By Jim Randel
I’m sure a few of you have heard of this series of books by Jim Randel. He was kind enough to send a few of them my way for review purposes. <– That’s my way of disclaiming that I was given these books specifically for review. My review remains honest, but the FCC says you gotta know that. The first book that I decided to review was the Credit Cards one. Seemed like a good topic to cover here and if the book was valuable to you, then it would be even better.
The Skinny On books are a somewhat novel idea. They are put into a narrative and the narrative is given to you by stick figures in a layout that is reminiscent of a comic book. The language used is simple and easy to read and understand. Any jargon is explained, either with a definition or a short dialogue. And, they’re short books. This one is one of the larger ones and it’s only about 160 pages. A quick read to be sure.
The content is incredible. In less than 200 pages, Randel was able to give the basics (and even a few not so basics) on getting and using credit cards as well as the effect they have on your credit score. He takes several pages to discuss paying off cards for those who are already in trouble. The books remind me a little of Cliffs Notes. All the highlights and none of the filler. Well, except for a terrible joke about a guy with bananas in his ears. 😉
The one downside to these books is their size and format. It’s not even really a downside, but I think that some might discount the books because of their size and format. Which would be a mistake, but it could happen. Overall, the book is well thought out and put together. The information is up to date and well given. This would be an excellent book for a teen or a less personal finance savvy person. I did get a few things out of it, however, so give it a quick read before you gift it.
You can buy the book directly from theskinnyon.com or at Amazon.
I started this blog to share what I know and what I was learning about personal finance. Along the way I’ve met and found many blogging friends. Please feel free to connect with me on the Beating Broke accounts: Twitter and Facebook.
You can also connect with me personally at Novelnaut, Thatedeguy, Shane Ede, and my personal Twitter.
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