Book excerpt: Personal Financial Planning and Money Management Insights, Advice, and Guidance. An up-to-date financial reference book for everyone! Tips, practical advice, useful worksheets, checklists, and tables guide you to a better understanding of your financial position and put you on your way to achieving personal financial goals and security. The Handy Personal Finance Answer Book offers facts for everyday life to help you save money and manage your financial life. By avoiding financial jargon, this informative tome provides financial lessons in a fun, approachable way. With answers to more than 1,000 questions on the history and institutions of finance, how to make wise decisions about personal financial issues, and common mistakes people make when managing money, this fact-filled book offers facts for everyday life that help you build a more secure future for you and your family. Questions range from simple to complex, including ... What are some basic steps to becoming financially successful? How do I balance my checkbook? What are some of the biggest mistakes that individual investors make? Why is attaining financial goals easier than we think? How much should I save for retirement? What are seven things to consider before investing? Who said, “A penny saved is a penny earned”? How can I save money on my home owner’s insurance? How do I check the accuracy of my medical bills? What are some notable tax deductions? How many undergraduates receive financial aid to attend university or colleges in America? What are some typical family budget categories? What is the concept of “paying yourself first”? How many credit cards should I have? Are debit cards a better way to go? And many, many more! Also featured are useful worksheets, checklists, and tables that guide the reader to a better understanding of his or her own financial position and on their way to achieving their personal financial goals. A bibliography and extensive index add to its usefulness. The Handy Personal Finance Answer Book takes the mystery out of money matters.