Fabulous & Broke, The Money Book for the Young

Great book with some simple information that many disregard. A great book to read young and the information will last well into the future and assure guidence in the right direction. I have purchased a few of these books for my family and close friends. Well worth the few dollars I paid for them, even if it helps you only once. Many people need to refocus and spent money on there future. This is minimal expense and the return will be huge!

Great book for the financially non-initiated!

I grew up pretty clueless about finance and when I hit 18, I almost wrecked my credit. I don't have repossessions or foreclosures on my credit, but seeing the actual score was a wake up call and buying this book is one of the best things I ever did for myself.

I wasn't terribly familiar with Suze Orman and I dreaded reading a boring book full of dry prose but this book is a breath of fresh air! Orman's writing is upbeat and conversational in tone and you feel that she really knows her stuff and doesn't judge your for explaining things that may be common knowledge to others. The book is also VERY clearly organized and reads great from front to back or as a reference text that breaks down topics and questions into more bite sized portions when skimming through or for looking for a specific answer.

I wasn't sure how mortgages worked or what the difference was between a 401(k) and a Roth IRA, but now I know. I know how credit agencies calculate your credit score and I've learned that while shiny new cars are great, they are a depreciating asset and with this knowledge, I feel more confident about my purchasing judgement/self control and optimistic about my financial future and the new path I'm on.

This book is great for high school students who are embarking on their path as adults, for people trying to get a handle on their current financial situation or for people who have a general interest in economics and how our decisions, large and small, affect us in one way or another down the road.

A fantastic book that was a joy to read! I can't recommend it enough!

I bought this book on the recommendation of a friend, and have mixed feelings about it so far. One of the advantages of the book is she ties it into her website, so you can lo on to her site, take a quiz, and she will recommend what chapters you review first because of your quiz answers. I thought that was great. Some of the advice was spot on. The first thing Suze recommended I do was find out my Fico score. This was good advice, and I understand why she did it. However, the next thing she recommended was I get a will and a living will set up. I'm still young, I don't have a family, and I don't have many assets. But until I check this step as complete, I can't find out what I should do next.

The advice inside the book is mostly useful, though she spends a lot of time telling you what she's not gonna tell you to do. "I'm not going to tell you to give up your starbucks habit. I'm not going to tell you to do this, I'm not going to say do that" Sometimes I wish she's just get to the point and tell me what she IS going to tell me.

Still, the book is more good than bad, I keep referencing it as I try to get my financial planning future situation.

This book is thick and loaded with TONS of information and the way she formatted the book is helpful. The only thing that was a down side was I felt that the book was more so geared toward the young, fabulous, and broke people that are past the traditional college age (24& under like me) that are looking to buy homes, invest in stocks, 401k , fresh out of college & starting their career etc.... But I will say the section about credit cards and student loan debt helped me a LOT.!!! She explains everything in DETAIL and makes it easy to comprehend without making you bored (kind of like when your on a computer and click that you agree to the terms of service... even though you only read the first couple of lines and quit because you were so bored). This book is definitely a keeper!!! I will be cracking this book back open once I get into 401k's and other things of that sort.

sidebar: Don't be intimidated by how thick the book is. The way she formats it is helpful so it's easy to just skip around. (You'll understand what I'm talking about once you start reading it.)

Before buying the book, I watched Suze on PBS and was very impressed. The book is basically the PBS special in print.

However, I had a pretty good idea about a lot of the concepts that Suze covered in her book, so I'd say I only learned new information from about half the book. But, it's a great present for friends or family who are starting out on the path to financial independence, so I would recommend it highly.

This was a quick, informational book that I really enjoyed reading. I recently graduated college and started a new job and luckily I am not broke (and hopefully never will be after reading this). Even though I don't fit the "broke" criteria, I learned a lot about money from this book that I was never taught in school. It has great advice and the format of it makes it very easy to read. Suze Orman is not preachy and does a good job of explaining things in ways that people will understand. She offers a lot of solutions for different problems that people may encounter as well. There's also a website that goes along with the book so that you can input your own money situation and get personalized advice. I think anyone in their twenties or thirties could benefit from reading this book and I highly recommend it!

