The Money Book for the Young, Fabulous & Broke

A financial guide aimed squarely at "Generation Debt"-and their anxious parents-from the country's most trusted and dynamic source on money matters.

You've got student-loan debt that is a multiple of your entry-level salary. An obscene amount of your take-home pay goes out the window every month for rent on a dinky apartment in a cool neighborhood. Lucky you have that credit card with the ever-increasing charge limit! How else could you afford those fabulous shoes? "Hey, guys, the next round's on me!" What difference does it make? Your goals are totally unattainable and the idea that you'll ever get control of your money is ludicrous, so why even try? Okay. It's scary. Suze Orman knows you better than you know yourself. And now, the world's most trusted expert on personal finance, the #1 New York Times-bestselling author, is going to break it down for you.

Whether you're twenty-five and single, a thirty-year-old newlywed, or married with kids and a mortgage at thirty-five; whether you're broke or making ends meet; whether you're financially aware or financially clueless, Start Smart was written with you in mind.

Beginning with a quick diagnostic section that tells you where you are (vs. where you think you are) and outlines your priorities (1, 2, 3...) for getting out of the red and into the black, Start Smart acts as a sort of "route planner," identifying the easy money moves to get you on the road to recovery and within reach of your dreams.

If you've never cracked a financial book in your life, if you can't deal with the unwieldy, impenetrable tomes currently on offer, if you've zoned out every time a parent has tried to share some wisdom about money-Start Smart is the book you need. You will learn:

- how to get a grip on credit card debt
- why student-loan debt is not the worst thing in the world
- how your credit score plays into nearly every financial move you will ever make
- how to make the most of the benefits that come with your first real job
- how to buy your first home
- what you need to know before you move in together
- what kind of insurance-auto, home, renter's, health-you need and what you don't
- what to do if you're self-employed