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The Procrastinator’s Bible for Financial Success: Nine Essential Steps for Planning, Budgeting and Investing

Frank J. Eberhart
iUniverse (2007)
ISBN 9780595411986
Reviewed by Kam Aures for RebeccasReads (4/08)

“The Procrastinator’s Bible for Financial Success” is a compact 137-page book that is overflowing with financial information.  In Eberhart’s introduction he tells us that in today’s world investors need as much help as they can get and I readily agree.  To anyone who has ever been stressed by all of the options available when making a financial decision this book is for you!

In the opening pages, Eberhart assures us that no matter where we are in life it isn’t too late to start our planning.  This is good news to me since there are some items that I have been putting off doing mostly because I was unsure of how to go about doing them.  The book is composed of “Nine Essential Steps for Planning, Budgeting, and Investing” and covers common financial decisions that most everyone will be making sometime during their life.  I found that many of the areas that I was confused about were included and most of the questions that I had were answered in this guide. 

In meticulous detail, Eberhart explores topics such as estate planning, budgeting, life insurance, investments, mutual funds, and bonds.  Each section explains your options to you and defines commonly-used terms relating to that financial area.  For instance, in the “Trust, Wills, Probate, and Executor Duties” section, the details of what an executor actually does are outlined for us.  I had known of the term ‘executor’ before but I guess I never had realized the number of things that this individual is truly responsible for.  It is quite a list!  Also, in this same chapter different types of trusts like “grantor-retained income trusts,” “fixed annuity trusts,” and “a revocable and amendable living trust” are thoroughly explained in a clear manner in order to allow us to make the decision as to which is the proper route to take for our own individual needs.

Many of the sections contain workbook sheets for you to fill in your own personal information.  For instance, there is a “Budget Worksheet” to help you detail out your monthly and yearly expenses and see how they compare to your income.  There is also a “Retirement Budget” section to assist you to planning for what expenses you will have after you are no longer employed.

Once you finish reading “The Procrastinator’s Bible for Financial Success” you will have a very good understanding of common financial terms and options so that you are able to make educated decisions for your financial future.  I recommend this book to anyone who has ever felt overwhelmed by the plethora of confusing terms out there in the financial world.  This book would make a wonderful addition to any home reference library.  I know that I will be turning to it when I stop procrastinating and get around to making some of the decisions that I have put on the backburner.

Even if you have a financial advisor it is important for you to understand terminology and options available to you.   Even though you would like to think the advisor has your best interests in mind they still are in the business of sales and the extra knowledge you will gain from reading “The Procrastinator’s Bible for Financial Success” will go along way in assisting you in making the right decision.

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