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Read how people like you are applying the tools and ideas of the FinishRich books, seminars and coaching programs to change their lives. Share YOUR success story with us by clicking here.

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January 19 2005

We did follow your 1, 2, 3 steps. Upped our 401k plan to 6%, and figured how much money we had left after expenses monthly and sat in awe, looks real good on paper, where's the rest going? We quickly figured out and started an automatic savings plan putting $100.00 dollars in savings monthly, reassesed our credit card debt and began our plan of attack. Awhile back we decided to rid ourselves of alot of unneccessary bills and it helped alot but, now we feel as if were getting somewhere. Because, we never used the savings wisely. We currently own two homes, one is a rental. Unfortunately we have a second mortgage on the rental property. So we have three mortgages. Each are tax deductible and we take a loss on the rental property. We have such good renters we are hesitant on upping the rent to compensate. Any ideas you may have to get the most benefit out of this situation would be most welcome. We have always been able to pay our bills with money to throw away, now you have helped us to act wisely on how to use what's left to our benefit. Thanks for opening our eyes. Our goal is to be credit card free in a year and to have 2 savings accounts that are substantial and also to up our 401k plan over 10%. And we have realized that it is doable.

- Rhonda Hart

January 19 2005

First let me state that we budget successfully - except I think of a budget as a spending plan. Anyway, I took the Latte Factor challenge and to tell you truthfully, I didn't find much wasteful spending. I did find that I could save $50 in tolls by taking a different route to work. The newer route takes 15 minutes longer to get to work. The neat thing is that $50 is 10% of our mortgage that we will use to accelerate paying it off. Further, since I understood the basic concept of the Latte Factor - finding money to invest - we re-examined our budget and indeed did find that we could start saving about $100 a month automatically into a 2.2% money market account each month. Plus we think we will be able to start a Roth IRA soon and slowly increment the percent we pay ourselves over the years. My ultimate goal is to pay myself 20% of my gross take home pay. However, my immediate goal is 5%.

As odd as it sounds we actually have found some comfort even though we have only $100 in our money market account, because we know that we will be putting away $100 each month without thinking about it. It will be even more comforting to know that our Roth IRA account will be setup in the same automatic way. I like automation as a software engineer and I like it even more when it is tied to finances.

Thanks David!

- Robert Duff

January 19 2005

Dear David,

My boyfriend and I go into Barnes and Noble a lot to sit and read. I happened to come across your book. I read it from front to back and still go back to re-read info. I also have told a lot of people about it. I am still paying off a few bills, but your book is always in my mind every time I think I want to buy something I really don't need. I remind myself and my boyfriend about the Latte Factor quite often. Your book was not only a help to us but a lot of fun to read. Your audio tape was great also. I plan to listen to it a second time to keep focused. Thanks again for your help.

Susan and Michael

- Susan Sudhalter

January 19 2005

My name is Karen, and I was born and raised in London, England. I came to the U.S. on a holiday with my family in 1979 and again in 1981. In 1982 I moved here for good and became an American Citizen in 1990.

I too just finished your book, SMART WOMEN FINISH RICH today and it blew my mind.

Where were you when I was younger; I'm not old yet, but I wish you were around, to tell me WAKE UP KAREN!

Your book helped me to get my financial life in order where there was none. I keep my home and my work in order, but I was still missing that 'something' I could not put my finger on. Until the day that my husband and I were searching for a book to read for our trip to Orlando, Florida, with the kids. He picked a novel, I picked you! :)

Best decision I ever made -- my 401k is maxed (I'm dreading what my paycheck will look like next week). My bank now pulls automatically on pay day my forced savings directly into my account instead of my usual bi-weekly statements to myself "I'll pay myself next week!!!" My son goes off to college next year, and I'm trying to play catchup financially -- wishing I did and knew (my parents told me to do this long ago) all the things I should have done when he was born but didn't, but he'll go to college, and my daughter will too, now that I've made arrangements for her. Also, I intend to write up my Will thru my company, which offers this service, not to mention everything else that you mentioned in your book.

Five years I've worked here and I never bothered to inquire, aaaarh!! I work for one of those major television networks, who always offer everything, but you have to make the effort to ask. I did.. finally.

My father, who is a retired accountant, was the first to tell me "Karen.. you must always pay yourself first, write your Will up, max your retirement account out and then some etc., read your bank statements and always write your own checks.. etc., the list goes on....

