52 Weeks to Financial Fitness: The Week-by-Week Plan for Making Your Money Grow

Book Description

52 Weeks to Financial Fitness is your personal financial trainer -- a friendly and authoritative expert that will guide you week by week to manage your finances and make your money grow.

In the current frenzied market it's hard to know whom to turn to for solid advice. Into this void steps the calm presence of Marshall Loeb, personal finance pioneer and former editor of two of the most successful magazines in history, Fortune and Money.

Personal finance and investments are a lot like doing exercise. Few of us are happy with our finances or our physiques. For many people, just getting started on a fitness program is the hardest part. But once you begin, you marvel at how easy it is and wonder how you ever did without it. Marshall Loeb's program for financial fitness, like any good exercise program, starts simply and moves gradually to heavier lifting, boosting your confidence as you move forward. Not only will you learn how to budget your accounts and get your insurance in order, but you'll also have a strong enough background to choose the investments that are right for you (stocks, bonds, or mutual funds) and the know-how to pick a financial planner and get the most out of his or her services. No matter what kind of financial shape you're in, Marshall -- week by week -- carefully brings you to the next level.

52 Weeks to Financial Fitness tells you everything you need to know to become financially fit. With its comprehensive coverage and ease of use, the book will serve as your practical financial guide. Some examples:

* Week 2: Ten ways to boost your savings.
* Week 7: Design a realistic family budget with Marshall's three-stage method.
* Week 11: Thirteen ways to cut your taxes this year.
* Weeks 18 and 19: Get your debt under control and design a sensible borrowing plan.
* Week 22: Start investing profitably in stocks.
* Week 23: Look into investing in bonds.
* Week 33: Cut the cost of your car insurance without cutting your coverage.
* Week 46: Calculate and save what you will need to retire comfortably and without worry.

Download Description

'From a pioneering giant in personal finance comes a week-by-week "fitness" plan for the millions who want to trim unsightly debt and add some muscle to their portfolios.

Customer Reviews:

Give this one a pass!.......2003-01-08

I don't know what's more annoying about this book, the chirpy tone or the moronic advice. Not only are the tips all over the map, but they are just that--tips--with no help at all given to developing an overall philosophy or strategy. Loeb also completely ignores the emotional aspect of financial planning, leading to ridiculous advice like taking out a home equity loan to pay off credit card bills. Sure you can reduce your rate by doing that. But you're likely to run your cards up again. And now you've put your house at risk. Real smart move, Marshall.

I'm so grateful that I checked this book out of the library rather than spending good money on it. My advice: Almost any other basic personal finance book would serve you better than this one. A couple of good ones that deal with the emotional and the practical aspects of financial planning are Suze Orman's, Ruth Hayden's, and Jerrold Mundis'. Don't waste your time with this one.

One Financial Fitness Regimen Does Not Fit All!.......2000-12-31

The author suggests that you "look at this book as your . . . friendly, expert, immediately useful, personal trainer." Well, I agree that would be wonderful, and that's what financial advisors do. Like personal trainers, they start out by finding out all about you to diagnose where you need work, and then focus your attention on appropriate activities in those areas.

By contrast, this book focuses your attention in every possible direction, and probably overburdens you with detail in many areas where the benefits will be negligible for you.

Since the book does not focus you properly for your situation, you'll have to use the book differently than it is written to get full benefit from it. The advice is fine, just not organized to be the most helpful to you.

My suggestion is that you read the whole book first fairly quickly, making notes about how much financial benefit you think you will get from the more beneficial subjects, how much effort will be required to get that benefit, and your level of enthusiasm for pursuing that item.

Before going further, then think about other ways that you could increase your income. Add them to the list. The main content weakness in this book is that it emphasizes reducing risk with insurance, cutting costs and taxes, and increasing investment income. The book pays almost no attention to other ways to increase your income other than by adding a new skill and changing jobs.

Then count off about how many items look attractive to pursue, and pick the top 10 percent or so in value and attractiveness to you to start with. You will probably get 50 to 80 percent of the total benefit from Mr. Loeb's advice from these few items. Work on them first.

When you find that you have excess time to take on a new item, then add the next highest item for value and attractiveness.

