Lớp học về tiền

by Suze Orman

Cuốn sách làm thay đổi lớn về quan điểm sử dụng tiền bạc.
Lớp Học 1: Giấc Mơ Mỹ (Mới)
Lớp Học 2: Chấp Nhận Sự Thật Về Bản Thân
Lớp Học 3: Gia Đình
Lớp Học 4: Nhà Cửa
Lớp Học 5: Sự Nghiệp
Lớp Học 6: Lập Kế Hoạch Nghỉ Hưu Khi Bắt Đầu Bước Vào Độ Tuổi 20 & 30
Lớp Học 7: Kế Hoạch Nghỉ Hưu - Điều Chỉnh Kế Hoạch Nghỉ Hưu Vào Độ Tuổi 40 & 50
Lớp Học 8: Cuộc Sống Hưu Trí
Lớp Học 9: Bài Học Cuối Cùng

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

375 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

Suze Orman (born Susan Lynn Orman) is an American financial advisor, writer, and television personality.

Reviews

[Keri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Suze Orman and Dave Ramsey are the two personal finance gurus I like, not being a finance person per se (so I like the 101 version). Both discourage credit card debt, hate bond funds and strongly recommend emergency funds, debt payoff, easy investment vehicles, and not living beyond one's means (stating the obvious a bit there, but then again maybe not, since so many of us are in debt!). Orman is not nearly as debt-averse as Ramsey. Ramsey is hard-core against any and all debt, even so-called "good" debt like mortgages and student loans, that Orman and others give at least a partial green light to. Orman is also big on the hefty 8-month emergency fund almost before anything else, whereas Ramsey promotes the baby e-fund as step 1 and the heftier e-fund in step 3, with debt snowballing/payoff as step 2 and arguabley the most important step, "gazelle intensity focus", etc. This book of Orman's gives a great education on investments, which really gives me tired head after awhile. I hate finance in any detail. I just want to know enough to have a decent retirement, if I live that long. Between Ramsey and Orman's advice my husband and I are really focusing on getting out of debt and having some kind of nest egg when we retire, since who knows if Social Security will be around by then!

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did not read all of this book. I skimmed through parts of it, and read other parts carefully. This is a great, great overview of personal finances, college and retirement planning, and living 'below your means" as a strategy for surviving in the new American economy. The author believes that our old concept of the American dream is pretty much dead, and the our new dream needs to be much more centered on individual choices, personal responsibility, and the recognition that what people have taken for granted in the past--namely, government assistance--may not be there in the future. Very sobering stuff, but this book is chock full of useful information, simple definitions, and some very sage advice.

Eight years ago, I read (believe it or not) Elizabeth Warren's book The Two Income Trap, and my wife and I benefited enormously from now Senator Warren's excellent advice. When my wife's job was eaten by the Great Recession, we were prepared and managed to get through it relatively unscathed. That only happened because we educated ourselves about money, about our finances, and about how to live prudently even during the good times. Ms. Orman's book is of a similar type. Prepare now for winter, even if the sun is warm and shining, because winter alwayscomes. Some excellent advice here about how to make your money work for you, and how to talk to your children about money, especially when it comes to college.

My greatest concern about my personal financial future is related to the thing I have the least control over: politics. I am a public employee with a public pension. I am not in the least bit confident that my pension will be there when I retire, yet the majority of what I save per year goes toward that pension. If our state government finally does implode beneath all of the weight its placed on taxpayers and our economy, I am going to be screwed. Hard. I hope and pray it doesn't come down to that. Unlike the yahoos in Wisconsin, teachers in Massachusetts actually fund their own retirement benefits (to a large degree). I hope it lasts, I really do, but Ms. Orman's advice--grim as it may be--is sound: prepare for the worst. Be ready. That's advice that has served me well in the past.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Suze Orman has been spending WAY too much time with Oprah. This book mixed generic money advice that anyone who is likely to be reading a financial book already knows with feel-good spiritual nonsense. She kept going on about how you need to "Stand in your truth". Sounds like the title of a church sermon. I can just picture her on the Oprah show gushing about this book and how it can change your life, but to me it was all fluff and no substance. Nothing new to read here.

[Bridgid · Rating 3 out of 5]

p14 "Your FICO score....to qualify for the best deals...typically that means a FICO score of at least 700-720, and often lenders reserve their best terms for borrowers with FICO credit scores of 740 or higher. A great source can be found at ScoreInfo.org, a consumer site created by FICO"

p22" Debit card rules...decline overdraft protection....an overdraft is a sign of dishonesty. You are spending money you don't have. And it makes me nuts when you end up being stuck with expensive overdraft fees."

