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Easy Money : How to Simplify Your Finances and Get What You Want Out of Life

ISBN: 9780132383837

Table of Contents

Introduction

(2)

Setting Up Your Financial Life

(24)

Your Financial Toolkit

(5)

(1)

Link Your Accounts

(1)

Allow Your Paycheck to Be Deposited Automatically

(1)

Set Up Overdraft Protection

(2)

Open at Least One High-Yield Savings Account That's Electronically Linked to Your Checking Account

(1)

Consolidate Your Accounts

(1)

Consider Two Checking Accounts

(1)

The Right Ways to Pay Your Bills

(8)

Know What You Owe

(1)

Set Up a Bill Calendar

(2)

Set Up Alerts

(1)

Consider Switching to E-Bills and E-Statements

(1)

Pay Your Bills Electronically

(4)

Build Your Control Panel

(4)

Account Aggregation 1.0

(1)

Account Aggregation 2.0

(1)

Account Consolidation

(1)

Excel Spreadsheets

(2)

Set Up Your Command Center

(2)

Staying Up-to-Date

(3)

Your Checklist

(2)

Take Charge of Your Spending

(20)

The 60 Percent Solution

(3)

The 50/30/20 Plan

(8)

How Do I Prioritize My Goals?

(2)

Couples and Money

(4)

Your Checklist

(2)

Get the Most Out of Your Credit Cards

(14)

If You Carry a Balance

(10)

Zero Percent Jockeys

(1)

If You Pay Off Your Balance in Full Every Month

(3)

How to Find the Best Card(s)

(3)

Your Checklist

(1)

The No-Sweat Guide to Retirement (and other) Investing

(26)

How to Manage Risk

(3)

Why Beating the Market Is So Tough

(1)

The Three Keys to Successful Investing

(4)

Use Low-Cost, Broad-Market Index Funds Wherever Possible

(1)

Include Bonds and Cash in the Mix

(1)

Add a Dab of Real Estate

(1)

Rebalance Annually, but Otherwise Leave Your Investments Alone

(1)

Why Life-Cycle and Target Maturity Funds May Be the Answer

(3)

Which Account Do I Use?

(2)

Coordinating Your Approach

(1)

Getting Help

(1)

How Much Should I Save for Retirement?

(1)

Ballpark E$timate®

(5)

As You Approach Retirement

(2)

Your Checklist

(2)

The Easy Way to Save for College

(12)

Why 529 College Savings Plans Rock

(2)

Picking the Right College Savings Plan

(1)

Prepaid Tuition Plans

(2)

Your High School Game Plan

(1)

What to Do If You're Starting Late

(2)

Your Checklist

(2)

Insurance: Protecting What You Have---And Will Have

(18)

Auto Insurance

(4)

Renters Insurance

103

(1)

Condo Owners Insurance

104

(1)

Homeowners Insurance

104

(3)

Umbrella Liability Policies

107

(1)

Health Insurance

107

(2)

Disability Insurance

109

(1)

Life Insurance

110

(5)

Your Checklist

115

(2)

Buying Homes and Cars

117

(18)

When You're Ready to Buy a Home

117

(2)

The Home-Buying Timeline

119

(2)

One Year Before You Want to Buy: Get Your Credit Reports and FICO Credit Scores, Pay Down Toxic Debt, and Build Up Savings

120

(1)

Six Months Out: Review Your Mortgage Options, Start Calculating What You Can Afford, and Create Your New Budget

120

(1)

Three Months Out: Find a Good Real Estate Agent and Start Researching Neighborhoods

121

(1)

Two Months Out: Get Preapproved for a Mortgage and Start Touring

121

(1)

Picking the Right Mortgage

121

(7)

Adjustable-Rate Mortgages (ARMs)

123

(1)

Hybrid Mortgages

123

(1)

Interest-Only Mortgages

123

(1)

Option ARMs

124

(1)

15-Year Mortgages

124

(2)

40-Year Mortgages

126

(1)

Final Thoughts on Mortgages

127

(1)

The Smart Way to Buy Cars

128

(1)

Why We Overspend on Cars

129

(3)

What to Do if You've Already Overspent

132

(2)

Your Checklist

134

(1)

When You Need Help

135

(10)

How to Find a Financial Planner

135

(3)

Insist on a CFP

136

(1)

Choose a Fee-Only Planner

136

(1)

Get Referrals

137

(1)

Ask Questions

137

(1)

Check Their Background

137

(1)

When You Need a Tax Pro

138

(3)

Working with an Estate Planning Attorney

141

(3)

Your Checklist

144

(1)

Be a Savvy Shopper

145

(12)

Sites Worth Paying For

145

(1)

Price Comparison Sites

146

(1)

Internet Shopping 101

146

(2)

Keep Your Defenses Up

146

(1)

Stick with Companies You Know

147

(1)

Review the Privacy Policy

147

(1)

Review the Return Policy

147

(1)

Look for the Padlock

148

(1)

Use a Credit Card but Don't Let the Site ``Keep'' It

148

(1)

Sites to Bookmark

148

(1)

Check for Coupons

149

(1)

When You're in the Market for Real Bargains

149

(1)

A Word about Price Guarantees

150

(1)

How to Be a Savvy Traveler

151

(1)

Be Loyal

151

(1)

Pick Your Site

151

(1)

Don't Stop Shopping

152

(1)

When Things Go Wrong

152

(4)

Know Your Rights

152

(1)

Understand the System

153

(1)

Don't Be a Diva

153

(1)

Know What You Want

153

(1)

Get to a Human---Fast

153

(1)

Know That the Company's Problems Are Not Your Problems

154

(1)

Enlist the Rep

154

(1)

Hang Up and Try Again

154

(1)

Don't Get Worn Down

155

(1)

Move Up the Ladder

155

(1)

Now's the Time to Mention Your Value

155

(1)

Get Help

155

(1)

Your Checklist

156

(1)

Changing Your Uneasy Mind

157

(10)

``The One Who Dies with the Most Toys Wins''

158

(1)

``We'd Be Fine If Our Income Was Just a Little Higher''

159

(1)

``I'll Never Have Enough''

159

(1)

``I'm Such a Loser; I'd Be So Much Farther Ahead If I Hadn't Made So Many Mistakes with Money''

160

(2)

``I'll Never Understand This Money Stuff''

162

(1)

``It's Not My Fault''

162

(2)

Money and Your Brain

164

(2)

Your Checklist

166

(1)

Setting Goals, Or What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?

167

(8)

Visualizing Your Ideal Life

170

(1)

Setting the Timer

170

(1)

The End Game

171

(1)

What It's All About

171

(4)

Resources and Recommendations

175

(6)

The Basics

175

(1)

College

175

(1)

Couples & Money

176

(1)

Credit & Debt

176

(1)

Estate Planning

177

(1)

Investing

177

(1)

Real Estate

178

(1)

Retirement

178

(1)

Savings Tips

179

(2)

Index

181