At whatever point you've increased your income and cut your costs to be able to afford a fee-based financial planner to work with you, do so. Then in the process of working with that person, other high value opportunities will probably arise. The book advises you to do this also, but not until week 26. By then, most people will have stopped working on this enormously long list of things to check out, and you may never get around to getting that personalized advice.

Let me mention that Mr. Loeb is the former managing editor of Fortune and Money magazines, and did a terrific job at both places. He is very knowledgeable, thorough, and trustworthy. His advice is far more valuable for implementing what you need to do than many popular advisors like Ms. Orman.

He does not, however, pay any significant attention to the psychology of why people do the wrong things with their money. Most financial advisors tell me all their clients know what they "should" do, but don't do it anyway. I suggest that you also seek out books that consider that topic. "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" is a good basic book that most people can relate to. On cutting costs, reducing debt, and starting to invest, you will probably find "The Finance Doctor" easy to understand and apply.

My primary suggestion is that you take the goal-setting parts of this book the most seriously. But I would encourage you to expand that goal-setting to include all parts of your life. "Awaken the Giant Within" is a good resource for that purpose.

May you find peace of mind along with a fuller wallet . . . and the time to enjoy both!

Book Description

An in-depth, eye-opening look at Purchasing in the 21st Century.

This invaluable resource demonstrates how to improve purchasing operations through supplier scheduling and the integration of purchasing with other initiatives such as Manufacturing Resource Planning (MRP II), Just-in-Time (JIT), and Total Quality Management (TQM). Along with new material on emerging technologies, vendor managed inventory, and supply chain management, seasoned consultant John E. Schorr offers a solid framework for bettering purchasing systems through a rigorous evaluation of current business structures. Comprehensive and completely up-to-date, Purchasing in the 21st Century, Second Edition provides invaluable insight and advice on:
* Implementing accurate supplier scheduling
* Using MRP II/JIT/TQM to dramatically increase performance of on-time deliveries, to decrease lead times, reduce lot sizes, and achieve an overall cost reduction of purchased materials
* Employing synchronized deliveries in conjunction with a Kanban system
* Selecting the best performance measurements for suppliers.

Filled with helpful examples and case studies of such leading companies as Steelcase and Corning Glass, this is must reading for anyone involved in creating, implementing, and improving purchasing operations.

In order to outperform the competition today, companies must be like finely tuned machines, composed of quality parts that work together both seamlessly and in unison. Until recently, and for most organizations, this wasn't the case when it came to two crucial components: buyers and suppliers. However, with growing attempts to improve operations across the board, this once adversarial relationship is evolving into a more cohesive partnership. In this comprehensive resource, now revised and expanded, author John E. Schorr takes an in-depth look at this important change in perspective, explores techniques currently being implemented to improve performance, and focuses on what's around the corner for Purchasing in the 21st Century.

In the past, buyers and suppliers operated with different sets of numbers, different priorities, and different agendas, resulting in ongoing conflicts, poor service levels, and, perhaps, most obviously, a concerted disadvantage in the marketplace. Realizing that purchasing can be key to seeing significant improvements in operations and competitive capabilities, companies have begun to leverage the role of purchasing to achieve improvements in supplier quality, product delivery, and new product development.

Purchasing in the 21st Century, Second Edition offers practical information on improving purchasing operations. With complete coverage of the tools and techniques needed, the book illustrates how to implement supplier scheduling, as well as carry out purchasing in Manufacturing Resource Planning (MRP II), Just-in-Time (JIT), and Total Quality Management (TQM) environments. It also provides essential details on supply chain management and vendor managed inventory, two new concepts being used in purchasing departments around the country.

Perhaps, most significantly, Purchasing in the 21st Century, Second Edition helps you create a sound purchasing operation with a solid framework that includes a rigorous evaluation of current systems. You'll learn to coordinate with your suppliers' production schedules, ensure supplier quality assurance, reduce freight costs, and effectively use electronic data interchange and the Internet. To illustrate how others have altered and refined their purchasing approach, you'll find detailed case studies of such prominent companies as Steelcase and Corning Glass.

