Bach - Start over, finish rich: 10 steps to get you back on track in 2010

PRAISE FOR The Automatic Millionaire

The Automatic Millionaire is an automatic winner. David Bach really cares about you: on every page you can hear him cheering you on to financial fitness. No matter who you are or what your income is, you can benefit from this easy-to-apply program. Do it now. You and your loved ones deserve big bucks!

Ken Blanchard,
coauthor of The One Minute Manager

The Automatic Millionaire gives you, step by step, everything you need to secure your financial future. When you do it David Bachs way, failure is not an option.

Jean Chatzky, Financial Editor,
NBCs Today

PRAISE FOR Start Late, Finish Rich

Financial wizard David Bachs new book, Start Late, Finish Rich, offers solid advice for getting our finances in order, no matter how old we are.

AARP

Powerful, poignant and pleasing, Start Late, Finish Rich cant be read fast enough.

Bookpage

PRAISE FOR Go Green, Live Rich

Great news: there is no green premium! By demonstrating how going green can fit any budget, David Bach shows that good environmental and financial decisions go hand-in-hand. Go Green, Live Rich gives great tips, useful to everyone, about how to save money and the planet at once.

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.

PRAISE FOR Smart Women Finish Rich

Inspires women to start planning today for a secure financial future.

John Gray, bestselling author of
Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus

David Bach is the one expert to listen to when youre intimidated by your finances. His easy-to-understand program will show you how to afford your dreams.

Anthony Robbins, author of
Awaken the Giant Within and Unlimited Power

PRAISE FOR Fight for Your Money

In this latest volume, Bach does not waver from his commitment to demystify the steps to financial solvency.

AudioFile magazine

ALSO BY DAVID BACH

Smart Women Finish Rich

Smart Couples Finish Rich

The Finish Rich Workbook

The Finish Rich Dictionary

The Automatic Millionaire

The Automatic Millionaire Workbook

Start Late, Finish Rich

The Automatic Millionaire Homeowner

Go Green, Live Rich

Fight for Your Money

To Jack

I love you, buddy
more than the earth,
the sun, and
the moon!

STEP 1

STEP 2

STEP 3

STEP 4

STEP 5

STEP 6

STEP 7

STEP 8

STEP 9

STEP 10

BONUS STEP 11

Early in the summer of 2009, I was walking down Greenwich Street in Manhattan when a woman I didnt know stepped in front of me.

Youre David Bach, arent you? she said.

When I admitted I was, she told me her name was Georgia and that she had read nearly all my books, starting with Smart Women Finish Rich more than a decade ago.

I grinned and, as I always do when I meet a reader, I asked her, Have my books helped you?

Yes, she said, a ton. But then she stopped.

You know, she said. I was doing great. I felt like I was finally on track and was doing everything right. But now its all falling apart.

I asked Georgia to explain what had happened. Slowly at first, Georgia began to tell me her story. You see, about five years ago I had nothing and I was looking to get my financial life on track. So I read your books and got going. I started paying myself first. I signed up for my 401(k) plan at work. I saved 10% of my income just like you said, and I set up a college savings account for my daughter. I was really building up a nest egg, and it felt GREAT. I had nearly $70,000 in savings, plus six months worth of expenses set aside in an emergency account. And I had finally paid off my credit cards. Even better, I bought a house, then rented it out and bought a second home that I live in today. And I put it all on automatic pilot, like you suggested in The Automatic Millionaire.

The thing is, she said, now it feels like it was all for nothing!

Georgia then proceeded to share a brutal list of financial woes.

As a result of the stock market slump, her 40 I(k) account had dropped by more than a third, along with the balance in the 529 plan she had started for her daughters education.

At the same time, her house had declined so much in value that it was not only worth less than she had paid for it, it was barely worth what she owed on her mortgage.

To make matters worse, the guy who was renting her other house had lost his job and was way behind on the rent.

And she herself had suffered a pay cut, which forced her to dip into her security account, the balance of which was rapidly dwindling.

I got so sick of watching my 40 I(k) and 529 plans lose money that I stopped saving, she added.

She shook her head sadly. I just dont get it, she said. Was I wrong to have saved diligently and done all those other things you advised people like me to do? I mean, where has it gotten me?

Georgia looked up at me and sighed. What do I do now, David? she asked me. Is it even worth it to try and start over? Ive lost my motivationand my courage.

Georgias story hit me at my core. Thats because her story, or some variation of it, is shared by millions of Americansmaybe including you. Maybe you are like Georgia and you did everything right. Or maybe you never got started on the right financial road in the first place and now youre not sure if there is a point in trying. Either way, you are probably wondering if it is still possible in todays economy for someone like youeven if you dont know a lot about money, even if you dont make a lot of moneyto become financially secure.

Well, Ill tell you what I told Georgia.