Why Didn't They Teach Me This in School?

By: Cary Siegel

Narrated by: Dean Sluyter

Length: 3 hrs and 11 mins

Publisher's Summary

Why do high schools and colleges require students to take courses in English, math and science, yet have absolutely no requirements for students to learn about personal money management? Why Didn't They Teach Me This in School? 99 Personal Money Management Lessons to Live By was initially developed by the author to pass on to his five children as they entered adulthood. As it developed, the author realized that personal money management skills were rarely taught in high schools, colleges, and even in MBA programs.

Unfortunately, books on the subject tend to be complicated and lengthy. This book includes eight important lessons focusing on 99 principles that will quickly and memorably enhance any individual's money management acumen. Unlike many of the personal money management books out there, this book is a quick, easily digested listen that focuses more on the qualitative side than the quantitative side of personal money management.

These principles are not from a text book. Rather, they are practical principles learned by the author as he navigated through his financial life. Many are unorthodox in order to be memorable and provoke deeper thought by the listener. Not only an excellent graduation gift for high school and college students but also a great book for any adult!

©2015 Simple Strategic Solutions LLC (P)2016 Simple Strategic Solutions LLC

Good for us "clueless" people

I'm 27 years old with a history of bad money decisions. I've recently started to get my head above water and this book gave me tips that I find relevant and will use today. I just wish I got this earlier in life.

3 people found this helpful

Good Starting Point but a Little Outdated

Worth the listen if your just starting to develop your personal money habits. Insights that were new to me included overpaying the IRS, mailing in rebates, exact %'s of salary increases to save, and leveraging your last month's rent. Provided insight on making big purchases and repetition is very minimal. Enjoyed hearing how little decisions add up to lots of savings.

A little outdated which made some of the tips irrelevant such as the author's opinions on credit cards. Narration was a little slow and stiff, had to speed it up.

Tip #92 was by far the lamest piece of advice

2 people found this helpful

Common Sense

Good for super beginners. I am just 26 years old and knew about 80% of the things he discussed. Most of this is just common sense.

3 people found this helpful

Amazing!! Great tips

Alot of the time I felt like I was making right choices in life, and others I was like WHY AM I NOT DOING THIS! I learned alot and feel like alot of people would benefit from learning these skills as a junior or senior in high school or sooner! Definitely a read I will recommend.

Great Book for beginners

So glad I didn’t listen to the negative reviews. It was a great read and I was able to do so quickly ! I would recommend

some useful tips and some not

this was an ok listen, I feel like it is definitely geared toward a certain type of money person and not for the overall spender. All in all though had a lot of helpful tips.

Excellent!

Very good! I need to keep this information close by and take notes next time.

Suitable for clueless people

Easy to understand and practical. A must read for clueless teens / ‘adult’ who are starting their adult life

very informative

i was able to put most of the principles in use in my daily life. great information. love the book and narrator

very basic rules

Good info if you know nothing about finances. Good read if in high school or know nothing at all. Many tips to enlighten an uneducated person, no actual application discussed. If you know about finances, this book is marginally useful, basic, common sense knowledge.

Basic, super-useful principles

What about Dean Sluyter’s performance did you like?

The voice was emphatic when needed and agreeable to listen to.

Any additional comments?

This book is packed with basic, easy-to-follow but really useful advice regarding managing your money. Even thought it is aimed for young adults, I can tell I know plenty of mature people who don't know or don't follow many of these principles – and they're in quite significant financial trouble.
If you've never been very good with money or if you see yourself in a bad money situation that you would like to improve but don't really know where to start, this is definitely a good place. The only negative (so to speak) about the book is that some of the nippets of advice are not that relevant outside the US, but they're a small number.

2 people found this helpful

Useful, interesting read

Gives such great tips! I really enjoyed this book and you will start implementing the changes outlined immediately. Definitely recommend!