Finances are one of the most formidable obstacles students face when they graduate college. Most of us push off that reality for as long as we can. However, Zac Bissonnette's book, "How to Be Richer, Smarter, and Better-Looking Than Your Parents," makes fiscal management 101 easy.
The book speaks true to its appealing title; Bissonnette explains how you can achieve all three conditions and one more - happiness - through smart saving and spending, and even better, he makes it quick and enjoyable for our age group to learn.
"Richer" is the central adjective of the title since Bissonnette's main focus is on providing a basic personal finance education, but each chapter explains how to avoid pitfalls made by parents, friends and celebrities through the voice of a narrator you wish you were friends with. The book is a quick read, and you can get it from your public library if you don't want to drop the 12 bucks it will cost you on Amazon.
With witty humor and startling statistics, Bissonnette explains the tough-love point that while life is easier with money, like it or not, you have to be smart enough to earn that money. The book covers topics such as 401(k), FICO, debt (even student debt), mutual funds and even tips on getting a job.
Bissonnette graduated with an art history major and at age 24 has authored two books, written for the likes of Time magazine and The Wall Street Journal and currently works as a contributing editor for Antique Trader.
By no means will you be an expert money manager after reading this book, though. The economics majors will still run circles around you when it comes to spreadsheets, taxes and the intricacies of the stock market. However, you can be informed enough to take care of yourself, balance your budget and start saving.
After reading the book, I was left with a calmer, better-informed outlook on finances and enough motivation to start a mutual fund. If you pick up a copy of Bissonnette's book and educate yourself early on finances, you may glean from it the keys to achieving riches, smarts and better-looks all while saving yourself a lot of worry as a future college graduate.
- Scharfenberg is a junior from Sylvania, Ohio majoring in English writing.
