Kochies Guide To Keeping It Real

Kochie's guide to keeping it real - (My cradle to the grave approach to family and finance)
Pier 9 Publishing (Published 2006)
Written By David Koch
Australia
Review 4 Stars - Excellent Review

How the blurb describes the book:
David Koch, charismatic co-host of the Seven Network's Sunrise, started out in finance journalism over 20 years ago. He is one of the most recognised people on Australian television - a recent survey by Reader's Digest found he is one of the 25 most trusted Australians.

His list of achievements illustrates the breadth of his expertise, from being a small business owner; finance editor; silver Logie nominee 2004, 2005 and 2006; and commentator on over 50 radio stations. He is the author of Your Money and Your Life and co-author of I'm Not Made of Money and The Teenagers' Guide to Part Time Jobs and Leaving Home. Renowned for his love of a joke, Kochie's humour and charm are also at home on the Seven Network's Where Are They Now, which he co-hosts with his much-loved television partner, Melissa Doyle.

Kochie has been married to Libby for almost 30 years and they have four children - Samantha, (married to Toby), Brianna, Alexander, and Georgina.

Kochie's guide to keeping it real is a manual for life: an accessible, relevant, and entertaining guide to financial planning, relationships, and raising a family. Not afraid to express his opinion, Kochie draws on over twenty years' experience as a respected finance journalist, as well as his role as co-host on Channel Seven's Sunrise, to offer down-to-earth practical advice for Australian families.

Kochie's guide to keeping it real takes a commonsense approach to planning and managing finances, relationships and raising a family. Kochie draws on his own life experience, his financial acumen, and feedback from his Sunrise audience in this cradle to grave guide for modern families.

Enjoy Kochie's useful and often witty observations on just about everything - from saving for a house deposit, devising a pre-baby budget and bringing up kids, to building wealth, running your own business, planning for retirement and dealing with tax, divorce and even death!

Mr Home Budget's Review:
This is just one of a few books David Koch has written. But I came into this book only really knowing about him from the Sunrise TV show. This book smacks of Sunrise, it's almost as if he could just be rewriting a script word for word from the show. It's light, funny, and fresh. But if you like Sunrise the show, you will love this book.

However if you are just looking for a plain budgeting book this is not for you. He includes subjects which are totally off the topic of budgets. He manages to tie them into money and your finances.

David is extremely and perhaps surprisingly, open about his successes and failures. And he has included stories about himself, his wife, and kids. Tales about his greatest moments, not just in journalism, but in business. David talks about how he went from being an accountant to hosting Sunrise. Or as he calls it, "sheer arse". Plus he gives away his single biggest piece of advice, "Always have enough confidence in yourself to give anything a go. But also have enough confidence that if it doesn't work out, go and do something else." He also shows the flip side of the coin where his businesses have underperformed or just plain failed. Also non-money related moments like the Beaconsfield mine disaster, which he calls a highlight of his whole career... a very big call.

However, before you start thinking this book is just his memoirs, it's definitely not. There are reams and reams of useful information on home budgeting. The kind of information that if you followed it, it would be near impossible not to increase the size of your bank balance. The book's blurb says this is "a cradle to the grave approach to family and finance" and it means it! It even gives advice on 2 to 4 year olds. He gives advice about everything from babies to parents in retirement villages and everything in between.

There is also great information which relates to a home budget which you don't typically put in a home budgeting book. For example, how to ask for a pay rise, how to deal with a divorce, and what should be in a will. It forces you to think about things you would rather not think about.

Some of the great quotes which I must share with you:

"Never, ever abrogate responsibility for the family finances entirely to the other spouse. Like marriage itself, family finance is a team effort, which both partners must be intimately involved with."

"I know money can't buy you happiness, but a life without financial stress is a whole lot easier and happier."

To sum up, this book is a great read. It talks about the small starting steps you can implement every day to increase your security in life. Grab yourself a coffee, a quiet place and start reading.

Pros: Gives an insight into all things, David Koch; media, family, money, stories and it's even emotional (holds very little back).

Very funny and light, don't expect boring numbers or long maths equations.

Gives you an insight into the next stage of your life; financially and emotionally.

Cons: If you are looking for a purely black and white budgeting book, this is not for you.

If starting your own business is not on your to do list, some parts may not interest you.