I told my father about you, and he said to tell you "thank you". He said to me, so it took some young hot man to get you back on track instead of your old dad :)

Thank you again David.

- Karen Kran

January 19 2005

Hi David and the team.

You're the best. I have watched and admired your work on the Oprah show.

I am extrememly successful with my career as Assistant Cruise Director for one of the largest cruise companies in the world.

I have it great, I get paid to travel and I have no expenses. I have people cook for me, do my cleaning and laundry. Hay, I'm on easy street right?

I am one of the most successful woman I personally know, I am blessed with a great fun & fabulous personality, good looks and everyone I know loves me!!

BUT guess what??? I am sitting here on Vacation wondering why I have no money, no car, no home and 10,000 Australian dollars in debt.

David, I am sure I am your next challenge if you're up for it!?? and In all seriousness I could really do with your help.

Best Wishes for now,

- Rebecca Thompson

January 19 2005

Dear David,

I just wanted to drop you a line and say thank you for "THE AUTOMATIC MILLIONAIRE". This book has completely changed my outlook on money and what it takes to succeed. I work for the Bank of New York in an international trade branch in Oriskany, NY, a small village between Utica and Rome. I am 24 years old and I make about $25,000 a year and, like you stated in your book, I said before, "If only I made more money I'd be rich," but after reading your book I realized that just isn't true. Of course over the course of my lifetime I would like to move up or move on to different jobs with better pay, but I'd be happy just making $40,000 a year in this area.

I have no debt since I had no student loans, I payed off my credit card that had a balance of roughly $2,000, I have a money market account at a local bank which pays the best interest, and opened a Roth IRA and I took your advice and bumped my pretax deduction for my 401K up to 10%, and just like you said, I really don't miss it. It's funny actually because you mentioned how some people say, "Don't bother investing in it if they don't match it," or "only put in what they'll match." That was my uncle's advice. However, with my 10% and the bank's 6.5% I'm investing 16.5% every paycheck and it's adding up quick. I'm planning on living at home for the next few years to save up a down payment for a house and my goal is to have enough up front to be able to afford a 15 year bi-weekly mortgage. I've taken your advice in not renting. I understand there are some circumstances that warrant it, but for me, I'm going from home to my own home.

Your book has really helped me to realize that my dreams and my goals are much more attainable and much closer at hand than I thought. I've shared your book with my mom and talked about it with people at work, other family and friends. It's made me feel much more positive about where I am in life. I'll be looking forward to reading future publications of yours. Once again, thanks!

Sincerely,

- Mike Williams


	January 19 2005 Dear David: Thanks to you I now have an additional portable life insurance policy, spend less money on lunch and other meals and I am increasing my percentage on my 401k deductions. Your books are the best. - Melanie Lewis

January 19 2005

My wife Missy and I have been on a mission to become millionaires by age 40. We are 34 years old and our net worth is approaching $300,000 already. We have been living below our means since we turned 27 years old. We just kept our lifestyle the same as our incomes increased and invested that difference. The difference in our lifestyle being intact as our incomes increased grew ever year into our portfolio. Missy's 401K is maxed out at 15% and my TSP is maxed out at 14% with the US GOVT. In addition to having our accounts maxed out, we do real estate for additional income on top of our dual incomes.

As soon as I finished reading your book THE AUTOMATIC MILLIONAIRE, I went back and double checked our retirement portfolio. I found a huge costly mistake we have made. I wish someone have told us this much earlier but we didn't know that we could also do IRAs on top of our 401k and TSP. We have started a ROTH IRA for each of us and we are even paying it in full for 2003 before April 15 and starting a monthly deposit to both each month. Your book just saved us a huge costly mistake!!! It is going to really accelerate our plan to reach our net worth of one million by age 40 or even earlier hopefully. Thanks,

- Jason

January 19 2005

Dear David,

I followed a number of your techniques during my working years.

The one that really put me on the road to millionaire status was contributing the maximum amount yearly to my 457k plan. I joined my Company at age 31 and became immediately eligible for a defined employee retirement plan, fully funded by my employer, with an annuity for life.

When I was age 38, my Company offered to provide a 457k plan for employee contributions solely. I immediately enrolled in the plan, and yearly put the maximum amount in the plan each year, until my retirement last year at age 62, and 24 years of contributions to the plan.