8 month emergency savings fund

Open a separate account for each savings goal

p80 "Financing is cheap, but not easy. As I write this in early 2011, mortgage rates are remarkably low. The fact that you can lock in a 5% interest rate on a 30-year mortgage is an incredibly great deal. But qualifying for that great deal is no easy task....higher credit score, higher down payment, proof that you have ample savings to be able to keep paying the mortgage if you are laid off, as well as full documentation of all your income and assets. Refinancing now requires having at least 20 to 30% equity in your home."

p84 "Renting or buying....answer yes to every item in my checklist:
Do you intend to live in your home for a minimum of five to seven years?
If you lost your job - or wanted a new job to advance your career - could you reasonably expect to find a comparable job locally (i.e. one that would not require that you relocate)?
Can you afford a 20% down payment?
Do you place a high value on knowing you don't have to answer to the whims of a landlord?

What you must realize is that when you go to sell you will need to spend about 8 - 10% on settling all your selling costs. The way the real estate system works, the seller pays all of the agents' fees; typically that is 6%. On top of that you may have to pay a transfer tax to your state or county that might be 1% or more of the sale price."

p88 "Lenders are now back to calculating how big a loan they will offer you based on your income....
* Your mortgage, property tax, and insurance (called PITI) should not exceed 25% of your gross (pre-tax) monthly income
* Your PITI and all other debts should not exceed 36% of your gross monthly income

First time homebuyer alert: Please do not think that you can afford a monthly mortgage that is equal to your current rent. There are many additional costs that come with home ownership that can add 30% or more to your monthly base mortgage rate.

Loan Modification
Short sale
Deed in lieu of foreclosure
Foreclosure

Recourse loan
Deficiency judgment, based on state laws

p114 "Dangers of Home Equity Line of Credit"
The vast majority of HELOCs are variable rate loans. The rate is tied to a financial benchmark, such as the federal prime rate. The prime rate is typically 3 percentage points higher than the federal funds rate that you hear about so often in news reports.....Interest rates are going to rise, and when that happens your HELOC payments will go up....If you fall behind on a HELOC the lender can foreclose on your house."

p140, Launching a business - can you afford it?
The personal checklist - Do you have an 8 month emergency savings fund?
You must not have any credit card debt
You must have a FICO score of 700 or higher

To finance the business, you have savings that can cover up to ONE YEAR of operating expenses for your business
You WILL NOT tap your retirement savings, home equity, etc...
You WILL NOT use your home as collateral for any personal or business loan
** find a Small Business Development Center, www.bplans.com/sbdc
Be careful about using your personal credit card for the business; this can affect your FICO score, which can lead to higher interest rates
Be careful about business credit cards; if you do get one, keep it only 30% of the total credit limit

p172, IRA account at a discount brokerage firm such as TD Ameritrade, Fidelity, Schwab, ING, Muriel Siebert, Scott-trade or Vanguard

If you are 49 or younger, contribute $416.65 per month to reach the annual maximum; quarterly, $1,250; in 2011, yearly limit is $5,000

p179, a 30 year old might aim for 70% stocks; keep an eye out for index funds....most index funds have lower expenses than managed funds

p180, "Total Stock Market", a mix of large, midsize and smaller companies
85/15 US and international stocks
15% of your stock portfolio should be an international fund
p181, Bond funds are dangerous, but individual bonds are good
Rebalance your portfolio once a year

p183, The best investment for your IRA and regular taxable accounts: ETFs
Exchange traded funds; like a mutual fund, except its fees tend to be lower; price changes throughout the day to reflect changes in the value of its underlying holdings; a mutual fund...has just one price a day, set at the close of business; ETFs strade like stock, so there is a comission to pay each time you buy and sell ETF shares

US Stock ETFs
iShares S & P 500 (ticker symbol: IVV)
iShares S & P Small Cap 600 Index (IJR)
iShares S & P MidCap 400 Growth Index (IJK)
Vanguard Total Stock Market (VTI)

