Review – Dave Barry’s Money Secrets
I received an advance copy of Dave Barry’s Money Secrets awhile back, and I’ve been planning on writing a review of it ever since. Well, here we are… Almost six weeks after the official release date, and I’m finally getting around to it. So… I’m not sure where to start. For those of you that aren’t familiar with Dave Barry, he who wrote a nationally syndicated column for the Miami Herald for over 20 years (1983-2005). A very funny nationally syndicated column. He’s also published a number of collections of his columns in book form, and he co-wrote the excellent Peter and the Starcatchers, which is a prequel to Peter Pan (he’s also co-author of the forthcoming Peter and the Shadow Thieves). Thus, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when he tackled a topic like money.
Well, all I can say is this… If you’re looking for a book that contains at least a tiny bit of useful financial information, then keep looking. But if you’re looking for a funny book about money, then this one might be just what the doctor ordered. I mean, when a book covers the following topics, how could it not be funny?
• How the U.S. economy works, including the often overlooked role of Adam Sandler
• Why it is not a good idea to use squirrels for money
• Strategies that will give you the confidence you need to try for a good job, even though you are—let’s be honest—a no-talent loser
• How corporate executives, simply by walking into their offices, immediately become much stupider
• An absolutely foolproof system for making money in the stock market, requiring only a little effort (and access to time travel)
• Surefire tips for buying and selling real estate, the key being: Never buy—or, for that matter, sell—real estate
• How to minimize your federal taxes, safely and legally, by cheating
• Why good colleges cost so much, and how to make sure your child does not get into one
• How to reduce the cost of your medical care by basically not getting any
• Estate planning, especially the financial benefits of an early death
• And many, many pictures of Suze Orman
So what’s not to love?
To be totally honest, I’m a bit torn on this one. While Barry is definitely a very funny and creative guy, his schtick can get a little tiresome when it’s spread across 240 pages. All in all, I found this to be an amusing book to thumb through, but the goofball humor wore a bit thin over the course of the book, and I really didn’t feel compelled to just sit down and read Money Secrets.
Published on March 1st, 2006 - 4 Comments
Filed under: Reviews
email this article
- add to tip'd - stumble it - digg it - bookmark it
About the author: Nickel is the founder and editor-in-chief of this site. He's a thirty-something family man who has been writing about personal finance since 2005, and guess what? He's on Twitter!
Related articles...
» One Year Ago This Week (February 25th – March 2nd)» From the Archives (February 10th – March 15th)
» Weekly Roundup – 03/31/06
» 1,000,000 Visitors…
» Q&A: Dave Ramsey and Debt Reduction
» Dave Ramsey’s Baby Steps
» Paying Off Fixed vs. Variable Interest Debt
» Money Madness: The Elite Eight
Was this article useful? Please sign up to receive our content via e-mail:
Great deals...
Readers’ choice...
Recent articles...
- Did Congress Make the Homebuyer Tax Credit Retroactive?
- Congress Extends $8000 Homebuyer Tax Credit, Adds New $6500 Credit
- Lending Club Update - October 2009 Performance
- How Much to Budget for Car Maintenance?
- Series I Savings Bonds Now Paying 3.36%
- Use Weight Loss Strategies to Get Out of Debt
- Weekly Roundup - Disney Shanghai Edition
- How to Save Money on Vacations
- Most and Least Reliable Cars - 2009 Edition
- Get 100 Free Trades from OptionsHouse Brokerage
Recent comments...
- Penny: I am about to purchase a new home.. which will be my new residence...
- APRIL DAYS: I FOR ONE HOPE THAT THE FIRST TIME HOMEOWNERS TAX CREDIT IS EXTENDED BECAUSE...
- JB: I drive a 1999 car and save $60 a month for car repairs, oil...
- Greta: My significant other and I bought a house in February 2009. My boyfriend...
- Jay: Don't forget nCleaner 2nd for turning off widows firewall and windows defender...also use the...
- Bryan: @Doug - you said it... if you simply delayed the closing, it would have...
- Sympathetic Dish TSR: @ Bonnie: Is your HD tv a Flatscreen LCD style? If so then a...
- John DeFlumeri Jr: Thanks for explaining the tax credit. Too bad for those who purchase in...
Most talked about...
- Dave Ramsey is Bad at Math
- $8,000 Homebuyer Tax Credit
- Dish Network Customer Service SUCKS
- How to Claim the First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit
- $15,000 Homebuyer Tax Credit
- Reduced Credit Limits? Share Your Experience
- Would the "Fair Tax" Gut the Economy?
- Tax Stimulus Rebate Payments to Start Early
- Pay Off Mortgage Early? Or Invest?
- The Best Online Savings Accounts (Updated!)
- Life's Too Short to Drink Cheap Beer
- $7500 First Time Homebuyer Tax Credit

You summed up my thoughts exactly with:
“While Barry is definitely a very funny and creative guy, his schtick can get a little tiresome when it’s spread across 240 pages.”
Comment by FMF — Mar 1st 2006 @ 7:13 am