Over those 24 years, I contributed $146,000 deferred tax dollars and on my retirement date of 9/01/03 the market value of the 457k was $412,000. At retirement I rolled over my 457k money into an IRA Contributory Account per advice from my Financial Advisor for his and Schwab & Co.joint management of the funds.

Today, for retirement income, I have my company annuity and social security along with my wife's annuity after 35 years with the Federal Government. I do not plan on drawing down against the IRA Contributory Account until age 70 1/2, unless necessary. Currently the fund is worth $432,000 and poised for future rapid growth.

- John F. Flippin

January 19 2005

Dear David,
I'm employed part time by a non-profit agency and I'm a Life Coach. I also receive a small pension from NYS Employees Retirement System and I'm paid to write a column for a local paper. I've borrowed The Automatic Millionaire from the library and went straight to your website after reading just a chapter. Although I'm 59 years old, I still want the security you offer in your theories. I'd also like to share what I've done so far in my life about money. First, it's not about making more money, it's about making more of the money you already have. Right? (The Latte Factor!) For the past seven years, I've done a bit of housesitting each summer and from year one - for whatever reason, I don't know - have been compelled to tithe 10% of this extra income. This year, after a three week housesitting stint, I decided not to do it anymore. A bit scary because that extra income really helps me over some financial humps. But, it felt right. A month or so after that, I suddenly had the urge to set aside 10% of all income. Wow, going from no savings to 10% of an income that just pays the bills. But, again, it felt right. The day after I made the decision, I had another call about coaching and this one became a client. What she would pay me per month would cover that 10% I'd be taking out of other income, plus a bit extra. Yes, I do a budget; however, I'm no longer obsessive about it. For a year I charted every penny I spent just to get a feel for how I am with money. My spending is trimmed significantly. I do love to eat out, not often, but since that's my special thing, it's what I do. We all have to give ourself rewards. It's the every-day-have-a-latte that gets costly and is no longer really that special. Before I started the 10% savings, I only put aside $25 a month for holiday/birthday spending. Now my savings includes that. Rather than looking at the savings as a longterm, retirement thing (good grief, who wants to retire from life!), I realized within a week of starting that this would be my dental money. Because I was unemployed for over four years and had no dental insurance, my teeth were significantly neglected. Long story. Now I have no insurance and am eligible for no govt programs. This is important to me so that's where the savings will eventually go - probably $4000 or $5000 for periodontal work. Let's see, what else? Oh yes, in the past (and the present) on those rare occasions when money is in really short supply, I feel compelled to reward myself (for making it successfully to that point?). I take my last $25 or $75 and spend it. Yep, nice dinner out, new outfit, a massage. Within a week or two, money shows up from some unexpected source. Last but not least... I've laid down the law to my daughter about borrowing money from me. She always pays it back, but forgets for a while and always has a long stressful story about why she's borrowing. Finally told her, I don't want to share her financial stress. I know she can handle it (she knows it too), so it's time to end the pattern. We're still working on this and doing better. Would I like more money, more security? Sure. Right now I'd like $10,000 to live on for six months to a year (that includes continuing to save 10%) so I can quit my non-profit job and focus on my coaching business. It will happen. Well, thanks for listening. Gotta go now and get back to your book.
Kathleen Richardson, Corning NY
www.onyourwaytothetop.com

- Kathleen Richardson

January 19 2005

My husband and I have been very frugal most of our married life, but after listening to your Automatic Millionaire CD's, we really tried to go over our finances to see if there was anything we could do better.

In looking at the benefits we receive at work, I was getting my health insurance paid by my employer but I was also fully covered under my husband's family plan. I spoke with my HR rep at work and found that if I opted out of my health insurance, they would put the money they were paying for my insurance into my 401k. This amount was $190 every two weeks! While I was at it, I decided to up my contribution to my 401k from 3% to 10%. My husband decided to increased his contribution from 5% to 10% as well.

