Smart Cookies-the book, not the actual cookie

I grabbed a few books at the library when I was there with my three year old so it was much more in passing then I normally do.  I grabbed two books that looked like I had read them before (yup, that is how much time I got in the aisle after spending two hours in the kids section with him).  This was one of the ones that I got and I think that it is really interesting.  The Smart Cookies' Guide to Making More Dough: How Five Young Women Got Smart, Formed a Money Group, and Took Control of Their Finances by The Smart Cookies and Jennifer Barrett was a quick starting book that got right to the point of not being in debt.  It was aimed at people just starting out and what to do before things get bad (or even after they do).  It seems like a great gift for someone going off to college or someone going out on their own.  The best thing that they do is tell you to make long term goals so when you want to get a coffee at Starbucks or go out to dinner with friends, you are giving up on a trip to Italy (just an example from the book).  It is nice to see a book that tells young people that they don't have to give up everything to have what they want. 

They wrote another book which I added to my list:  The Smart Cookies' Guide to Couples and Money: Earn More, Argue Less, Achieve the Life You Want . . . Together by Andrea Baxter, Angela Self, Katie Dunsworth and Robyn Gunn. 

WARNING:  This next part has less to do with the book and more to do from what I learned from it.  If you don't want my rant, please feel free to skip.

Since I don't drink coffee, go out to dinner with friends, go out to drinks with colleagues, eat lunch out everyday, and get mani/pedis.... I just wasn't sure that this book was for me.  I might be a few years too late to this book because I could have used it when I started out living in the big city and not being able to afford it.  It wasn't that long ago that I couldn't remember but long enough that I can't change it now (although there is a part in the book that you are supposed to tell your younger self something and that would be it).  After getting a raise to actually be able to afford living in the "big city,"  I do remember spending more money then I should have.  I wish I would have thought of the big picture and saved a little more because as they note in the book, I don't really remember any of things that I bought as being that great or memorable.  They pose the question, if your house was on fire and you had to grab something, would it be the pair of jeans that you just spent $200 on?  Okay, I never in my wildest dreams owned or even tried on a $200 pair of jeans because my frugal nature and lack of fashion sense has never thought that was important.  Regardless, it was really hard in the moment of spending to think of a future where I owned a house, was married, had a kid, and quit my job (chronological order).  I knew that this book wasn't aimed at me making it on my husbands salary since it was about woman's power and not letting a man control all your finances and not knowing what was going on.  I do think that everyone should understand their finances and where the money is going.  When my husband and I joined finances, he managed most of the money because he was used to doing it (and a little better at remembering to send in bills by the deadlines).  I told him that I needed to have some hand in it because I just felt like I could spend all the money when I don't see the bills that go with it on the other side.  The joy of the modern world and using a credit card to pay for everything means that money isn't real but just an imaginary concept moving electronically.  I remember a friend's son asking for something and she told him that they didn't have any money to buy it.... he told her to go to the ATM and get some.  It is sad that kids don't see money anymore and don't have a concept of money and when there is no more.  I hope that I can figure out a way to raise my son to understand that concept so that he doesn't start off and not know how to only spend the money coming in and not go into debt.  In addition, there was a chapter on what you want to do when you grow up which is something that I have been trying to figure out for a long time (many conversations with my cousin on this subject so I hope that she picks up a copy of this book).  Long story short, I would recommend this for everyone because I think that it teaches a few very valuable lessons and really had me thinking about a lot of big picture things.

One thought to leave you with is:  What is your perfect day?  This took me a little bit to come up with but once you have the picture in your head, it gives you an idea of what isn't important to get to your perfect day so that you don't purchase the things that don't fit in with your long term goals.  My perfect day had nothing to do with money so mine might not help with the long term saving goals.  I would be sleeping in without my three old morning wake up call, taking a long hot shower without interruptions, having hot homemade doughnuts for breakfast (someone else is making them in my plan but since that is unlikely, I would make them :) yum...  I will share the recipe when I make them again), reading my book, spend time with my son and husband (but they are both healthy in this plan), go get a massage (that is the part that takes the little bit of money- in my grand plan I was somewhere on vacation so I would be at one of those fancy spa places with the fluffy robes but most likely in the real world I would go to my massage lady because she is closer, cheaper and friendly), and probably end the day with a yummy dinner with my husband (we used to get this kit in the grocery store that had a steak and gorgonzola pasta which was super yummy but they don't carry it anymore so I am still on the hunt to make something that yummy).  Anyway, it is a busy day but I think that it sounds super fun!!

I hope that you figure out your perfect day and work towards it.  Happy dreaming :)