I read this and now I UNDERSTAND IT ALL. At some points I kept thinking if my lecturers referred us this book it would’ve made things so much easier and I would’ve scored higher than average passing grade in economics and finance. It’s still my dictionary to the business world, and I can’t stress how much I love this book.

[Senica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel like this is a good book espeically for those who are either in college or about to go to college to really help get a jump start on understanding captialism and how our economy works, but really how to make our ecomny work best for you. It is a really basic book that gives you the outlines of how to best utlize things like investing and credit, but its a really good place to start for beginners.

[Jan Tell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book explains “finance” in a way that I can easily understand and manages to do that with a little fun. Topics include: bitcoins (which I knew nothing about), investing, credit cards, taxes, and more. It sets up comparisons (like ETFs / Mutual Funds) and adds in quotes and facts for fun. Here are a couple of my favorites:
“Teach your kids about taxes by eating 38% of their french fries” - Napkin Finance
“Do not save what is left after spending, but spend what is left after saving.” Warren Buffet
A LOT of the tips remind me of YNAB. There are a few… credit cards and the power of actual “Savings Accounts” … that give a slightly different view.
Well worth the read!

[Amber · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book provides a general overview of financial information from savings and budgeting to interest and investments. The chapters are short, begin with an illustration of the topic and then follow a series of bulletpoints explaining the concept. Probably best suited to a complete neophyte who might be intimidated by the world of finance, this is fast and very readable.

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was useful for learning a very simplified version of the basics. This book is by no means extensive, but it is very readable and easy to comprehend. My dad went to grad school with Tina Hay, so I was excited to read her book.I enjoyed it. It had fun tidbits and jokes here and there that made reading the book very enjoyable.

[Hannah Jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! It’s basic in that it gives you a good foundation of information— and it was humorous which made it less boring than many financial books (unless you enjoy that type of reading in general— like my husband). Also recommend them as a great graduate gift— in addition to some cash. 😉 That’s the reason I read it— if I’m going to gift a book of advice, I better read it first.

[Aristidis Marousas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought there would be more tips on how to actually create wealth. Instead, this book provides a basic education on the economy and finances. It did this well, so I’m giving it 4 stars.

Good for basic financial literacy.

[Julie Dahlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tina provides a good introduction to financial topics. I learned a bit more about cryptocurrency and online investments. I recommend it for high school and college students who need an easy, illustrated explanation of financial topics.

[Keisha Adams · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick easy to understand intro to some basic economic/finance theory with lots of charts and pictures. It is American, so I just skimmed the parts not relevant to my country.

Some interesting joke options for the end of chapter quizzes.