1,001 Things They Won't Tell You: An Insider s Guide to Spending, Saving, and Living Wisely

by Jonathan Dahl, Smart Money Magazine

Are you getting the most for your money? 1,001 Things They Won’t Tell You offers the experts' knowledge on 100 industries and institutions that readers interact with daily, sometimes financial planners, cable providers, car dealers, insurance agencies, caterers, contractors, real estate brokers, funeral directors, dentists, personal trainers, college prep counselors, casinos, florists, cruise lines, and more. Based on the popular and addictive "Ten Things They Won't Tell You” column in SmartMoney , The Wall Street Journal magazine, 1,001 Things They Won’t Tell You will make every reader a wiser, savvier consumer.

The conceit is "what they won't tell you"―in each case, the top ten things industry insiders know that you need to know before making a decision. It covers #2. Vaccinating your pet may do more harm than good. Automobile leasing #7. You call it an odometer; we call it a cash register. Tax #4. What are my qualifications? Well, I'm real good at Sudoku. Nursing #1. We're careless about the drugs we give out. Cruise #2. Our engines break down all the time. Gourmet #3. This bottled water is actually tap water. #4. You could win your lawsuit and still wind up with nothing. Plastic #1. I trained a whole weekend to learn this procedure. The book outlines what you don't know, then arms you with insights, tips, and techniques to make sure you get the best in every area of your life.

Health, education, insurance, finance, automobiles, goods and services, food and drink, free time―it's everything you literally need to know to save not only money, but also potential headache.

Genres: Nonfiction, Finance

536 pages, Paperback

First published May 13, 2009

Reviews

[Amira · Rating 2 out of 5]

الكتاب موجه بشكل أساسي للقارئ في أمريكا, فهو عبارة عن مجموعة مقالات من مجلة
SmartMoney.

المقالات تتناول مجالات مختلفة للإنفاق من الخدمات والمهن والهيئات التي قد تتعامل معاها وتضم نصائح وتحذيرات عن كل منها.
كل مقال قائم بذاته, فليس هناك حاجة لقراءة الكتاب من البداية للنهاية بالترتيب.

النقطة المميزة في الكتاب هو احتواء العديد من المقالات على إشارة لمواقع على الإنترنت للتحقق من ترخيص بعد العاملين بمهن معينة أو للحصول على ترشيحات ثقة.

النقطة السلبية هي قدم المعلومات في الكتاب, معظم الإحصائيات صدرت قبل عام 2007.

[Bridgette · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very outdated. Most of this information is either common knowledge now or has changed a lot in the years since it was published.

[JP · Rating 2 out of 5]

I always find this section interesting in Smart Money, but the whole collection of these "What ___ Won't Tell you" articles highlights the differences between a magazine and a book. Reading even a few together shows redundant patterns ("It's hard to get your money back from ____") and much less of the inside secrets suggested by the title. I wanted more examples like the fact that Major League Baseball has a unique anti-trust exemption and that nearly a quarter of cruise lines' revenue comes from extras like drinks, tips, and side trips. It's still an entertaining book to browse or keep on the shelf in the guest room.

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a handy reference to all the petty scams, modest cheats, and humble finagling that people in all walks of life indulge in to make a dishonest buck. Read it and you'll be sadder, wiser, and more inclined to distrust your neighbor. Much of the advice and insights are familiar to anyone who has made use of the services (airline miles aren't all they're cracked up to be), but if you're new to a field, a product, or a service, you'll find this useful.

[Ala · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's one of those you keep on reference to look up things as they come up in your life. It's pretty well organized by topic, but it's not really something to get from a library as I did. I read a few pointers that were applicable to my life, but now I have to give it back. And I won't remember the tips I read. But it's a good way to see if this is something worth buying. I'd say it is.

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

I stalled on writing this review because I really wanted to like this book. I was excited to find out all of these "inside" tips, until I got the book and realized I already knew everything in it. I guess it would be good for beginners... beginners at life.

[Angela · Rating 2 out of 5]

There were some helpful tips in this book, but most of it was isolated anecdotes that are more scare tactic than generalizable truth.

[Abraham Ray · Rating 2 out of 5]

ok book of facts.

[Grace Wing-Yuan Toy 蔡詠恩 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Currently reading the Advanced Copy edition.

[Patti · Rating 2 out of 5]

I got half way through it but I can't finish it.

[Rob Weir]

This book is a compendium of consumer-advocacy articles from SmartMoney magazine. The articles cover 100 different topics from credit cards to cruise lines, fitness clubs to used car salesmen, giving 10 helpful hints for each. The unifying theme is "What they won't tell you", i.e., the inside information that is needed to be an informed consumer and avoid paying too much or getting scammed.