Finally, a finance book for people who don't have a degree in business or accounting!

If you've ever listened to Clark's radio show (I try to whenever I can), you know he's a great guy who styles himself "The Consumer Warrior" whose mission is to help people "save more, spend less, and avoid rip-offs." Naturally, the book contains many of the same tips, strategies, ideas, and advice that you'll hear if you're a regular listener, and also much of the same material that can be found on Clark's website. Still, it's nice to have a book to conveniently refer back to -- and considering both how cheap good used copies of this book are, and how much money they'll save you if you follow Clark's advice, it's definitely a worthwhile purchase.

Clark is not a "get rich quick" guru, and he's not a guy who's hawking any particular products or investments under the guise of "advice." Instead, he gives simple, down-to-earth advice on wide-ranging topics that the average person can understand and can benefit from. Perhaps his investment strategies are conservative/cautious, but in investing, the tortoise nearly always beats the hare in my experience and observation.

When he uses jargon, Clark always makes sure to define his terms plainly so the reader or listener can follow. I found this book even easier to understand than the "For Dummies" and "Idiot's Guide" books dealing with finance. This country wouldn't be in its current credit/debt/overspending crisis if more Americans (and our government) took Clark's advice.

Clark is my go-to guy, in his books and on the radio. He's easy to understand, and I have never regretted taking his advice.

For a regular Clark Howard listener, this book will sound pretty familiar as alot of the advice given is the same advice Clark gives every day on his show. The books are divided into well organized sections with advice on many different financial subjects and is written in a very down to earth manner. Much of it might seem like common sense, but there are also many gems of financial knowledge here. The book is a great financial foundation for high schoolers or college students, or for someone who has struggled with finances in the past. It explains mortgages, car loans, insurance, retirement, credit cards, investments, debt reduction etc., All the basic knowledge a person needs to be a confident consumer and avoid unnecessary debt and ripoffs.

This is a wonderful book for those new to personal finance and investing, or just looking to get a handle on their own financial situation. The author encourages frugality, but there is much more to his philosophy. My only ding is that this book is desperately in need of an updated edition. A lot has happened in terms of online technology and finance in the 5 or so years since this book was published (hence my 4 star rating). In the meantime, the author has a wonderful web site with helpful advice.

This is the first book that I have read by the intelligently frugal guru, so I can make no comparisons. For a novice like me, I found the book easy to read and understand. I recommend his practices for people who do and do not understand how to get the most value for their money.