How To Really Ruin Your Financial Life and Portfolio Hardcover – October 2, 2012

I love Ben Stein. This short book was an exceptionally easy read and a nice break from the usual dry investing books.Stein's advice is solid and time-tested. It's a good, basic intro for a those new to investing (as long as you have enough of a foundation to understand where he's being sarcastic--which is about 60% of the book) and a good refresher for those with experience. I also found it to be useful as a reality check-- a source of solid, time-tested investing wisdom.

If you're new to investing, not sure where to start and / or don't have the time or desire to read investment books by 'experts', this is meant for you.The content is largely common sense, but many people who think they can 'win' against the system seem to suppress their common sense. Ben Stein speaks not just as an economist but as someone who has invested his own money in various markets for decades. It also provides a good introduction to the various ways money is made in finance - and also why they probably won't work for you.The content is good and edited well; however, it should be sold for a few dollars less.

This is late 2012 copyright I believe and is even better than the 2010 edition. I believe I said 2011in a review of his first "How To Ruin, book.This one takes on your portfolio along with the common sense and easy to understand advice.I Highly recommend this one for your kids. Ahhh heck I'll tell the truth, Not only your ked but Yourself and any Friend that sees it on your coffee table. Because as Ben says, "You don't know Anything!" Believe me it's not an insult or put down. He's right. Something for everyone in this one.

For those unfamiliar with Ben Stein, he has done a series of books on "How to Ruin..." for example: How to Ruin Your Life and How to Ruin Your Financial Life . I have not read either of those two books, but after a glance at the table of contents of each book, I can say that what he wrote there is right, even if it is short.If you can avoid making wrong moves, right moves will occur on average. In this particular book, which I did read in full, he gives the same treatment to financial advice. He's not writing anything complex, but he is telling what not to do with stocks, bonds, funds, advisors, and life.But... most of this is simple commonsense stuff reported from a negative angle. If you have read the personal finance category at my blog, you would know what he has written and far more, and it is free.There is no bad advice in this book, if you understand that it is offering you bad advice. By telling you you to do stupid things, it incites you to do what is right.QuibblesThe book is not worth $12 to those with a reasonable understanding of the markets. It is worth a lot to the uninformed who think they know something but don't. This is a book you give; it is not a book that you buy.Also, you have to have a certain sense of humor to like this book; if you don't take well to Mr. Stein's sardonic wit, you won't make it through the book, short as it is.Who would benefit from this book:This is the sort of book that you give as a gift to your clueless brother-in-law. It has value there, to raise the awareness of those who are destroying their financial lives.

After reading prior books authored and co-authored by Ben Stein, I was very much looking forward to reading this book...What a waste of time and money! You can read this tiny so called "book" in 10 minutes at a bookstore and save your money. It is basically an attempt to take what should have been a slightly humorous commentary, and instead pawn it off as a "book".Great endorsements from the likes of Warren Buffet, but sadly, a waste of money.

I really like Ben Stein and I like Iistening to him on financial shows. I think he has a lot of common sense when it comes to money. Unfortunately, this book is excessively repetitive. He chooses every financial way there is to make money [stock markent, bonds, ETF, etc] and lets you know all the ways a private investor can go wrong considering the advantages giant financial institutions have when investing. Unfortunately, all the ways you can make mistakes are pretty much the same for every type of investment. It all comes down to the fact that giant investment houses are also trying to make money and they employ thousands of people all around the world to gain an advantage in the market, and as a private investor you can never match that. His advice: Don't think you will beat the street. Invest with the crowd. Sadly, you will have learned this in chapter one, and by chapter three it is monotonous. I didn't read the last chapters.

Just read How to really ruin your financial life. It is a very funny book with a lot of good advice. I think it would be a good book for anybody.

...but you should have included a chapter about SPENDING TOO MUCH MONEYon Amazon purchases! Just kidding, Amazon, glad you're here-we all know that Booksand Music take precedence over Food and Clothing.I wanted to give Ben five stars for this book, but really, most of the advice he's giving hereis just common sense-most importantly, not trying to be your own financial advisor by'picking' individual stocks, etc. A good read, worth a few laughs maybe, but not great.