Suze Orman does an excellent job making tough topics seem relatively easy by comparing the ideas to everyday activities and items. However, she does tend to tailor examples to the female audience by comparing things to shoes or women's clothing. The book is very easy to read and she explains the financial words in light detail. It took me about 2 hours to read front to back, but it will take longer for those new to economics and finances. Much of it relies on Q&A located at the back of every chapter. I recommend this book to people below 23 and those people new to finances, but feel people that have read a finance book or two will not benefit.

I loved that it was explained through many relatable vignettes and application of the concepts she discussed. Many of the topics (i.e. trusts v. wills or life insurance) are not immediate areas of concern, but I've bookmarked the pages and will very likely re-read this book for those passages. Amazing and empowering!

Orman focuses on personal finance strategies for the completley broke, so if you're not then the book isn't quite as valuable to you as it would be to someone who is actually broke. Still, I was able to glean invaluable information and recommendations from Orman on basic personal finance dilemmas that are new to me. She's entertaining to read and you can read the book very easily (read it on a roundtrip flight between Boston and Philly).
This is a basic introduction to personal finance for the young adult- perfect for recent grads on their own for the first time.

Suze doesn't beat around any bush, she is straight forward. This was a good read and definitely geared to the audience as stated in its own title. You can get through this book very very quickly. Useful information for recent college graduates who are seeking to manage their finances, build a stable financial future, and NOT run themselves into major debt. In short, do not spend what you don't have!

Despite its goofy title, this book is very helpful to people facing money decisions for the first time.....the IRA at work, the Roth IRA, life insurance, buying a house, etc. Orman uses clear examples and helps folks understand how to wade through that financial stuff we all have to face. Also, she shows how time is on your side, and demonstrates the wonderful effect of compounding.

Amazing book! It is really tailored to the people that are starting to build a solid financial life. When you read it you will feel like a very knowledgeable aunt is giving you the advise. She is practical, warm, and even funny. The plans she offers are concrete and doable. It was the book I needed to regain hope in my financial future. Thank you Suze!

I bought this book for all my brothers and sisters. I highly recommend this book. It's entertaining to read, and is not too wordy. It doesn't try to stuff budgeting down your throat. And, it provides lots of "you really should do A, but if you insist, then at least do B," leaving you fully informed. Great book!

I started watching Suze's show about a month before buying this book, and both are just great. She gives real advice and puts it in a way that's easy to understand and follow. And when you've made a mistake with your financial choices, she doesn't just yell at you for making the mistake, she shows you how to fix it. I would recommend this book to anyone!!!!

This book was easy to read. I liked the format. It had some great tips on retirement, credit cards, and auto purchasing that I will definitely be using. My only dislike was that she assumes all of her Y, F, & B readers are all college graduates who are just starting off and will eventually be making a decent salary. What about young adults who left school without finishing their degrees and are stuck making barely over minimum wage?

I thought this book was outstanding. It broke things down in to very simple terms that anyone can understand. The only reason I give it 4 stars instead of 5 is I would like to have gotten more info on where to invest and into what I should invest in, but other than that it was outstanding.

I just finished grad school, and find myself with a massive amount of both personal and educational debt. I was feeling particularly helpless and unsure about the best way to handle my financial situation. Reading this book has help me put a plan in motion, beginning with taking control of my credit card debt. I highly recommend this book to people in similar situations, as well as to anyone who wants to get control of their life.

Love this book! There is advice for everyone broke or not. I highly recommend it for everyone. I bought extra copies so that my nieces and nephew can read it and they are 15, 12, & 11 years old. It is never too early to teach our youth what to do and what not to do with their finances.