My name is Adam Goulding and my story is quite simple. Four years ago my bank balance was so low paying rent was a big problem. March 15th 2005 was the day rock-bottom was hit emotionally and financially for me. The term completely broke and debt-ridden sums it up nicely. This was the result of a "she will be right" attitude. Then like a flash of lightning, a thought so extremely simple, yet a powerful realisation hit me. Whatever happened in my life with money up to March 15th 2005 wasn't working! Most decisions about my money to then were wrong. This one true realisation changed my life... who could show me a way out of financial danger? Not changing was not an option, as things would only get worse as time went by.

Then my girlfriend, Renee (now my wife) let me in on her system for growing money. Knowing Renee was much better at handling money than me, she could help. She told me secret number one of keeping more money in my bank account. This was the KISS principle, KISS simply stands for "Keep It Simple Stupid".

My new book is called "How to cut your debt to zero in 5 simple steps the keep it simple stupid home budget"

Now I have written a book on getting out of debt and a free monthly newsletter. Myself and my wife have turned our household budget around. Saving money in all sorts of ways. Plus getting rid of our credit cards and loans. Find it at http://www.mrhomebudget.com.au/ My nick name is now Mr Home Budget.

Thought Provoking Book - Makes You Go "Hmm"

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Ok, a couple of disclaimers right up front: 1) SuperFreakonomics is a follow-up book to the authors' first book - Freakonomics. I didn't read Freakonomics, and as it turns out, you don't have to read the first one to get the second one - these aren't vampire novels; 2) More than likely, I would not have read Super Freakonomics if I hadn't been sent a copy to review. Why? The word "freakonomics" is way to close to the word "economics" which, for a creative person like me, is a topic much like a bottle of wine - puts me right out. But I will tell you this - freakonomics is MUCH more interesting than plain, old economics. Here's why:

In spite of the overly witty full title - Super Freakonomics Global Cooling, Patriotic Prostitutes and Why Suicide Bombers Should Buy Life Insurance - the book is actually a fascinating tale of how economics plays into even the most bizarre areas of modern life. I guess that is what authors Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner wanted to convey with that extravagant title - they should have just let the content speak for itself, but I know, its all about getting people to OPEN the book, I get it, really.

So anyway, back to Super Freakonomics. I really enjoyed this book! I did snooze a bit through Chapter 3, but for the most part, here are two guys with nothing to gain except royalties. They don't seem to have an overt political bend. They don't seem to want to convince me that there is only one right way to do things. They're not selling me anything I don't already own. But what they are doing is taking incongruent subjects, like Al Gore and Mount Pinatubo (ok, not TOTALLY incongruent), prostitutes and Santa Claus, real estate agents and pimps, and telling me that they do actually have something in common and here's how it effects my life.

You see, we tend not to draw the comparisons Steven and Stephen have drawn in Super Freakonomics. Most of us don't want to see these connections or can't because we only really look at the surface of things. The Steves have penetrated that surface and dove down deep. They've brought to light some things that make you go, "hmm." Such as the hand-washing rate of doctors - YES YOU HEARD ME. You'll have to read that chapter for yourself as its quite disturbing.

All in all, its a thought-provoking book that I highly recommend you read. If for nothing else than to give you a little perspective on the world around you, how we got here and where we can hope the future brings us. There's a lot of what I believe is truth, in this book. The chapter on Global Warming is really a good one. But so is the Monkey chapter.

Levitt and Dubner have clearly done a ton of research and another ton of analysis. Typical economists... But untypically, they've written this book in such a way to make it all relevant to what's happening in our world today. Thumbs up.

P.S.: I may just read Freakonomics now...

Joyce Dierschke is a professional writer living in Nashville, TN. She writes on a variety of subjects including spirituality, religion, wellness, pets and more. If you're looking for high-quality, custom content suitable for websites, magazine, e-zines, newspapers, newsletters or blogs, please contact Joyce. For more information or to contact Joyce, visit: http://www.joycedierschkecopywriting.com/

U.S.A Import Data - Intelligent Business

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United States of America has proved itself as the largest and finest importer in whole world. USA import data is very handy tool for the traders around the globe. It has made its position in top traders of his world and can be called as intelligent business. US Import data is based on Bill lading, a shipping document filed at US Customs before entering the US ports. It is available on any Product exported by sea way to all US Ports. Data includes US Importer name address and Overseas Suppliers. Some of the important data fields have to be taken into consideration to receive imports from US:

• US Consignee Name, Address, Tel, Fax.
• US Notify party, Address, Tel, Fax.
• US Bankers Name, Address, Tel, Fax.
• Suppliers Name, Address, Tel, Fax.
• Date of Arrival.
• Actual Product Description as entered in Bill of Lading, Marks and Nos.
• Quantity and Unit of Quantity, Measurement.
• Overseas Country.
• Overseas Port.
• US Port.
• Bill Of lading No, Container No, Seal No, Voyage No, Vessel No. and Many more data fields.