Purchasing in the 21st Century, Second Edition gives purchasing executives and their counterparts across the company state-of-the-art guidelines for creating and effectively managing their purchasing operation. A timely examination, this is essential reading for anyone involved in the purchasing process.

Customer Reviews:

Review of a great help book.......2000-04-17

This is an excellent window to be aware of the importance of integrating purchasing strategies with various business tools such as TQM, JIT, MRP.The author critically analyses trends of management focus and gives suggestions to purchasing personnel to re-allign and improve their performance measures of cost, quality and delivery. As a practising purchase manager, I have been greatly benefited in provoking the thought process of my department personnel to constantly innovate and improve their effectiveness. I have recomended a copy of this book to all libraries of our 17 group companies. I would be delighted if the author and the publishers come out with material on using "change management" by purchase professionals to use tools of ERP and e-commerce and "adjust their sails" to ride the new cutting edge technologies.

Purchasing in the 21st Century: A Guide to State-of-the-Art Techniques and Strategies, 2nd Edition

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Purchasing in the 21st Century: A Guide to State-of-the-Art Techniques and Strategies, 2nd Edition
John E. Schorr
Manufacturer: Wiley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000MC54PM

Book Description

The essays in this collection reflect on the promises, hopes and fears dominant in the narratives on and realities of doing away with authoritarian regimes. The experiences of post-communist transition are matched with accounts on authoritarian traits present in established constitutional democracies and on authoritarian inclusions preserved in the new regimes in the post-transition phase. The essays combine first-hand insider accounts with interdisciplinary scholarly analysis. The first part of the collection focuses on considerations marking the way out of authoritarian - not restricted to socialist - regimes. The second part centers around experiences and problems which surface following the days of totalitarianism, both in newly emerged democracies and in well-established constitutional systems. Issues covered range from police practices to the role of the 'people' in post-authoritarian regimes. The dilemma transparent in all essays is whether 'coming out' of authoritarianism is possible at all.

Book Description

Illustrated with full-color and black-and-white photographs of numerous classic tractors and vintage advertisements, and written by an expert, this is the perfect nostalgic guide to the wonderful farm machines that helped build a nation. The illuminating text offers a complete discussion of the most groundbreaking models, and fascinating sidebars detail tractor basics, collecting and lore.

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Catalysis in Micellar and Macromolecular Systems
Eleanor J. Fendler , and Janos H. Fendler
Manufacturer: Academic Press Inc.,U.S.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General & Reference | Chemistry | Professional Science | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
General | Physical & Theoretical | Chemistry | Science | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0122528506

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Catalysis in Micellar and Macromolecular Systems
Janos H. & Eleanor J. Fendler Fendler
Manufacturer: Academic Press Inc.,U.S.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OHQC10

Book Description

The Golden Age of Theoretical Physics brings together 37 selected essays. Many of these essays were first presented as lectures at various universities in Europe and the USA, and then published as reports or articles. Their enlarged, final versions were published in the joint work of Jagdish Mehra and Helmut Rechenberg, The Historical Development of Quantum Theory, while the other essays were published as articles in scientific journals or in edited books. Here they are published together as a tribute to the Mehra-Rechenberg collaboration sustained for several decades, and cover various aspects of quantum theory, the special and general theories of relativity, the foundations of statistical mechanics, and some of their fundamental applications. Two essays, 'Albert Einstein's "First" Paper' (Essay 1) and 'The Dream of Leonardo da Vinci' (Essay 37), lie outside the major themes treated in this book, but are included here because of their historical interest. The origin of each essay is explained in a footnote.

This book deals with the most important themes developed in the first 40 years of the twentieth century by some of the greatest pioneers and architects of modern physics. It is a vital source of information about what can veritably be described as 'the golden age of theoretical physics'.

Customer Reviews:

Nicely written funny little book.......1999-12-21

Just reading the first page of this little book makes you laugh "Hazel Pope was twelve years old when she first bared her buttocks for biscuits." Traces the story of a little boy who is grows up in a cafe, and how they end up in Africa. A Little bizarre at the end, but a nice book.

Average customer rating:

Vinegar King and Hot Soup
C. Tickoo
Manufacturer: Sangam Books Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Average customer rating:

Wonderful

Review of Lyons' World War II: A Short History

A Very Good General Text On WWII!