Overall, make it a goal to save 15% of your pre-tax salary

p216 Full Retirement Age, wait until 67 or 70 if possible; estimate your social security benefit
If you take a lump sum from a pension, do an IRA rollover if possible
Work with a FEE ONLY advisor; many advisors make recommendations based on their commission, especially with large lump sums; check out www.napfa.org

p218, Joint and survivor benefits, the larger earner can leave their social security to their spouse
Take a monthly income check directly from a pension, DO NOT let an advisor convince you to take a lump sum and roll it into an annuity he can invest for you, again, COMMISSION; also, your pension generally is a guaranteed amount from your employer; a new annuity with change in market value
Also beware of advisors who want to sell you life insurance, and advises to take the higher single life only (social security) benefit

Try to pay off your mortgage before you retire
Decide no later than age 59 if long term care insurance should be part of your retirement plan

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

This would be good and quite useful reading for people with kids (or planning on having them soon-ish), people who don't really understand the importance of saving money and budgeting, people who are thinking about buying houses or condos, and people who are confused about how to save for retirement. This is somewhat less useful for people who are staggeringly in debt, or people who are employed and have a generally good sense of how to save and budget. Overall though, I think the section(s) on retirement and the importance of emergency savings would be useful for almost everyone.

[Tricia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, this book was good for me to read at this time. It was very interesting to get a handle on how much the 2008 collapse really influenced money, inflation, interest, etc. Even though I already knew about those things (and had seen the deflation in my own retirement accounts), I was just kind of ignoring it. This book kind of kicked me back into gear about being more proactive with my accounts.

I'm not a huge fan of Suze Orman's writing style, it feels a lot like fluff. That being said, she does simplify complicated things enough for the common man to understand. I liked when she used specific examples that were relevant to me (if a 25 year old save $415 dollars every month until the age of 70, with a 6% interest rate, they will have just under a million dollars in their account when they retire). I wish that there were more things like that, but this book was mostly targeted to those in their 50's. The majority of the book discussed how one could try to salvage what they had lost in the market before they retire in the next few years. Fortunately, I didn't lose very much (because I am poor) and have many more years to make up that loss before I retire, so I practically skimmed the last 20% of the book.

One thought this book left me with is gratitude that I started a retirement account for myself at the age of 18 and then contributed regularly. I always knew that even though it's not very much money, interest will do me favors in the upcoming years. I am more motivated, after reading this book, to keep a closer eye on my retirement accounts and re-tool them each year. I am also more motivated to try to find ways to contribute while in school. I don't know yet if it would be cost-effective, but I would like to start saving more without making student-loan debt increase.

I wish Suze would write another book targeted entirely toward my demographic (like she did with Young, Broke, and Fabulous). I feel like I'd get more out of that because I wouldn't be skimming so much.

[Keith Sorensen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disclaimers: This is my first Suze Orman book. I've been tempted to read some of her other works, but this is the first one I actually tackled. I was especially interested in getting her take on the "new economy," so I deliberately chose one that was written in 2011. Also, I've read many, many financial (and related) books by Dave Ramsey, Harv T. Eker, Napoleon Hill, David Bach, Thomas J. Stanley, Robert Kiyosaki and others, and I was curious to find out what set Suze Orman apart and gave her such prominence. (Ok, disclaimers, uh....disclaimed.)

The good: Orman absolutely knows her stuff. She seems to be up-to-date on the legal and financial climate of the country. She's also unapologetically realistic and forthcoming. The concepts presented in the book are fairly clear and easy to grasp.

The bad: This book is almost unbearably repetitive. From her disappointment in the government's efforts to help people facing foreclosure, to her disdain for bond funds, to encouraging the reader to, "stand in your truth," I felt like the salient messages in the book could have been boiled down to many fewer pages, and could have been a little more detailed and applied. While the larger concepts she presents are simple enough, there is almost no practical, day-to-day application value. The reader must figure it out on their own.

The ugly: The book is depressing. Her tone is condescending. The feeling I got from her was, "Know what? You're screwed. Yep, more than screwed, in fact. Now, there, there. Don't cry. You can get through this. Just get used to eating from trashcans and using the bus, and your New American Dream will be fulfilled." No, that wasn't the message of the book. It just felt that way.

Bottom line: The only motivation I received from reading this book was fear. And if that was her message, she succeeds brilliantly. I didn't feel inspired or educated, just scared.

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fast read... but being fairly smart on management, I didn't learn much. For those who are not familiar with retirement planning, home mortgages, 529s, etc, this book is a very readable collection of good practices to ensure your financial security. I do agree with Ms. Orman's main theme - you must be honest with yourself before you can make smart decisions reference money. One key quote from the book:

- ... there is one absolute, bedrock ground rule that will not change, no matter what is happening in the economic climate: You must begin planning for retirement from your first day on the job. Do not squander precious time...