USA Customs Import Trade Data Intelligence make a report on the importers in USA to find active, genuine US Importers, This report is based on authentic, actual import transactions filed at US Customs. These reports are compiled from Bill of Lading, Shipping Manifests filed with US Customs at US Ports.

Commonly, USA imports import goods like marble, cartons, handicrafts, glass art ware, woolen fabrics, yard woolen fabrics, Iron, wood seap, stone, Indian drass, copper, glitter plastic, ball pens, woven blouse, automotive components, storage bags, dolls clothing, ornaments, pictures, furniture, kitchen wares, books, clothes, compact discs, tables, storage devices etc. US update its goods regularly and give notification to traders for any new coming goods in the market.

The various advantages of USA import data are:

• Excellent directory to look for active USA importers and buyers.
• Consistency.
• Best quality products
• Pocket sized price.
• Latest market trends.
• Discover new market.
• 24*7 availability.

According to US census Bureau of import export "The import statistics consist of goods valued at more than $2,000 per commodity shipped by individuals and organizations (including importers and customs brokers) into the U.S. from other countries.

The above statistics of USA import data and the subsequent export data itself divulges the prospect for the importers in USA. Importers must remember some basic requirements of USA-

• Custom clearance, it includes- entry, inspection, appraisement, classification and liquidation.
• Declaration of dutiable value of goods.

There are certain things need to know before starting import business from USA like some technicalities, detailed requirements etc until and unless the pros and cons of USA business doesn't occur, it may create some problem in getting the desired result. There are many online directories available offering the complete information of importers in USA, USA import data and their current trends.

Reading Corner - Dreaming Green Book Review

"Going Green" is one of the latest trends. These days nobody wants to get caught carrying a plastic bag or throwing a water bottle in the trash. However, for some people, "going green" is much more than a fad- it's a lifestyle. Dreaming Green was coauthored by husband and wife duo, Paul Gleicher (LEED accredited architect and founder and president of the prestigious Gleicher Design Group) and Lisa Sharkey (senior vice president and director of creative development at HarperCollins), who committed to living green before renovating their Upper West Side Manhattan brownstone. For the Sharkey-Gleicher family, which also includes the couple's three young children, this meant that practically everything in their home would be "sustainable or recycled, super-energy efficient, and chemical free."

Dreaming-green, unlike other "coffee table" design books, Dreaming Green isn't only about beautiful photographs and design plans. For each of the seventeen eco-friendly homes featured in this book, there are up to five pages of detailed explanation about what types of materials went into transforming that home and how they were obtained, as well insight into the design process. Dreaming Green features a variety of homes from an "eco-farmhouse" in upstate New York to an "eco-manor" in Atlanta, Georgia.

For those who are considering making environmentally conscious changes in their own homes, there are over ten pages of resources in the back of the book, providing readers with access to many of the materials utilized in the featured homes. The "Resources" section includes everything from eco-friendly paints to kitchen cabinetry to flooring to geothermal heating, and much more. This section alone makes Dreaming Green an invaluable resource for people who are seriously planning to renovate their own homes.

Gleicher, Paul, and Lisa Sharkey. Dreaming Green. 1st ed. New York: Clarkson Potter, 2008.

Caitlin Costello is a copywriter for Yodle Local, a business directory and online advertising company. Find more going green tips and info at http://local.yodle.com/articles

Zubi Diamond Introduces the Kingmakers to the Conspirators

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I am still waiting for our economy to recover and am wondering if present stimulus package and other recovery efforts are really going to work. And I begin to wonder if recovery is possible if our leaders don't really understand what caused our economy to crash in the first place.

Then I come across some information online about a new book by Zubi Diamond entitled "Wizards of Wall Street & Washington Lap dogs; The Scam That Elected Barak Obama." Diamond writes that President Obama is not aware that the crash was caused by financial advisors who have close access to the White House.

As I read a few more pages I learn that the author believes a group of highly-placed and influential hedge-fund conspirators convinced the SEC to eliminate safeguards that were in place since 1938 to prevent the stock market from crashing. One the SEC safeguards were gone, the conspirators engineered the near-collapse of our economic system. Diamond identifies George Soros as the mastermind of this effort.

