Comments on: Review: The True Cost of Happiness http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/05/23/review-the-true-cost-of-happiness/ Financial talk for the rest of us Sat, 16 Feb 2013 01:14:45 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 By: MoneyEnergy http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/05/23/review-the-true-cost-of-happiness/#comment-285229 MoneyEnergy Sat, 24 May 2008 01:43:07 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/05/23/review-the-true-cost-of-happiness/#comment-285229 Hmm,

This book is not what I thought it might be about, which was that maybe you shouldn’t spend so much time fussing and fretting over each money decision, because that can eat up your life.

Instead it sounds like it tries to talk a bit too much about every single money-planning possibility. I’ll take a closer look at it, but so far it doesn’t look like something more than a real beginner to their financial life could make use of.

Clare @
MoneyEnergy
http://fluomundi.typepad.com

]]> By: !wanda http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/05/23/review-the-true-cost-of-happiness/#comment-285199 !wanda Sat, 24 May 2008 00:52:21 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/05/23/review-the-true-cost-of-happiness/#comment-285199 Happiness studies are “hot” now; how fortuitous it was that this book happened to have the word happiness in its title! From your review, this book sounds very similar to other financial primers that don’t claim to focus on happiness. I wonder what the initial title of this book was.

]]> By: Jules http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/05/23/review-the-true-cost-of-happiness/#comment-284972 Jules Fri, 23 May 2008 19:38:56 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/05/23/review-the-true-cost-of-happiness/#comment-284972 Huh, isn’t that odd…I just wrote something about happiness on my own blog…

]]> By: Paul http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/05/23/review-the-true-cost-of-happiness/#comment-284921 Paul Fri, 23 May 2008 18:15:49 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/05/23/review-the-true-cost-of-happiness/#comment-284921 I agree with STL Mom #4 above. LTD insurance can be a very wise investment. I only bought it after a former co-worker, who has a wife and child, stepped off the rear of an ambulance and shattered his ankle. He said to me later that the insurance made it possible for him to continue his standard of living.

This is the second review I’ve read that has actually inspired me to go and pick up the book. Thanks for this one Trent.

]]> By: Sara http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/05/23/review-the-true-cost-of-happiness/#comment-284895 Sara Fri, 23 May 2008 17:33:57 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/05/23/review-the-true-cost-of-happiness/#comment-284895 I love that this book brings up the idea of lessons learned in childhood. I think most “primer” books place a lot of (deserved) emphasis on the now, while ignoring the past–the reasons people are in trouble. I’m just lucky I got great messages growing up; I knew my parents invested their money. I had no idea of specifics, but I knew that long-term money was supposed to be invested.

I would recommend to parents who are financially struggling and aren’t investing yet that they fake it. Seriously. Talk about investing and returns while holding a sheaf of official-looking papers. Your kids will grow up thinking that investing is normal, and something that everybody does.

]]> By: Andy http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/05/23/review-the-true-cost-of-happiness/#comment-284878 Andy Fri, 23 May 2008 17:12:17 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/05/23/review-the-true-cost-of-happiness/#comment-284878 $4 lattes have brought me a lot of happiness in my life!

]]> By: Daniel http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/05/23/review-the-true-cost-of-happiness/#comment-284875 Daniel Fri, 23 May 2008 17:05:52 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/05/23/review-the-true-cost-of-happiness/#comment-284875 See, this is why I stop by here. While it has, in the past, occurred to me to wonder about what causes happiness, the cost isn’t something I’d have thought of. Thanks for the review – this one is going on my library reading list!

]]> By: STL Mom http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/05/23/review-the-true-cost-of-happiness/#comment-284837 STL Mom Fri, 23 May 2008 16:22:28 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/05/23/review-the-true-cost-of-happiness/#comment-284837 Please check into disability insurance ASAP. A younger adult is much more likely to become disabled than to die, but the financial impact can be as bad, or worse. A serious accident or illness could leave you with no income and greatly increased expenses.
The book sounds interesting, especially the part about teaching kids about finances. I remember an eye-opening conversation with my mom about our monthly expenses when I was a teenager, and I’d like to start sooner with my kids.

]]> By: Krista http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/05/23/review-the-true-cost-of-happiness/#comment-284781 Krista Fri, 23 May 2008 14:59:40 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/05/23/review-the-true-cost-of-happiness/#comment-284781 I have a question about my FICO score:

I am a recent college grad who let all those credit card offers get the best of her. I have four cards that are now in default and have been sold off to creditors. I don’t know if it would be worth it with it being so late after the fact (but so early in my life) and my credit is already damaged from it. Would it worth it to repay those cards and fix my score or should I just start to rebuild with other means of credit (I just purchased a new car out of necessity, not luxury).

]]> By: Tyler @ Dividend Money http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/05/23/review-the-true-cost-of-happiness/#comment-284769 Tyler @ Dividend Money Fri, 23 May 2008 14:45:34 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/05/23/review-the-true-cost-of-happiness/#comment-284769 Andrew,
My wife and I have our own spendig allowances based on teh percentage of total family income that we each earn.
We have never fought about money…but then again we just had a baby, so that could change in a hurry!
I think the big key is making the correct fundamental choices and moving toward the larger financial goals.
If we don’t have a financial goal, then what is it that we are saving and budgeting for?
It’s too easy to get off track when there is no “carrot and stick” to guide your path!
Just my $0.02.

]]> By: Andrew http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/05/23/review-the-true-cost-of-happiness/#comment-284759 Andrew Fri, 23 May 2008 14:21:47 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/05/23/review-the-true-cost-of-happiness/#comment-284759 I like the idea of the “spending allowances” as I am about to get married. I would like to have play money and also money that I can save for a gift for my fiance without her realizing that something is up.

]]> By: Vered http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/05/23/review-the-true-cost-of-happiness/#comment-284755 Vered Fri, 23 May 2008 14:15:13 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/05/23/review-the-true-cost-of-happiness/#comment-284755 “Dream big, define that dream in detail, and then break it down into what you need to do today – and it probably involves not buying that $4 latte. That’s the real key.”

So, so true. When you look at the big picture, when you have a long-term financial goal, it is so much easier to avoid mindless spending.

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