Also, we looked at how much we were spending on our kid's birthday celebrations. Birthdays have always been a big deal at our house and with their gifts, parties, etc., we averaged $250-300 per child each year. With four children, that was quite an expense! Since my youngest is now 10 years old and they don't get as excited about parties anymore, we decided to make some changes. Now we will make their favorite meal at home, invite a couple of their friends over for cake and ice cream, and give them $150. This money must be put in their custodial stock account and they can chose which stocks to purchase (with input from my husband & I). We are also encouraging their grandparents, aunts & uncles to give them birthday checks for this purpose. The relatives like this idea a lot better than having to go shopping and trying to figure out what to get them. Our kids are really excited about this plan and they are checking the stock reports to plan which stocks they will purchase.

Another change we are making is we are looking into a 15 year mortgage with biweekly payments to get rid of the mortgage "chain around our necks" a lot faster than we would with the 30 year mortgage we are currently paying on.

With just these few changes, I know our financial future will be MUCH better for both my husband and I and our children as well.

Thanks David, for getting our financial creative juices flowing. I plan on listening to your program once a year to help re-evaluate our financial situation to make sure we're doing the best we can.

- Kristy Kay

January 19 2005

This is the first book that I read every word, one at a time. I looked forward to getting home so I could read. I signed up with my company's 401K at 10% using your pyramid and I also paid off all my bills. I have one credit card with a balance of $300 which will be paid this month in full. I am saving to buy a house with your guidelines. I contributed $1,500 to my IRA and have approx K10 in a regular savings with a .5 interest rate. I will move that into a CD soon. Many thanks for sharing your knowledge with us. May God bless you and continue to work through you.

- R.C.

January 19 2005

I am becoming a big fan of your books. I read through Smart Couples Finish Rich and loved it, and I am currently halfway through The Automatic Millionaire. I have shared the Latte Factor with friends at work and it has caught on as a catch phrase. Our on-site premium coffee shop might not be our biggest fans but we have started making our own coffee, saving us each a few bucks a day.

In addition to what was in your book, I have managed to change some other habits which helped my wife and I pay one of our two cars off. We also have ratcheted my 401k up to 15% and since my company gives 5%, it puts us at a nice even 20%. A few other Latte saving ideas to share: I drastically reduced buying DVDs. Our new rule of DVD buying is that we won't buy it unless we seriously feel it will get watched at least 5 times in the next two years. By applying that simple rule we cut down on 2 to 3 DVDs per month to like 1 in the last 6 months and that was for our daughter - who does get her fair use out of them. Another success has been in our dining out. We love dining out and instead of sacrificing something we love, we decided to just do it smart. We now split the main entree, order water and often times skip the dessert. We still come away full every time and don't feel overstuffed. One other trick I would like to share is what I call the Hidden Vacation. My wife and I love to travel. Twice per year there is a 3rd paycheck which we don't need for the bills. For us this amounts to $4,000 and we use that to fund our annual vacation.

I have been talking up all this stuff for several months and have seen differences in many of my friends. I plan to buy your Smart Women Finish Rich book for my sister who just graduated college and my sister-in-law who is 27 and best friends with Best Buy. Thanks.

- Mike Naypauer

January 19 2005

I’m a general contractor on St Simons Island, GA. I’m 37 and have a stay-at-home wife and 4 beautiful children. I’ve had my own business for 3 years. I’ve never had a savings account last more than 6 months without raiding it. We’ve struggled from pay check to pay check for years. We can’t do budgets. We are not disciplined people. In my mind, books on finances were for people who 1) wanted a get-rich-quick scheme, 2) had salaries that were much bigger than the rest of us, 3) people who were in serious financial trouble. We’ve never been any of those. How ignorant I’ve been.

Then, I chanced to look at books about finances and your's caught my eye. We are excited! I’m so glad we picked it up. I wish I had had the book 15 years ago. Tomorrow, I plan on opening my first IRA, and offering to help my employees with one, too. We are starting funds for each of our kids. We are excited because we have a plan and a strategy that doesn’t require a level of discipline that we already know we don’t possess. It will all be automatic.

We have little charts on the wall for our kids. They get little stars when they do their homework, practice piano, feed the bird… NOW, I get a star when I come home for lunch instead of eating out. My wife gets one when she completes her day without buying… get this… not a LATTE… but an iced double mocha ($3.50). We had a good laugh at that. Thanks again,

- Mike and Lori Nichols

January 19 2005

We first heard of "The Automatic Millionaire" when David Bach was first on Oprah. We thought, “Gosh we should do what he recommends.” Well we didn't! The Oprah Show was repeated, so Debbie called our mortgage company to change our payments from once a month to every two weeks. Well, we didn't have the correct information they needed to set this up at that time. Now here it is a few months down the road and finally TODAY we did it!!! WOW, we were told we would save $34,000 and shave 6 years off our 30-year loan. David Bach, THANK YOU!

