7 Money Mantras for a Richer Life

Abridged
Author: Michelle Singletary
Narrator: Michelle Singletary
Genres: Business, Finance
Publisher: Random House (Audio)
Date: December 2003
Length: 5 hours, 15 minutes
Ratings:
  • Book Rating: 2.5/5
Formats:
  • CD

Overview

The best financial planner Michelle Singletary ever knew was Big Mama, her grandmother. Big Mama raised Michelle and her four brothers and sisters on a salary that never reached more than $13,000 a year. Yet at her death, Big Mama owned her own home, had paid off a car loan, and had a beautiful collection of Sunday-go-to-meeting church hats and a savings account that supplemented her Social Security check and small pension. Most important, she had taught Michelle “7 Money Mantras for a Richer Life.” Those mantras serve as the inspiration for this straight-talking book of practical personal financial advice that really works.

The 7 Money Mantras are:

1. If it’s on your ass, it’s not an asset!
2. Is this a need or is it a want?
3. Sweat the small stuff.
4. Cash is better than credit.
5. Keep it simple.
6. Priorities lead to prosperity.
7. Enough is enough.

Michelle Singletary is a syndicated columnist for The Washington Post whose popular personal finance column appears in more than 120 newspapers. She’s also a mother of three children who understands what it’s like to live on a budget. In a plainspoken, sassy, no-nonsense voice, Michelle provides answers to the financial issues that confront almost every household: how to teach children the value of money; how to address money issues in a relationship or marriage; household saving tips; getting the best loans; and much more.
“This book is about saving enough money to have choices,” she writes. “It’s about feeling free to be cheap if you can’t afford to buy a ton of gifts at Christmas. It’s about eliminating wasteful spend-ing so you can begin to save and invest. It’s full of uncommon commonsense lessons and guidance on the way people should use their money.”
With humor and down-home financial wisdom, Michelle Singletary offers practical and realistic advice that will help you live well with the money you have.

Reviews (8)

For Beginners

Written by Anonymous from Scottsdale, AZ on October 4th, 2007

  • Book Rating: 2/5

Be forewarned, this book is more of a beginner's guide to financial management. If you have a solid knowledge of personal finance principles, you may lose interest in this book. The author's style is informal. She even had me chuckling at times. It does present good information, albeit more geared toward the beginner.

7 Money Mantras for a Richer Life

Written by Linda Dawes on September 2nd, 2005

  • Book Rating: 5/5

This is one of most practical, common sense guides to becoming richer. I enjoyed listening every minute. I need a table-top version.

Simplistic but Worthwhile

Written by Anonymous on May 10th, 2005

  • Book Rating: 4/5

A bit simplistic, but common sense seems to be largely lacking in modern consumers, so the advice is timely.

7 Money Mantras for aRicher Life

Written by Anonymous on May 1st, 2005

  • Book Rating: 2/5

Not that useful for anyone who has any money looking for smart insight. Geared toward someone with massive credit card debt. Author should invest some of her own money in diction lessons.

7 Money Mantras for a Richer Life

Written by Anonymous on April 16th, 2005

  • Book Rating: 1/5

I could not even bother finishing this CD. It should be titled "Learn How to be the cheapest person alive".

Easy Listening

Written by Super Commuter from Austintown, OH on February 9th, 2005

  • Book Rating: 4/5

I loved the casual tone and presentation of the common sense financial advice. It was a refreshing change after listening to several stuffy financial advice audio books. Even though I didn't really learn anything I didn't already know, I liked listening to the author and found her examples and stories fun and entertaining. This book contains practical advice for the masses, not just those that already have a lot of money and want to know what to do with it. So if you are an everyday Joe without much background in financial planning this book might be fun for you, but if you already know some things and aren't in it for the entertainment and anecdotal stories then you may want to pass.

Rent for you high school teens

Written by kk2again on February 2nd, 2005

  • Book Rating: 5/5

There are a couple of "reminders" that will put you in motion to work on your own financial house. Get it for the kids 'cause they don't teach this in high school and my teens won't listen to me.

7 Money Mantras for a Richer Life

Written by Anonymous on October 5th, 2004

  • Book Rating: 3/5

An ok listen. It is very basic, though a good start for those who have never done any financial education or financial planning. Though the advice is pretty good, it is fairly basic.