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The Barefoot Investor: The Only Money Guide You'll Ever Need
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This is the only money guide you'll ever need
That's a bold claim, given there are already thousands of finance books on the shelves.
So what makes this one different?
Well, you won't be overwhelmed with a bunch of 'tips' … or a strict budget (that you won't follow).
You'll get a step-by-step formula: open this account, then do this; call this person, and say this; invest
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I've recently decided to become a millionaire. I figured reading a money guide was an essential first step. Scott outlines 9 other steps I will need to follow if I am to realise my goal. I feel like I can call the author Scott, because his personality, and indeed life details are included in every page. Did you know Scott lost his home in a bushfire? You will know it if you read this book because Scotty mentions it on every second page. Despite my snide remarks I enjoyed this book. I admire peop
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Some good, straightforward advice - easy to understand, but presented as sexist and heteronormative and classist AF. But looking past this - the financial foundations are helpful and great.
Not sure about the advice on relying partially on the pension (will we even still have this government mandated by the time I retire? I'm 30 for reference. Our rapidly ageing population seems to be pointing towards an unsustainable future for the pension), and investing in superannuation (the government alrea ...more
Not sure about the advice on relying partially on the pension (will we even still have this government mandated by the time I retire? I'm 30 for reference. Our rapidly ageing population seems to be pointing towards an unsustainable future for the pension), and investing in superannuation (the government alrea ...more
This was the easiest and quickest non fiction read I've ever had. Scott knows how to turn something as dry as finance into something engaging to read. Not only that, but he gives you concrete steps to improve your finance and tips about what to look for with no bullshit.
Honestly something I wish I had read straight out of high school and will recommend to everyone I know. ...more
Honestly something I wish I had read straight out of high school and will recommend to everyone I know. ...more
Good financial advice wrapped up in repetitive, cringe-inducing dad jokes. I'd recommend this as both a guide for managing your money and a shining example of why comedy is hard.
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3 stars for the financial advice, 1 star for tone, which is probably best described as 'patronising Aussie bloke'. God knows there are enough of those around already.
I also couldn't stand all his hypothetical 'this is me, this is you' dialogue throughout, and I'm unconvinced about using Tinder as a metaphor for the best approach for finding a financial advisor. And Barefoot 'date night' as a single person? Taking yourself out for dinner to look at your own bank accounts and superannuation and ca ...more
I also couldn't stand all his hypothetical 'this is me, this is you' dialogue throughout, and I'm unconvinced about using Tinder as a metaphor for the best approach for finding a financial advisor. And Barefoot 'date night' as a single person? Taking yourself out for dinner to look at your own bank accounts and superannuation and ca ...more
Ok, for the average person, a lot of what is said in this book is probably good advice. I guess I underestimated myself with how financially savvy I am because I was already either doing most of what is suggested or it didn’t apply to me. Like all self help books I’ve read I didn’t agree with everything and I don’t believe that one financial plan can fit every persons situation.
Overall this book has generally good advice, and is easy to follow. It is a quick read and amusing (Scott has a fun pe ...more
Overall this book has generally good advice, and is easy to follow. It is a quick read and amusing (Scott has a fun pe ...more
Down to earth, achievable, no nonsense money and investment advice for anyone who earns a living. I highly recommend you get onto some of Scott's tips, and as soon as possible in your working career. I am lucky to be where I am but I could have been luckier had I taken on some of his steps for saving more and being wealthier today. I could have bought more books!!!!!
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Look, I'm not great with money. I have managed to save some when I've needed to, but usually I'm the kind of person that wants to spend, spend spend. As I found myself unemployed, borrowing money to pay for rent and food and feeling bad about life, I also found Scott's book. This book motivated me to take control of my finances more so than I ever have before. It showed me the mistakes I've made in the past with money and how to correct them. It taught me how to structure my bank accounts and ho
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If you only ever read one personal finance book, make sure it is this one. Scott Pape once again blows every expectation out of the water with his latest book, a definitive introduction to personal finance.
As someone who considers himself well versed in the intricacies of money management I was again struck with awe at how readable the book was for anyone at any stage of their financial learning journey, from the complete beginner for whom this book is eye opening, to a personal finance veteran ...more
As someone who considers himself well versed in the intricacies of money management I was again struck with awe at how readable the book was for anyone at any stage of their financial learning journey, from the complete beginner for whom this book is eye opening, to a personal finance veteran ...more
I think this book was OK. If all you were going to do to try and sort out your personal finances was to read one book, you could do much worse than this.
Personally for me there was too much self-help happy motivational jargon throughout the book, and some pretty unhelpful advice. I don't have the book in front of me now but recall that he talks about just working more if you need more money. A great help to the thousands of under-employed people across the country, no doubt.
He also fails miserab ...more
Personally for me there was too much self-help happy motivational jargon throughout the book, and some pretty unhelpful advice. I don't have the book in front of me now but recall that he talks about just working more if you need more money. A great help to the thousands of under-employed people across the country, no doubt.
He also fails miserab ...more
This book is painfully white, heterosexual and blokey. The writing style was very grating.