This excerpt from the book is a good summary of what Diamond things of short-sellers: "Hedge Fund short sellers do not want price appreciation or increase in value, they only want and have an expectation of a future price decline and decrease in value leading to the destruction of the companies. Hedge Fund short sellers are not investors; they are masquerading as investors, they are the proverbial wolves in sheep's clothing; they are the financial market looters, selling what they never owned and stealing what they never owned, because that is what short selling allows them to do."

The author says our congressional committees and representative leaders have surrendered the responsibility to write policy and regulate banks and the stock market to hedge-fund short-sellers whose greed for power and money led them to subvert capitalism and our free economy.

Before recovery really is possible, says the author, the administration and congress must reinstate the uptick rule, circuit breakers and the trading curb, remove mark-to-market accounting and replace it with cost accounting, dismantle and quit trading all ETFs, regulate hedge funds in the same manner as mutual funds and pension funds, and regulate speculation on crude oil futures.

After reading the first chapter I was thinking that this is just another conspiracy theory book and was about to lay it down. But after reading the next three chapters I came to realize that Zubi Diamond had done a lot of research, had personal experience in the market, and seemed to know what he was talking about. This is a book that Republicans and Democrats alike should read. Come to think of it, maybe President Obama and Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner also should read Zubi Diamond's new book

-- Emory Daniels

Emory Daniels, book reviewer, freelance writer, web content specialist

How Did the Global Financial Crisis and Bubble Happen?

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Former FED Chairman Alan Greenspan made a very interesting comment when he testified before congress after the Global Financial bubble burst of late 2008. When asked how did this happen, he made a number of astute observations and comments, of course the most telling and one that has been repeated the most was; "I couldn't believe that bankers would act this way against their own interests" or something to that point.

Was it more irrational exuberance, only this time aimed at the banking sector? Well, if you'd like to read an extremely good book on the reality of "rational investment" on Wall Street than boy to I have a good book recommendation for you. The book is a really good read, but very detail oriented and philosophically based, which 100s of names, theories, examples, observations and a good bit of history on economic thought, and financial theory. The book is:

"The Myth of Rational Markets; A History of Risk, Reward, and Delusion on Wall Street" by Justin Fox; Harper Business Book Publishers; New York, NY; 2009.

As the author takes you through some 350 pages, he never actually answers the question, which is the suggested in the title of the book; are markets rational? But, that is okay, as the reader, if intellectually endowed will have a very good understanding by the time they finish. All the pros and cons, and theories of this question are addressed.

I very much enjoyed the history, and his lectures on the evolution of economic and financial thinking. There were many folks listed in the book, as well as all their arguments. I enjoyed the comments about Warren Buffet, and the top academic scholars on investment theory, portfolio allocation schemes, capital asset pricing, and option pricing. Action packed with references galore, it's all here. Think on this.

Lance Winslow - Lance Winslow's Bio. Lance Winslow is also Founder of the Car Wash Guys, a cool little Franchise Company; http://www.carwashguys.com/history/founder.html.

Fault Lines - How Hidden Fractures Still Threaten The World Economy

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Theses culprits are none other than greedy bankers, sleepy regulators and irresponsible borrowers whose individual choices that collectively brought about the economic meltdown.

Raghuram Rajan was one of the few economists who warned the world of the global financial crisis before it even hit. In the book Rajan warns us of the serious flaws in the economy that need to be fixed to prevent potentially more devastating crisis that awaits us. According to Rajan there were two main causes that led to initial breakdown-One was stagnant wages and the other was growing inequality in the U.S.

All this led to the reduced purchasing power of many middle class households which gave birth to an urgent demand for credit. The financial industry that had already gained encouragement from the government responded back by supplying home equity loans, subprime mortgages and auto loans. Most economists had failed to consider that the side effects of this unrestrained credit growth would turn out to be more devastating.

Raghuram writings are always well reasoned and based on sound set of facts. While the book is worth it even for the explanation of why we had a crisis and is even the most thought provoking contribution in the aftermath of the financial crisis. Readers will find that the book is full of great examples and cases and will certainly question some long held biases about current economic conditions in western countries.

Raghuram in his book also lays out some common patterns of global economic behavior in households, markets and governments and shows that when economic conditions become so demanding the difference of behavior between developed and developing countries becomes negligible.

Jenny is an online marketing professional, who keeps on researching on how various businesses are using online marketing for their advantages. He often shares his research and understanding through his articles and blogs.
He is currently researching on the global book industry and finding out the best resource to procure and buy books. To buy books online, he tests the usability factors associated with the online bookstores. Based on his real life experiences he would be contributing some of the articles for various resources to procure and buy books.