Book Review: Smart Women Finish Rich by David Bach

Every budgeting girl needs a guidebook to get her through the murky waters of financial lingo and foot-high stacks of tax forms and Smart Women Finish Rich by David Bach (Broadway, 2002) is an absolute life saver when it comes to all things money. This book provides clear, concise instructions for women searching for methods as to how they should be spending, saving, and investing their money. Smart Women Finish Rich is a gold mine of helpful facts, figures, and statistics - but without any of the drone or bore.

In a country that does little to prepare or educate its citizens about the importance of managing money David Bach shows up as a helping hand for women who may be confused or uncertain about taking the reins of their financial life.

In this groundbreaking book he provides advice on everything from estates, to 401ks, to mutual fund investing and ties it all together by a system that helps women identify values and priorities when it comes to their money.

He also takes the time to point out potential pitfalls or money concerns and be upfront about the differences between men and women when it comes to managing money. He recognizes where women have to invest, save, and spend money in ways that men don’t have to and teaches women to budget prepare for those kinds of things - like, for example, how women commonly live longer than men do, thereby needing a larger retirement fund.

On top of all of it Bach has made is book exceedingly easy to read and understand. There’s little in the way of “finance speak” that isn’t thoroughly defined and explained and anyone can understand his easy methods of illustrating key financial concepts.

He also has a few charts, tables, and interactive exercises without the book that make it much easier to take out into the real world and apply to your life. These are nicely paired with lists of resources and definitions to make your financial journey as easy as possible.

Overall this book is a wonderful read for women looking to take control of their finances and can really change the outlook a woman has on money in her life. It’s a great start to stepping out of your comfort zone and really owning up to what your financial situation is - as well as a way to gain the tools you need to bring yourself that much closer to financial freedom.