However the advice within (financial literacy, how to pay off debts, don't ignore you're super, how to save, how to be generous with money) is rock solid. I also appreciated the case study examples, and you cant help but appreciate Scott's honesty and own personal lessons.
Recommended ...more
However the advice within (financial literacy, how to pay off debts, don't ignore you're super, how to save, how to be generous with money) is rock solid. I also appreciated the case study examples, and you cant help but appreciate Scott's honesty and own personal lessons.
Recommended ...more
Scott Pape is pretty funny and entertaining :P Richard Branson was right that he makes finance fun lol BUT... this whole book is based on Australian rules, government rules, finance rules, culture, housing marking, etc which is completely useless to me and the majority of the world lol =/
One thing I disagreed with him on was he believes that paying off the smallest debt is always the best way. This might work on people with mounds of debt that feel hopeless and need a confidence boost on paying ...more
One thing I disagreed with him on was he believes that paying off the smallest debt is always the best way. This might work on people with mounds of debt that feel hopeless and need a confidence boost on paying ...more
This book gets 5 stars for being Australian, and for being the only finance book I've ever finished. It loses 2 stars for using lowest-common-denominator language (we're not at a BBQ now, Scott, and if we were I'd tell you to watch your language around my kids) and telling everyone to drink alcohol every 5 seconds. It just felt like the guy who's trying too hard to fit in with people he secretly believes aren't as smart as him.
Overall I like his financial approach, and I wish I'd had this book ...more
Overall I like his financial approach, and I wish I'd had this book ...more
I think this just might be the best book that I have ever read.
It made me laugh and cry. I want to buy a million of these and give them to strangers.
Just go and buy it - don't borrow it, you'll need to read and re read while on your path to financial freedom.
I love that Scott has covered so many financial situations so easily and in all the same steps. This advice is suitable for those barely making ends meet (or not at all) but also for those who earn mega bucks. It's all relevant.
Just go b ...more
It made me laugh and cry. I want to buy a million of these and give them to strangers.
Just go and buy it - don't borrow it, you'll need to read and re read while on your path to financial freedom.
I love that Scott has covered so many financial situations so easily and in all the same steps. This advice is suitable for those barely making ends meet (or not at all) but also for those who earn mega bucks. It's all relevant.
Just go b ...more
This is a brilliant, simple book on how to be money Davy. It doesn’t give you generic advice but actual proper step by step. This is more suitable for Aussies as it refers to our banking systems etc
Definitely recommend!!
Definitely recommend!!
Some useful little tips. Easy to read and not boring. Some illogical tips (e.g. change banks because the big 4 all charge fees amounting to an average of almost $500 a year; gives an example of these fees 3 times and each time it's the same - you get charged $2 whenever you withdraw from an atm not belonging to your bank. I don't know about you but I don't do this 240 times a year. Checked my bank for fees just to make sure and there are absolutely zero. He also says the interest rates aren't th
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This is a really great read. It’s a finance book but just so... altruistic. It’s sure to make a lot of financial planners and bankers mad, with clear explanations of all the ways we’re getting ripped off. It’s also really easy to read and the author clearly has a good understanding of what average Australians are like, based on the thousands of people he’s talked to about their finances. I also like that it applies to almost anyone who has a job, from teenagers to those about to retire.
The only ...more
The only ...more
An Australian's version of "I will teach you to be rich".
Excellent Book. Practical, Actionable advice. Plenty of directions to financial institutions and personnel for each category of wealth. Definitely one for the shelf in a physical copy.
On the downside, some biased information to support his own arguments, but all done with good intention. I am looking forward to scrutinizing certain sections of this book, when my time comes. ...more
Excellent Book. Practical, Actionable advice. Plenty of directions to financial institutions and personnel for each category of wealth. Definitely one for the shelf in a physical copy.
On the downside, some biased information to support his own arguments, but all done with good intention. I am looking forward to scrutinizing certain sections of this book, when my time comes. ...more
This has been a hit finance book in Australia for the last couple of years and it’s easy to see why!
Set out in a way that everyone can follow and steps that can be customised to suit each individual, I have taken soooo much from this book!
I just wish I’d read it sooner!
Set out in a way that everyone can follow and steps that can be customised to suit each individual, I have taken soooo much from this book!
I just wish I’d read it sooner!
Summary:
This book is amazing. It's clear, practical, effective and an easy read. After reading Unshakeable and MONEY Master the Game: 7 Simple Steps to Financial Freedom, this was a bit more easy to implement as it is specifically targeted towards Australia, where the above two books are targeted towards the American economy. Additionally, Scott provides advice that is easy to action.
I would recommend this book to everyone. Even if you just take a few of the steps in the book (which I'll outline ...more
This book is amazing. It's clear, practical, effective and an easy read. After reading Unshakeable and MONEY Master the Game: 7 Simple Steps to Financial Freedom, this was a bit more easy to implement as it is specifically targeted towards Australia, where the above two books are targeted towards the American economy. Additionally, Scott provides advice that is easy to action.
