Essential Parenting Advice

If you could sum up Smart Money Smart Kids in three words, what would they be?

Financial advice for parents.

What other book might you compare Smart Money Smart Kids to and why?

Total Money Makeover, Financial Peace

What does Rachel Cruze and Dave Ramsey bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

The opportunity to hear Dave and Rachel deliver advice in their own cadence. The ability to hear the narrators passion on the content.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Dave's final chapter "I was that Dad..." - It's as if he's speaking directly to you, empowering you to take control of your family tree, and ultimately change your legacy.

Any additional comments?

Very good overall. Simple concepts to implement with your children. Having already begun discussing the ideas with my kids, I can say the results are immediate - and surprising.

39 people found this helpful

Excellent ideas for all ages of children

Great, age appropriate ideas for your children of all ages. Love the stories from his actual children. I began the first day and it has gone very well for my three kids from 6 to 10 years old.

25 people found this helpful

useful information in an irritating presentation

Rachel sounds like she's reading and has a grating voice. Dave is judgemental. They're both a bit narrow-minded. But ultimately it contains useful information I plan to put into practice.

16 people found this helpful

Helpful & Practical, but Rachel is too dramatic

Great Stuff
Must Read
Listening is hard due to Rachel's over-the-top drama and wannabe professionalism the entire book.

14 people found this helpful

Amazing👍🏽👌🏽👍🏽👈🏽

It's an amazing book that teaches you life lessons my 10 year old daughter even listened to it of course she didn't understand all of it but it's so cute how she try's to understand it👍🏽

13 people found this helpful

Avoid

As a speaker on financial literacy I was interested in perspectives on getting very young children to appreciate the value of money. While this book has many good ideas, it goes way too far in others. In my opinion:
- The authors are boastful. Repeatedly.
- The constant religious references are destracting and annoying.
- The authors are extreme in their views on use of credit cards. Yes, avoiding credit is a good idea if you don't handle it responsibly, but for those of us who do pay our balances each month this book is dead wrong. Every time Dave Ramsay uses his debit card for a major purchase, he (and everyone who pays with cash or debit) indirectly transfers some of his wealth to me (and everyone who pays with a rewards card).
- Credit ratings are important. Again the author is on a tirade, but most of us won't escape a mortgage. Getting a lower interest rate because of a good credit score could save a homeowner tens of thousands of dollars over the life of that mortgage. Why is that dismissed?
- Commissioned salespeople are broadly despised for being too pushy, yet the author suggests children be paid 'commission' instead of 'allowance' for doing chores. Is that reclassification helpful or consistent with the preaching about not being greedy? No, even if the lesson that it must be earned is.

As you can tell, I did not enjoy this book. I am confident I can help the next generation win with money without being boastful, biased, or imposing my religious beliefs.

10 people found this helpful

Practical Advice for Raising $ Smart Kids

This book is based on the authors' years and years of experience with helping people learn how to best handle their finances. The fact that this book focuses on raising money smart kids is great seeing that the two authors are a father-daughter team. This is really great to get both perspectives and it's also great for a lot of laughs.

Dave Ramsey and his daughter, Rachel Cruze, do a great job reading their own pieces of their own book.

Apply these principles to your life and your children's life ASAP and you will not be disappointed.

10 people found this helpful

It's an alright book.

I'm not a religious person but I thought I'd give this a shot. Overall I liked the book. It has pretty good advice overall and I enjoyed the stories in it. I can't say I agree with everything on the book but overall most of the things made sense. Some of the stories were pretty good and made very good points.

One story that stuck out the most to me was when as a child the author spent her savings at a fair/carnival game booth and lost it all after getting excited and caught up in the moment. This happened to her as a child but one can imagine this happening to an adult at a casino, or in car dealership. Therefore, it is important to teach children from an early age the importance of managing money.

The book various stories as the one mentioned above which I dug. Some of the stories I must admit were boring. There is some mentioning of the bible which I kind of expected from a book with Ramsey in it and of course there is some of his jerk trade mark which I also expected from a book with his name on it. There are some bible references in the book but it was not proselytizing or overbearingly religious. The bible references were used to make a point. I am an atheist but I try to be respectful and keep an open mind and if it's something that will help me be a better parent why not?

Overall, I would say this book has pretty good advice and I might give it another listen in the future. if you can get it for free or for a discounted price even better but if you have the money and the time go for it.

9 people found this helpful

Authors : You are missing something....

Overall fine, but somewhat unrealistic at times. I am sure great for some (especially the thoughts on raising money smart kids), but would recommend to be listened to with some common sense.

Maybe good for people who have no self-control. For example, I agree, credit cards can be horrible if not used wisely. I can still do a budget and use a credit card responsibly by paying monthly and gaining the 1-5% of what I put on it in cash back. Much safer and more economical than using a debit card or checks in this day and age of fraud! My children have almost all their cloths free from credit card rewards from partner stores. The authors themselves prove from their stories that they lacked that control (like so many do), so they had to go to this extreme. Second, I am glad they were able to put all three children through college without debt. Personally, I did not have that luxury that I am now able to provide my children. I did take a small amount of debt, while working 40+ hours a week, to get myself a great college education and resulting career. It was an investment paid off in two years, but would not have happened without the short-term loan. Third, when it comes to the home my family lives in, had we followed their plan, we would have been paying all that money for renting for 10+ years, instead of building equity in a home that we bought responsibly with 20% down. We are paying it off faster than planned, but thanks to the increased property value, tax deductions and lack of rent payment, it was a wise investment, but apparently against biblical teaching. Fourth, a minor note, if you are reading an audio book, don't refer to the printed material in the back of the book! Does not add to your credibility. Fifth, I am glad you were able to but your cars with cash. I have been blessed in being able to do so, but explain that to someone who is starting up and needs to get to a job and does not have the option of mass transportation.

Again, some sound advise that is taken to the extreme by using one person's interpretation of biblical teaching and with assumptions born of wealth despite the reported eye opening experiences they have had it their lives.

Finally a note to Audible: Please don't let authors read their own books!!!!!!! It may sound like a good idea, but it is not. This wasn't as bad as some, but leave the job to professional readers and stick to writing. I have yet to hear one that measured up to the level I have grown to expect from Audible performances and now avoid any books that have the author reading them.

6 people found this helpful

Wish I knew this stuff about 30 years ago

Great book with practical how to that will help every family succeed in their financial management and training their children how to apply the principles to their lives at a young age.

6 people found this helpful