[Kris Patrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

apparently the weather is so nice in Palm Springs that no one reads there! (I'm sure that's not true) Couldn't find a bookstore in town or a decent books at the airport on way home to Indianapolis. Could hardly find a thing to read in Phoenix airport either... it hurt to part with $16 but I needed something to read on plane and couldn't take one more celebrity rag...

Here's my big question: In Young, Broke, and Fabulous SO is completely against renting. In this book she has completely changed her tune! hmmm.
A good read to start the new year. Think I may start a Roth IRA.

[Jennifer K · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's one of my 2023 goals to improve my financial literacy and improve my own savings and investings.

Pros: Suze Orman has been around for a long long time so I trust her advice. I really appreciate how she is candid about finances, constantly reminding the reader to stand in their own truth of what they really can afford, and steps to take- along with suggested resources- to get to where the reader wants to be. I like how this was broken into "classes" on some major life milestones.

Cons: The book was published in early 2011, much of the advice is based on the economy situation at that time and everything we understood about the economy up to that point. So obviously, some of the advice is dated or should be added on with more of your own research. The only other thing I didn't like was that she will say things like "Say you have $100,000 to invest" which is unfathomable for most americans. So I feel like there should be a chapter, or another book, about growing your money with much smaller amounts. And finally, along with some of the info being outdated, some of the internet-based resources are outdated. Suze constantly refers to checking out her own website for the online "classroom" that should supplement this book but as far as I could tell, nothing she was talking about was easy to find on her website. This is understandable given that this book is 12 years old now, but I just want to put it here for anyone else considering this book.

In the end, I would recommend this book as a good place to start with the caveat that some of the statistics and some of the resources, and therefore some of the advice, are outdated.

[Sunshine Rodgers · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was very informative! Though sometimes it was complex and at times hard to understand (maybe because I'm not very finance-y), I am happy that she addressed so many issues and financial situations. It did make me more eager to save for the future and be aware of what my money is going towards and how to be financially successful now and in the future. She seemed to have a great handle on all the information she presents and uses examples upon examples of the best way to "stand in your truth" as you start to live the "New American Dream." It was refreshing and insightful, full of resources to use outside the book as well. I feel this is a book for any age and for any season in life because we can never be too prepared!

[Lorena · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read about a hundred pages and skimmed through other sections that pertained to me. I was amazed at Orman’s depth of knowledge. I wasn’t a huge fan of her writing style (a lot of imperatives - “I will insist that you ...” and very casual writing, at times).

I found a few gems (like not paying children for good grades or behavior). Actually, I really loved the whole section on family/young children finances and want to discuss with my husband implementing some of her ideas. For example, I didn’t know that we could add our teenager onto our credit card account so that she can start building her own credit.

I disagreed with some of Orman’s ideas, like a 30-year mortgage. I’m going to read Dave Ramsey next.

[Darby Smale · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to the audiobook. This book surprised me in a pleasant way. In the beginning Suze talks a lot about standing in your truth. I thought this was annoying and drawn out but change my mind later on. This book was written in early 2011 and a lot of people were facing financial hardship still from 2008. By standing in your truth she means be realistic about your expectations with money, your goals, and what you can afford. Some of this information is dated because it was written almost 10 years ago. But I learned a lot about different terms and financial options I was not aware of. I would recommend this for someone who is not very financially savvy like me.

[Ardith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was a bit worried about this book being from 2011, but actually I found that's what I liked most about it.

I wouldn't recommend it as your first finance book because a lot of the advice is probably a bit dated. However, I found the attitude about overcoming difficult times (the 2008 crisis) was really timely with me. A lot of finance books are for people who have a lot of money or people who are 23 and can make all wonderful choices going forward. It was nice to read one that was like, look, we've all gone through hard times, here's how we can fix it going forward.

Concrete and helpful with the right attitude and advice for where I'm at. Thanks!

[Smudgedink7 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Considering it was written in 2011, I got a few tips out of it; that's really I can ask from it. If you want advice specific to your income and issues - consult a live professional - this can only cover so much.

I thought listening to a finance book might make the subject matter less dense but it's far from enjoyable. A book would at least let you skim.