Today we're working on increasing the percentage we pay ourselves. We currently pay ourselves 14% pre-tax from our gross salary. We're also working on decreasing and eliminating our debt.

It's amazing how pain-LESS this is.

Much appreciation,

- Mike & Debbie Riebe

January 19 2005

Dear David,

I last saw you on the Oprah show in May. You had put out a new book in your FinishRich series for couples. About a week later I went to the bookstore and found it. I had finished reading the book during my spare time at home and at work. I confess that at the beginning I was at a loss as to how this book could help and then the light bulb went on! I realized how much more my husband and I could do financially for our family. We fortunately already had a base from where to build from but there was so much more potential, I was at a loss on where to begin. First I gave this book to my husband. This would not be a book that he would pick up a bookstore and buy, but after hearing me talk about it for a couple a weeks, I asked him to please read it and then we could share our ideas. Guess what? He also had a light-bulb moment. We gave each other a couple of days to think about our values and goals and write them on paper. One night we came back to the dinner table and discussed them together. It turns out that 4 out of the 5 values were the same. We were surprised to find out that we actually had a lot more in common than we thought. We have been married 10 years, and in all that time, although we have always been open to discuss our financial haves and have nots, we have never had a financial plan like we have now. It was so exciting to plan our financial future and to actually see the light at the end of our "debt tunnel." We have always discussed taking a big family trip but that's all it was, a discussion. It is now an actual goal and soon to be a reality!

- Monica Millard

January 19 2005

I am almost finished reading Smart Couples Finish Rich. I just called the bank and increased our bi-weekly mortgage payment by $64 per payment, which is hardly a huge amount...but it saved us 2 years and 8 months of payments!! From now on, every time my husband or I get a pay increase I will bump up that amount. Thanks so much! Now we will be mortgage-free by the time we are in our early 40's and maybe even sooner!

- Kirsty

January 19 2005

I bought SWFR sometime ago...loaned it to someone & never got it back (can't remember whom)...anyway, I have fallen off the SWFR wagon! I am, as of today, in cc debt for approx.$2500, loans of about $21G (includes personal, auto & equity) and have $0 savings! A real mess...but I've made a commitment to do whatever it takes to get back on track! My credit rating sucks and I am not even living from paycheck to paycheck...as a matter of fact, I don't even make it through payday! Although I can't buy another SWFR (don't have the $$$) I remember the lessons and will incorporate them starting today!

I will keep you posted on my monthly progress...

Thanks for having the insight, knowledge & intuition to guide so many people...

Sincerely,

- Mattie Johnson

January 19 2005

David,

Your books (Smart Couples...and The Automatic Millionaire) have forever changed my life. I can never go back to the way I was after reading the books. Thanks to your simple plan, my family will retire wealthy. We are a young military family and are on our way with the strategy you lay out in simple black and white. My dad has been telling me this for years, but it didn't really hit me until I read the books. Thank heavens I found you just in time.

I find myself so excited about the subject of finances that I volunteer to teach others at church about how to be "money smart" and I always bring your books with me as recommended reading. I tell all of my friends and family about what I have learned in the books and hope that they will someday become as excited as I am. The books also make a great gift!

Thank you a million times for teaching me how to be a millionaire when I retire. YOU ROCK!

With much gratitude,

- Sonja Yearsley

January 19 2005

I found "The Automatic Millionaire" at,of all places, the grocery store. I was at the local Safeway picking up some groceries and they were having a book sale. Being a voracious reader, I had to stop and look....and I noticed your book. I read the back and thought it sounded interesting, but more money than I needed to spend right then.

When I went back later that week, intending to buy the book, it was gone and I was very disappointed. I had been thinking about the brief things that I had already read and wanted more. So I went back again that weekend and there was one copy!!! I made sure that I grabbed it and started reading it right away.

Two days later I spoke with my H/R department at work to fill out the forms to increase my 401K contributions. I am also working on changing my automatic savings so that instead of just our regular savings, we have some going to a money market account.