I would recommend this book to everyone. Even if you just take a few of the steps in the book (which I'll outline ...more
Financial advice with a giant heaping spoonful of misogynist crap. Between the half a page devoted to Kim Kardashian's arse, the fifty shades of gray references and the constant condescending remarks, it's pretty clear that Scott Pape does not think very highly of women.
He doesn't half like to waffle on about himself and make crap jokes. I really don't care that he shops at Harvey Norman, what kind of pillow he has or that he didn't care for his wife's first oven. Is is a finance book or a biogr ...more
He doesn't half like to waffle on about himself and make crap jokes. I really don't care that he shops at Harvey Norman, what kind of pillow he has or that he didn't care for his wife's first oven. Is is a finance book or a biogr ...more
So the beginning of this was a bit 'rah rah' motivational for me... with lots about the author's personal scenarios on his farm (there was a fire) and more to do with alpacas and planting trees. Once we got past the metaphorical though, this book got extremely useful, very practical, and it got there fast.
It nails down to scripts to empower you to talk with your bank manager, super-fund manager, insurance brokers etc; and what to look out for in terms of fees and costs on everyday bank accounts/ ...more
It nails down to scripts to empower you to talk with your bank manager, super-fund manager, insurance brokers etc; and what to look out for in terms of fees and costs on everyday bank accounts/ ...more
I read this (accidentally) at work when I had nothing better to do. The font and formatting of the book was so annoying, how is this the #1 book by a longshot? It looks self-published and unprofessional.
The financial advice was pretty meh and rooted in the ability to just save for a house deposit willy-nilly which is a position the majority of the population just aren't in, as well as encouraging the purchasing of stocks. It did make me change some of my super settings though so there's that. ...more
The financial advice was pretty meh and rooted in the ability to just save for a house deposit willy-nilly which is a position the majority of the population just aren't in, as well as encouraging the purchasing of stocks. It did make me change some of my super settings though so there's that. ...more
Dec 28, 2020
Ailsa
added it
"happy wife happy life" style humour all the way through. some jokes are truly heinous.
This book is great for middle class people who are terrible at saving. ...more
This book is great for middle class people who are terrible at saving. ...more
Simple, yet enthralling read. Great strategies and a framework that will work for me. I can't wait to knuckle down now and build my financial future.
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I sped through this!! May have accidentally stayed up til 3 one night reading it... Super easy to read and unexpectedly funny. I enjoyed how Pape guides you in a very straightforward path towards financial control, which to me is a good foundation on how I can manage my income to both save & spend guilt-free.
The method is detailed on the basis that you follow the conventional Aussie dream – the desire to own property. It provides an introduction to controlling where your income goes, managing d ...more
The method is detailed on the basis that you follow the conventional Aussie dream – the desire to own property. It provides an introduction to controlling where your income goes, managing d ...more
Please don't judge me, I'm just figuring out how to be a grown up.
His writing voice is very normie capitalist white Aussie bloke, lots of grating hetero jokes etc. It's also easy to understand and encouraging.
I put off reading this for months because money is boring but I actually enjoyed it and smashed through it in a weekend. Really useful financial literacy primer with a step-by-step guide on how to manage your money. He doesn't consider ethical investment stuff, like ING the bank he recomme ...more
His writing voice is very normie capitalist white Aussie bloke, lots of grating hetero jokes etc. It's also easy to understand and encouraging.
I put off reading this for months because money is boring but I actually enjoyed it and smashed through it in a weekend. Really useful financial literacy primer with a step-by-step guide on how to manage your money. He doesn't consider ethical investment stuff, like ING the bank he recomme ...more
Very helpful putting financial lingo into everyday language. I hate these kinds of books but this was helpful, clear, with guidance in language I can understand.
For me there are moral factors in considering banks and investments that he doesn’t consider in this book. Didn’t expect the book to do This because I have different ideals. The main issue was the banks he suggests and investments are connected to bad decisions for the environment. Both UBank and ING invest money in fossil fuels mining. ...more
For me there are moral factors in considering banks and investments that he doesn’t consider in this book. Didn’t expect the book to do This because I have different ideals. The main issue was the banks he suggests and investments are connected to bad decisions for the environment. Both UBank and ING invest money in fossil fuels mining. ...more
Great examples and stories to explain what could be a dry subject - learnt a lot from reading what is s a text to read over again to digest bit by bit. Began this when on holiday and got to page 5 then life intervened. Once picked it up it was easy to complete in a few short sittings. Sensible points. Great recapping of action points /suggestions. Good for goal setting be it for looking at financial matters or a project or other goal. Appreciated the author's own honesty and sharing of own life
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The only finance book I've ever read, and I loved it. Practical, genuine advice that is easy to understand.
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“Baumeister says that people who succeed don't have more willpower than you: they just develop better daily routines and habits, which after a while become automatic and require less thought — less conscious energy.”
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“Sixty-two per cent of Australians believe they cannot afford to buy everything they really need. When we consider that Australia is one of the world's richest countries and that Australians today have incomes three times higher than in 1950, it is remarkable that so many people feel their incomes are inadequate.”
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