Sinopsis
This book is about spending money, something we do every day,
but sometimes without a lot of thought. We spend our money in so many ways,
large and small, that sometimes we wonder where our paycheck went. I’d like
every dollar you earn to buy more and last longer.
One of the reasons I wrote Clark’s Big Book of Bargains
is to show you how to treasure hunt, how to have fun—as I do—finding great
deals. For example, I’ll show you how to buy a box of disposable contact lenses
for $13.95, a bouquet of roses on Valentine’s Day for $19, and a great bottle of
wine for less than $8.
I also want to share my philosophy of spending and give you a
new way to think about the choices you make each time you open your wallet.
Instead of burning your paycheck, nurse it, so you can get more of the things
you want in life.
Making better spending decisions lets you take control of your
life and gain more financial security. Every day on my radio show, I talk to
listeners around the country whose spending, and the resulting debt, is causing
tremendous stress in their lives. Is it worth having the possessions you have,
if underneath it all, you’re trying to figure out how to pay the bills? I want
to help you turn down the pressure, so you don’t have to worry when you open the
mailbox about the bills waiting for you.
The average American now owes more money than they earn in a
year, according to data compiled by the Wall Street Journal. Never in
history has that happened, and it’s deeply disturbing. Just ten years ago, we
carried far less debt than we do today. And this isn’t just a problem for
lower-income or middle-class people. High-income families, those in the top
fifth of U.S. households, are carrying debt averaging 20 percent more than their
disposable income, according to the Wall Street Journal. If you get
anything out of this book, I hope it will be the idea that this is a choice
people have made, not a necessity.
The answer is simple. It’s not what you earn that matters—it’s
what you spend. If you spend less than you earn, you can take the dollars you
don’t consume, and put them aside to build long-term financial security for you,
your children, their education, and your retirement.
This book is about choices you can make that will allow you to
live a debt-free lifestyle, or at the very least, a lifestyle that puts you in
control of your finances.
Some of the things you’ll read in here might sound a little
strange, like feeding your baby generic formula, or buying used furniture. I’m
certainly not suggesting you do everything you read here. This isn’t like a
recipe, where you have to follow the steps carefully, and only then will the
dish taste good. Look for ideas that work for you, and add your own. You may
have ideas that are better than what I suggest. The goal is to create a new way
of thinking about spending, before you spend. Perhaps you’ve always gone to a
major oil company station to buy gasoline, you have that company’s credit card,
and you go there without thinking. Instead, think about going to a discount gas
station. Just making that one change will put a few extra dollars in your pocket
every week. Or let’s say you normally buy Tide detergent at the supermarket.
What if instead you bought Tide at a discount store, or if you bought the
store-brand detergent and tried it? Maybe you’ll like it and use it again and
again.
Content
- CHAPTER 1 - FOOD
- SUPERMARKETS
- RESTAURANTS
- FAST FOOD
- LEARNING TO COOK
- WINE
- BOTTLED WATER
- CHAPTER 2 - FAMILY + CHILDREN
- BUYING FOR YOUR FIRST CHILD
- RAISING CLARK-SMART KIDS
- MUSIC AND DANCE LESSONS
- THE DENTIST
- PRIVATE SCHOOLS
- PETS
- CHAPTER 3 - NECESSITIES
- CLOTHING
- SHOES
- HAIRCUTS
- COSMETICS
- EYEGLASSES AND CONTACT LENSES
- PRESCRIPTION DRUGS
- THE EMERGENCY ROOM
- CHAPTER 4 - LEISURE
- MOVIES
- MUSIC
- BOOKS
- VIDEO GAMES
- THEATER AND SPORTS TICKETS
- VACATIONS
- CHAPTER 5 - ELECTRONICS + APPLIANCES
- CONSUMER ELECTRONICS
- LARGE APPLIANCES
- CHAPTER 6 - EVENTS
- PARTIES
- WEDDINGS
- CHRISTMAS SHOPPING
- VALENTINE’S DAY
- FUNERALS
- CHAPTER 7 - HOME IMPROVEMENT
- PAINTING
- CARPET AND FLOORING
- SHEETS AND TOWELS
- HIGH-EFFICIENCY LIGHTBULBS
- SMOKE DETECTORS
- FURNITURE
- HOME SERVICES
- CHAPTER 8 - CARS
- TIRES
- DETAILING
- OIL CHANGES
- REPAIRS
- TOWING
- GASOLINE
.jpg)
0 komentar:
Posting Komentar