A Very Good General Text On WWII!

Excellent Overview - A Must Read!

World War II: A Short History, Fourth Edition
Michael J. Lyons
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Military | History | Subjects | Books
General | World War II | Military | History | Subjects | Books
All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
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Hitler's Army: Soldiers, Nazis, and War in the Third Reich

World War I: A Short History (2nd Edition)

Home Front U.S.A.: America during World War II

Wartime: Understanding and Behavior in the Second World War

War Without Mercy: Race and Power in the Pacific War

ASIN: 0130977691

Book Description

Highly regarded for its clarification of the complexities of World War II, the book illuminates the origins, course, and long-range effects of the war and provides a balanced account that analyzes both the European and Pacific theaters of operations and the connections between them. The Fourth Edition incorporates new material from the latest literature, offering modified conclusions on key topics and expanding coverage throughout. The author examines the origins of World War II, the legacy of World War I, the rise of the dictators, the road to war, Germany's march of conquest, globalization of the war, the second front question and the invasion of North America, war in the Atlantic, the allied bombing offensive, the home fronts, and the triumph of the allies. For World War II enthusiasts.

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful.......2007-02-19

In depth text of the events prior, during and after World War II. Starts with the Signing of the Treaty of Versailles by the "Big Three" (France, Britain and United States) and ends with the events leading to the unset of the Korean War. In the text there are numerous maps of military strategies and movements from the Mediterranean Theater Operations to Germans' Blitzkrieg. I personal recommend this prestigious text for anyone wanting an extensive academia perspective to the events, people, and situations of World War II.

Review of Lyons' World War II: A Short History.......2005-01-13

The book definitely offers a good overview of the EUROPEAN part of World War II, from diplomatic, economic, military before and during the conflict. Lyons offers a balanced view of conflict and that would both be suitable for academics and general readers alike. Lyons' style also provide the wealth of information in an interesting way.

However, Lyons' spent most of its time on Europe and overlooks the World War II outside the Western Hemisphere. It would be easy to overlook that China and Japan has already began fighting in July 1937, over two years before Germany invaded Poland on September 1939.

A Very Good General Text On WWII!.......2003-07-12

This interesting and very well written book is intended as a general text book for teaching purposes, and as such is geared to a more basic and general understanding of the broad sweep, causes, course, and effects of the Second World War than it is a revealing or thought-provoking examination or reinterpretation of all the evidence such as Weinberg's magisterial "A World At Arms" or Murray and Millet's comprehensive "A War To Be Won". That being said, it is indeed an excellent text, now in its third edition.

Written by author Michael J. Lyons, it comprises a very readable overview of every salient aspect in the war, albeit briefly, in all the political, diplomatic, economic, military and human dimensions in which the war was played out. Not only does it quite adequately detail the significant events precipitating the conflict, but also describes very well the manifest consequences of the defeat of both Germany and Japan. Lyons gives us a reader-friendly account of both European and Pacific campaigns, and provides a lot of interesting and useful connections between the two fronts.

Long in use, the book is generally regarded as being quite literate and yet eminently readable, hence its wide use in college classrooms. The text not only provides the kind of comprehensive overview students need to make sense of such an overwhelming historical phenomenon as WWII, but also serves to illuminate the mechanics behind the origins, course, and consequent long-term effects of that war, providing a well reasoned and balanced overview that while uncontroversial, also pulls few punches regarding causes and effects. I would recommend its purchase for anyone wanting a nice hardbound overview that is easy to read and also relatively kind to one's limited resources. Enjoy

A Very Good General Text On WWII!.......2003-07-12

Excellent Overview - A Must Read!.......2001-03-12

This text was required for one of my history classes. It is short,succinct, and loaded with valuable maps and photographs. I would highly recommend this text for anyone looking for a comprehensive overview of World War II. Lyons is a skilled, accessable author with a gift for making oft-reported information fresh and exciting.

Customer Reviews:

The Rise of Modern America: A Histor of the American People, 1890-1945.......2007-04-13

Recieved product as advertised. In addition, the book was shipped within 3 days. Simply outstanding service. I would recommend that prior to anyone purchasing a product from another site, they compare it to what Amazon.com and its sellers have to offer.

