The Money Answer Book: Quick Answers to Your Everyday Financial Questions

Dave Ramsey has been on so many TV interviews and has been profiled so often in newspapers, there just isn't much new left for him to say about his ultra-conservative approach to money management. So it is, then, that The Money Answer Book gives an easy-to-read distillation of all of the key Ramsey commandments for financial success. You can read the entire book in 90 minutes, even with time to pause occasionally to weigh a matter he is discussing. There are checklists to fill in for budgeting and goal setting; there are little hotboxes offering pithy quotations ("Well done is better than well said" - Ben Franklin); and there are biblical references within the text and in sidebars.

Whether reading this 160 mini-book, listening to Ramsey on his radio show, or attending one of Ramsey's workshops, his bottom line always comes down to some very basic premises: (1) all credit cards are harmful; (2) people are in financial messes because they overspent, didn't plan, and lacked discipline; (3) everyone needs a fallback position of three to six months of reserve cash, food, and other necessities; (4) the outside economic picture has little influence on individual households that have learned to save, invest, budget, and tithe; and (5) there is nothing wrong with being incredibly wealthy so long as one uses his or her wealth appropriately.

Sections of this book deal with brass tacks issues such as bankruptcy, divorce, estate planning, saving for college, and contract negotiations (don't become a co-signer is his main point on this last issue). However, to delve deeply into these areas Ramsey has longer, more explicit books, such as his best-seller Total Money Makeover. -- Dr. Dennis E. Hensley, Christian Book Previews.com

A little over 3 years ago I had over 20,000 dollars in debt and a lot of it came from Credit Cards because of my out of control spending habits and lack of budget. I pretty much hated life thinking that life was about living paycheck to paycheck. Well things changed when I went in to look into what it would take to buy a house. I knew I couldn't afford it but I really wanted to look into getting a home. The loan officer saw how little I had left after paying my bills and decided to teach me what a budget was. I really had no clue just like many Americans sadly. He also gave me the best advice anyone could have given me, he told me to listen to this guy named Dave Ramsey on the radio. I took his advice and listened every day and I even downloaded his podcasts.

Dave Ramsey gives great advice on how to handle money and get out of debt and pretty much this Money Answer Book takes all the common question that people ask Dave on a regular basis on his show about what to do and it groups things by theme. It contains some great advice and even has a sample budget forms. I use this book from time to time as a quick reference guide. I even buy extra copies for people who are looking into how to be better with their money.

Thanks to Dave and the answers I got from him (like what is found in this book) I have been debt free for several months and it feels great. When I start getting into my old spending habits I pull this book off my shelf and use it to help me refocus.

I recently had the opportunity to read The Money Answer Book by Dave Ramsey. This book is what I would call a "must-have" for anyone just starting out in their financial life or who has managed to get themselves into a money-related jam.
Some of the information is basic knowledge but there are also a lot of little known tips even for someone like me who has worked in the financial industry.
It is written in a question and answer format which makes it easy to follow and find the information that applies to your situation. Dave Ramsey explains in everyday language what steps to take to pay down your debt, deal with debt collectors, save for a rainy day, plan for retirement and he provides answers to many other money-related topics. He provides a "Baby-Step" action plan, for achieving your financial goals, that breaks everything down into simple actions for you to follow.
Overall I found this book an interesting read and I have no hesitation in recommending it for someone looking for some helpful tips fro getting themselves on track financially. I enjoyed the way it's broken up into small segments making it less tedious than a lot of other financial books I have read.


Disclaimer: I was provided a a copy of this book by Thomas Nelson Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own.

When I worked as a loan officer and as bill collector {just a job please dont shoot me}, I was amazed at how little some people cared about their personal financial situations. On the other hand, there were many who DID care, but had no idea where to start looking for answers in the huge world of finances, money, savings, investing, retirements, loans, credit scores, etc. The 'money' world can be quite scary.

Dave Ramsey, a leading financial expert, has written 'The Money Answer Book,' to help anyone and everyone charter the waters of the money world.

He covers questions such as:

"What are Debit Cards?"
"Do I need separate checking and savings accounts?"
"When should I start giving my kids allowance?"
"What is the envelope system?"
and
"What is a will?"

He also gets into more uncharted territories such as:

"I'm deceiving my spouse about money, how can I come clean?"
"My spouse just left me, how do I protect my credit?"
"Aren't private schools and private lessons and investment in my child's future?"
"How can I invest in Mutual Funds with companies that align with my spiritual values?"
and
"Is it acceptable to 'pause' tithing in tough financial times?"

My favorite question is "What's the most important financial principle?"

The layout of "The Money Answer Book" allows for a read through or a quick reference and would make a great gift for say a COLLEGE GRADUATE. This book will give you all the info you need to get started in making a budget and wise financial decisions.

As Mr. Ramsey puts it "Personal finance is 80 percent behavior and only 20 percent head knowledge." The Money Answer Book will give you much more then the needed 20 percent :)

Thank you to the Thomas Nelson Book Sneeze Club for providing me with a complementary copy of The Money Answer book for my review. I was not paid for my review and the opinions expressed are my own.

This is a small book you can carry around in your car or purse or briefcase to read on the go. Almost every page has only one question and one answer, so even if the answer seems short it gets you thinking about the issue, like debt, college, retirement, using cash, paying things off, having a will, investments, allowance, budgeting, co-signing loans, divorce, and many more. The Dave Ramsey web site has the most current links to inexpensive legal documents you may want to consider creating. This book is a good way to talk about money at the dinner table for family discussions too. For the price, it is a great deal and can really help people rein in their habits and start getting their money working for them. Recommended for both spenders and savers (and you know which one you are).