I just finished reading "The Real Cost of Living" by Carmon Wong Ulrich.
The book is a post-Great Recession guide to major financial decisions such as buying and owning property, paying for higher education, and money issues such as credit card debt, self-employment, savings accounts, and investment accounts. It is one of the few books I have read recently which does not dispense the typical, canned one-size-fits-all financial advice that is all too common.
It is a book that actually recognizes the very different personal, financial, and societal landscape we all now live in. And, that many of the rules and asumptions about what money and personal people should make to become and remain middle class no longer apply.
For instance, Ulrich actually questions the value of higher education amidst soaring tuition prices, high loan debt, and high unemployment rates for recent graduates. And, about the personal, professional, and financial choices couples must make once they have children.
Overall, this is a good, quick read that is not a one-stop shop for financial advice or tips on living more frugally,but instead gives you food for thought. It brings up issues you may have never considered before about each topic, and gives you fuel for further research. Overall, a very good bet.
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