If the phrase, "Stand In Your Truth," was removed the book would easily be 1/4 shorter. I understand and respect the concept, it's repetition was unnecessary.

[Tori · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some sections: 5/5 ("I need to do this now!" "What an excellent idea!" "I'm highlighting this!")
Other sections: 1/5 ("what is going on?" "what does this mean?" "who is this meant for?")

I think that balances out to 3/5. I wasn't actually in the target demographic for this book, which I assume is the source of the majority of my confusion/boredom. I learned plenty about financial wisdom though, anyway!

[Mark Skinner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Suze did a fantastic job taking us through money and its influence and role in our lives. She writes in clear way to take the more complicated parts of personal finance easier to understand and gives the reader (me) more confidence in pulling off the tasks to achieve a more positive financial life. Thank you.

I recommend this book to anyone looking to create a better financial routine for you and your family. I think you can take what she shares and use it to improve your situation and future.

[Vertrees · Rating 5 out of 5]

She touched on all aspects of life- ‘standing in your truth’ is such great advice for all aspects of financial management. Can you afford that? Should you be helping your adult child when they are not helping themselves? Do you have enough money or planned well enough for retirement? Great advice and tips.

[1 Way Ticket · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book, but I think that the information applies to money novices/people with poor self control. This is fine I just don't fall into that category. I think female readers will appreciate her style more as Suze does a good job addressing the emotional side of money and particularly how it affects our relationships. DNF.

[KT · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely worth checking out of the library if you feel like you need a primer on how to save for retirement and what to do when you get there. Much of the content wasn't relevant to me yet because I have a while until retirement but the preview was useful. Biggest takeaway was that life is expensive so I need to save more.

[Stacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to the audio and narration was good.

I am 49; so found the first half of the book not applicable. So I would skip here and there - finding the good stuff that I could use as one closer to retirement half way through. Once I got to the halfway point is was great and I even found myself relistening as every word was making a good and relevant point.

One of her better books

[202 unknown · Rating 3 out of 5]

sách của Suze sẽ được giải mâm xôi vàng từ mình

mình mua 4 quyển của Suze, bản dịch tiếng việt. thiệt tình k hiểu sao đem in cái này chi cho tốn giấy, vì toàn là những thứ bạn chỉ áp dụng được ở Mỹ khi xét đến chi tiết. tất nhiên có thể các quy tắc khái quát thì k sai, nhưng vậy là k đủ. và viết nhiều, viết dài, nhưng nội dung các sách có nhiều chỗ trùng lặp nhau.

[Whitney · Rating 3 out of 5]

This isn't exactly a fair assessment of Suze, but the book is a little dated now (2022). She still gives good advice, but it could use a refresh given the current economic climate. This isn't the type of book you necessarily read cover to cover. It's better to skim and read the classes that apply most to you/ your stage of life.

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some good financial advice throughout but a bit dated as most of these types of books can be given the nature of the subject. Ultimately, diversify your investments, save as early as possible and at the end of the day, be honest with yourself about your finances and do what’s right but not always fun.

[Matt McCullough · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book with practical advice. I put it down for a while and picked it back up this year, so not sure how appropriate the suggestions are. But I like how she breaks it down with key steps for people at different stages in their lives, especially for the 40's 50's and how to live in retirement.

[Tatiana Machado-Griffin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned so much reading this book! It has helped me face some hard realities and get more realistic about my retirement needs and changes I need to make. I highly recommend it for those looking for financial advice and have no idea where to start.

[Paula ϟ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is essentially the Suze Orman Bible. If you’ve ever watched her show, there’s nothing in here you haven’t already heard. It’s mostly common sense finance and budget advice and is delivered on a broad spectrum. Don’t expect any deep dives into finance topics here, this is more of a general reference book. I would recommend it to finance and money management beginners.

[Glenn Banks · Rating 3 out of 5]

some aspects of this book are out of date, those specific about the great recession and housing. other aspect are not special to any other finance oriented book. this should be read for review, and/or for getting some knowledge for beginnings.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wished I had picked up this book when it was written and not in 2023. Much of the information is outdated, however, there is still a lot to take from this book. I skipped over some of the parts that were no longer relevant or that I didn't want to read and still learned a lot.

[Jo · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was on a long wait list at my library in 2024! I can’t believe we are lining up to listen to this much word salad about obnoxiously outdated content. This book was written for people underwater on their homes after the 08 housing crisis. Like…