Teri B Clark - The Complete Personal Finance Handbook: A Step-by-Step Instructions to Take Control of Your Financial Future With Companion CD-ROM

The Complete Personal Finance Handbook:

Step-by-Step Instructions to Take Control of Your Financial Future

By Teri B. Clark

The Complete Personal Finance Handbook: Step-by Step Instructions to Take Control of Your Financial Future

Copyright 2007 Atlantic Publishing Group, Inc.

1405 SW 6th Ave. Ocala, Florida 34471 Phone 800-814-1132 Fax 352-622-1875

Web site: www.atlantic-pub.com E-mail:

SAN Number: 268-1250

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ISBN-13: 978-1-60138-047-0

ISBN-10: 1-60138-047-X

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Clark, Teri B.

The complete personal finance handbook: step-by-step instructions to take control of your financial future: with companion CD-ROM / Author: Teri B. Clark.

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN-13: 978-1-60138-047-0 (alk. paper)

ISBN-10: 1-60138-047-X (alk. paper)

1. Finance, Personal. 2. Investments. I. Title

HG179.C586. 2007

332.024--dc22

2007013112

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

FOREWORD

By Juan Ciscomani

As a trainer of financial counselors, I have witnessed the average consumers pitfalls first hand. I understand the mistakes that can be, and often are, made. I also know the steps to take to prevent a financial disaster and how to recover from one that has already occurred.

So many consumers believe that financial management is about denying themselves lifes pleasures. They do not see that financial management is simply managing their money in a way that leaves them in control; it is about tempering wants with reality.

Will you ever have debt? For most of us, the answer is yes. Debt is not a bad thing if you understand what you are doing before you get yourself caught up in the world of big, fast, and beautiful. Whipping out the credit card and then cringing over the bill and the interest charged is not control. The point of money management is to make conscious decisions and to control your money not letting your money control you.

If you already are in financial trouble, there is no one right way to fix the problem. It would be great if there were a quick fix, but it took time to get into trouble and it will take time to get out of it. You have to look at the root cause. Over-spending habits will require a different fix than late payment habits. Not only will changing poor habits take time, but cleaning up the credit mess reflected in your credit score will take time as well.

Having said that, there is hope.

If you are just starting out, reading this book will give you choices concerning your present and your future. If you are financially sound but do not know how to move toward savings and retirement, you will find the answers as you peruse these chapters. Finally, if you are in financial trouble, this book can help you find a way out and create a better financial path.

Knowledge is key in all things. The Complete Personal Finance Handbook will give you the knowledge you need for a better financial future.

Juan Ciscomani
Senior Instructional Specialist
Credit-Wise Cats
Take Charge America Institute for
Consumer Financial Education and Research
John and Doris Norton School of Family and Consumer Sciences
The University of Arizona
Phone: 520-626-5376
Fax: 520-621-3209
http://tcainstitute.org /

Juan Ciscomani began to develop his expertise in personal finance throughout his academic career at The University of Arizona. Joining the Credit-Wise Cats (named after the University of Arizonas Wildcats) allowed him to become a highly trained counselor and offer personal, financial education to University of Arizona students, faculty, and the greater Tucson community. In addition, Ciscomani developed a wide variety of Spanish language money management workshops to cater to the needs of the Hispanic population in Tucson. Moreover, through the Credit-Wise Cats and Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE), Ciscomani participated in regional and national case study competitions and other creative programs with the sole mission of teaching personal finance. In May of 2005, Ciscomani graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelors degree in political science from the University of Arizona.

Upon graduation, he was one of twenty recently graduated Hispanic scholars in the United States selected to participate in the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI) Public Policy Fellowship Program in Washington, DC. During his nine-month fellowship, Ciscomani worked as a Legislative Assistant in the House of Representatives for Rep. Loretta Sanchez of California. In this position, he researched, tracked, and developed legislative initiatives and appropriations requests in issue areas, including: financial literacy, education, housing, telecommunications, and environment. He also handled all small business, economic development, and banking issues for Representative Sanchez.

After completing the CHCI Public Policy Fellowship Program, Ciscomani returned to Arizona and rejoined the Credit-Wise Cats and SIFE team at the University of Arizona. As Senior Instructional Specialist, he now trains the Credit-Wise Cats and assists them in developing personal finance knowledge in a broad spectrum of topics. Furthermore, Ciscomani researches and writes personal finance case studies with solutions that are used at college level personal finance case competitions and regional and national personal finance case study competitions. During the past year, Ciscomani played an integral role in launching and coordinating the Xtreme Xplorations program at a new local charter school, Wildcat Middle School. As program manager, he teaches personal finance to the students, in addition to training, supervising, and coordinating university students and volunteers on a weekly basis.