Book Giveaway: The 1-2-3 Money Plan

by PT on September 17, 2009

This is my review of The 1-2-3 Money Plan: The Three Most Important Steps to Saving and Spending Smart. Scroll to the bottom to find out how you can win a free copy of the book.

About the Author

The 1-2-3 Money Plan was written by Gregory Karp. Gregory is a nationally syndicated columnist, who is famous for his “Smart Spending” Column, which reaches millions of readers. He’s also the accomplished author of Living Rich by Spending Smart. You can also find Gregory blogging daily at gregkarp.com/blog.

About the Book

Gregory lays out the overall money plan in his book using 3 major areas:

Smart Spending Today
Smart Spending Yesterday
Smart Spending Tomorrow

Easy enough. Within each section, Gregory tackles different subjects. Each time leaving you with 3 steps to complete or remember so that you’re armed with the key information for making decisions about your finances.

For instance, in the Smart Spending Yesterday section, Gregory focuses on debt (yesterday’s spending you’re still paying for). He teaches you the importance of understanding your credit and how to use credit cards. Withing those sub-topics you’re given 3 specific steps to complete or concepts to remember.

1 2 3 Money Plan Gregory Karp The Smart Spending Tomorrow section is all about saving. Gregory walks you through saving for the short-term, retirement, and for education. I particularly enjoyed the college savings section since I’m making decisions on what to do in that area. Gregory’s advice was very practical and has motivated me to just dive in and go for it.

The section called Smart Spending Today is where Gregory really shines. He’s obviously a pro at discussing the smart ways to spend your earnings.

By using this simple 1-2-3 approach, Gregory really makes managing your finances seem easy. Heck, anyone can complete just 3 little steps, right?

My Recommendation

I really enjoyed this book. It was a quick read and it left me feeling like I had a good game plan to improve my finances. It was both practical and specific. Like most personal finance books, it’s structured so that you are able to pick and choose which sections you’d need to review. For obvious reasons, my favorite sections were college savings, life insurance, and how to teach kids about money. You can pick up a copy of The 1-2-3 Money Plan at Amazon.

Win a Copy of the Book

I’m tempted to hold on to this book for my personal library, but I know some of you could use it just as much. So here’s your chance to get my copy for free. Simply leave a comment below listing a topic you’d like to see discussed on this blog. I will randomly select a winner this Friday at noon CST. The winner will be notified by email and in the comments. I’ll mail the book using USPS Media Mail. US residents only please.

Stuff from last week: Debt Reduction, Twenty Something Finances, Persona Finance, Money Hackers, Pecuniary Delights, Frugality, Money Stories

Tagged as: book, giveaway, Gregory-Karp, plan, reading, review, The 1-2-3 Money Plan

{ 1 trackback }

Money Hacks Carnival #83: September 23, 2009 at 7:18 am

{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }

Jane September 17, 2009 at 6:18 am: I’d like to see more about ways to protect myself from possible undesirable future events. Examples: insurance, emergency savings, investment diversification, etc. Sample topics: How can I decide how much life insurance is appropriate for me? How about disability insurance? How big an emergency fund do I need in this economy? What can I do to protect my savings from inflation? From deflation? How can I protect myself from identity theft?
Nate @ Debt-free Scholar September 17, 2009 at 7:41 am: I would like to see more bank reviews.
Carla Pullum September 17, 2009 at 9:14 am: What to do when your husband leaves you as a single mom with his debt and your income can’t cover it? How do you budget?
Carla
cpullum(at)yahoo(dot)com
Rebecca September 17, 2009 at 10:29 am: How to know how much emergency funds is enough.
MrsRefney September 17, 2009 at 10:29 am: I’d love to see some advice about budgeting and saving when your income is variable. My husband is a self-employed contractor, just him and a partner, and honestly, we never know when or how much we are going to be paid. It’s quite the hassle.
Jesse September 17, 2009 at 11:24 am: I wouldn’t mind more info on 401ks
Wealthy Immigrant September 17, 2009 at 1:06 pm: Thanks for the giveaway! Like Jane, I would be interested in getting information on insurance. A comparison of insurance companies would also be helpful.
CharlieZ September 17, 2009 at 1:38 pm: I’d like to get a handle on the risks involved of contacting a credit card company or taking them up on a balance transfer offer. Seems they are using any excuse, including incidental contact, as a reason to review any account – even those in good standing with no past issues – and lower credit limits and raise interest rates. (I know, better to not have to worry about interest rates by not carrying a balance!)
Anne Alexander September 17, 2009 at 9:06 pm: More ways to earn money at home@best ways to save and invest for retirement. Also how to reduce medical bills.
Anne Alexander September 17, 2009 at 9:08 pm: saving for a trip to Panama and retirement
PT September 18, 2009 at 12:21 pm: CharlieZ is the randomly selected winner. Congrats, CharlieZ! I will email you soon. Thanks to everyone for entering the book giveaway. I’ll do another soon.
sarah September 29, 2009 at 12:42 pm: i’d like to see more about how to create a budget and stick to it, without feeling deprived.
Anne Alexander October 20, 2009 at 4:36 pm: How to deal with stress in marriage over financial difficulties