Wednesday, May 03, 2006

The Wall Street Journal Personal Finance Workbook Author: By Jeff D. Opdyke Publisher: Three Rivers Press ASIN: 0307336018

About This Book

Understanding your money, and getting it to work for you, is more important today than it ever was. It is your responsibilty to manage every aspect of your financial life, from day-to-day living expenses to planning a college savings fund and, ultimately, retirement. The sooner you start taking control of your financial life the better. The Wall Street Journal helps takes the mystery out of personal finance and addresses every topic you'll need to master, from building a solid financial base to growing your financial assets. Worksheets, charts, and step-by-step instructions throughout the book help you do the math and work through the basics, making it quick and easy to organize your cash and eventually build wealth. The book includes sections on creating a spending plan and budget; balancing a checkbook; making decisions about how much insurance you need; managing credit and debt; financing big expenses like real estate and education; understanding your appetite for risk; formulating the right asset allocation; building an investment portfolio; making real estate decisions like purchasing vs. renting; refinancing a mortgage; managing your 401(k); dealing with taxes; planning for college expenses and more. This is a hands-on, interactive guide to managing your money and building your financial future. Many of the worksheets in this book are available online and can be saved, printed and recalculated at any time. Author Jeff D. Opdyke is a financial reporter who has covered investing and personal finance for The Wall Street Journal for the past 12 years. He is the author of "Love and Money: A Life Guide to Financial Success."