Book Description

This book is for executives, managers, consultants, science afficianados, and others who have always suspected that current management theory fails to address the issues of strategy and leadership in a world of constant, rapid change. The response proposed in The Quest for Fitness is based on over 10 years of research and interaction between some of the key leaders in science and management under the auspices of The Chaos Network, a collaboration founded by the author in 1988. The controversial results and recommendations will both surprise and please the skeptic who has been asking the question, "if excellence is so great, why do so many excellent companies bite the dust?" The answer leads the reader onto the path of organizational fitness and to the renewal of the explorer as the effective leader in the fast changing, unpredictable world of business.

Book Description

Along the shores of Lake Ontario, over 90 percent of wetlands in the area have been sacrificed to other land use needs. In the lower Mississippi valley, the floodplain forested wetlands, which once covered 39,000 square miles, now cover only 7,000 (the rest of the area was cleared to provide
land for agriculture). For centuries, these marshes, floodplains, lagoons, deltas, and other wetland systems of the world have been perceived as wasteland, obstacles to the overriding need for agricultural and urban development. Yet wetlands are in fact home to a rich diversity of plant and animal
life; their destruction has brought to the verge of extinction dozens of species of birds and other wildlife that flourish in these regions, as well as threatened the lives of hundreds of thousands of people who rely on the wetlands' resources for their very survival. Now, in Wetlands in Danger
comes the most comprehensive coverage of these precious natural reserves--the dangers they face, and what we must do to preserve what remains of them.
This lavishly illustrated volume explores areas ranging from the extensive Prairie Pothole region of North America, to the floodplains of the inner Niger Delta, to the vast mangrove stands of South Asia. We see the remarkable animals that have adapted to life in the wetlands. The African
lungfish, for instance, during periods of desiccation, not only has the ability to breathe air, but, burrowed in the mud, can slow its metabolic rate to conserve energy until the water rises again. And the crocodile, using its powerful jaws to trap its prey, can lose and replace 3000 teeth in its
lifetime. We meet the people who have come to depend on the resources of the wetlands for their livelihood: the fisher-people of the Sudd, who live on mounds that have been built up from natural detritus over the years; the Imraguen fishermen who, using long poles to beat on the water of Africa's
Banc d'Arguin, attract dolphin that drive mullet inshore and into their nets; and the Ma'dan (Marsh Arabs) of Iraq, who have lived in the marshes for over 5000 years, isolated from the rest of Iraq by the extensive wetlands. (Using the expansive reed beds of the area, the Ma'dan have constructed
artificial island houses that float on the lakes.)
Wetlands also takes a look at the impact of wetlands loss on the people of these regions. By carefully monitoring threatened wetland regions, the IUCN (World Conservation Union) has revealed how the short-term gains of intensive agriculture, hydroelectricity, or other development projects may
lead to the permanent loss of wetlands and their resources, and may destroy the livelihood of those people who depend on wetlands for pasture during dry season, and for their local fisheries. A multitude of up-to-date, full-color maps cover the wetlands region by region, providing information on the
various types of wetland systems, wildlife, and vegetation in each area, and charting the course of conversion and degradation.
Written in conjunction with the World Conservation Monitoring Centre, Wetlands is not only a breathtaking view of the treasures of these plentiful areas, but a compelling call to reevaluate how our actions can affect the delicate ecological balance in these important regions.

Wetlands in Danger: A World Conservation Atlas. (book reviews): An article from: World Watch

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Wetlands in Danger: A World Conservation Atlas. (book reviews): An article from: World Watch

Manufacturer: Worldwatch Institute
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B000920C0C
Release Date: 2005-07-28

Book Description

This digital document is an article from World Watch, published by Worldwatch Institute on January 1, 1994. The length of the article is 1222 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Wetlands in Danger: A World Conservation Atlas. (book reviews)
Publication: World Watch (Magazine/Journal)
Date: January 1, 1994
Publisher: Worldwatch Institute
Volume: v7 Issue: n1 Page: p37(2)

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Wetlands in Danger: A World Conservation Atlas

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Wetlands in Danger: A World Conservation Atlas
Patrick (editor) Dugan
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OKRN8I

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