I have looked at my own "latte factor" and though I do not buy one everyday, it was still more than I need and have decided to only get one when I have earned a real treat, not "just because". Right now that will be when I lose 10 pounds, I can get a latte. :) I have also looked at the things that I buy my kids "just because," and have told the two oldest that they need to get used to the fact that they will be getting stuff less often because I am working harder on our futures!

I have worked up our DOLP list in an Excel spreadsheet and have it planned out as to who and what to start paying off first. I am really excited about this and have been having a blast playing with the formulas and numbers to see how much faster I can pay some of these off. I have also worked it out to make at least one extra payment a year on our mortage, maybe two if I can squeeze it out.

My sons are 14 and 15 and I am working on their college funds. I now have the tools and knowledge to help them get started on their financial future NOW by teaching them more about savings and planning than I have to date.My daughter is only 4, so I have a long time to build for her future. :) I am almost 36 and wish that I had known all of this stuff when I was a lot younger. I thought I was doing pretty good, and was making steps in the right direction, but see that there is a lot more that I can be doing to make it much better. My husband is intrigued by all of this also. :)

I also tithe and have donations that are automatic so I actually had one chapter of the book that I could say, Hey, I've got that one covered!!!!

Thank you for making the book a quick and easy read and for the practical advice to build our future!

- Kim England

January 19 2005

As a newcomer to Canada, I was facing the challenge to learn, not only the language and the culture, but everything that has to do with taxes and retirement plans. My head was spinning with terms such as RRSP, RESP, GIC, CPP, and CESG, not to mention trust funds, stock market, S&P\TSX index, etc. I was going nuts. I felt helpless since I did not have anyone to talk about this matter.

Even though I was a successful business woman in my country -Venezuela- I had no clue on how to invest my money or how to secure myself for retirement. One day I was reading the newspaper and I came across an article about you. At the end of it, they mentioned your "Finish Rich" site. I ran upstairs and logged into your site. I was greatly surprised when I saw the title of your "Smart Women Finish Rich" book. Its not so often you see a male author writing a financial book for women. So, the first thing the next day I went to the book store and got your book.

I started to read it and I could not let the book down. I was hooked. I used to take it to the gym and read it while I was on the elliptical training machine. It was so simple to understand. You explained everything in detail without making me feel stupid. I knew that I wasn't alone.

I soon discovered that I was ahead in many ways: I did not have credit card debt or any kind of debt; I had some money in GICs and some money in a savings account for rainy days. Your book gave me the tips that I needed to know to start creating wealth on my own. I felt more confident -financially speaking- than ever before.

I had just hired a financial planner that I chose through one of the links you suggested on your book. I am now planning for retirement and building my dream basket. I had set automatic deposits that will allow me to save over $13,000 this year. Plus I've been saving an extra 10% of my net salary. I feel great every time I see my savings pumping up knowing that every day I am closer to my number one goal: buying my first condominium.

I cannot thank you enough. You were the light at the end of the tunnel. The only thing I can do is recommend your book to anyone that wants to get simple, straight forward knowledge in financial planning. Just the other day when I was at the book store, two ladies were trying to find a book to help them understand financial matters. I looked at them and told them that if they wanted an easy to understand book, they should get "Smart Women Finish Rich". I told them how much I enjoyed it and how helpful it was for me. They picked it up, looked at it, put down the other three books they had picked before, thanked me and left. I felt great. I knew I was helping someone to achieve their dreams, as I was achieving mine.

Thank you once again, sincerely yours,

- Mayela Lameda

January 19 2005

Thank you, thank you, thank you for writing such an easy read self-help financial book. I purchased your book on 12 June 2004 and read a 102 pages on that day. On 13 June, I purchased to book for a very good friend.

When I returned to work on Monday, I decided to increase the amount I was contributing to a Deferred Compensation Plan. My orginal invest was 30 dollars a pay period which came to a little less than 3% of my gross biweekly salary. I decided to do 6%. Now that 6% has increase my contributions by $35.61 and my goal is to reach the 10% in 2005.

Next I have set-up a separate account that my mortgage payment can draft from and have added an additional 54 dollars that is being paid to principle. I decided to make it automatic.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you and thank you again for being such a great writing and here is a kiss for(keeping it simple sweetie). I am greatful for kindness and willingless to help me and the millions listers and readers acheive such an worthwile goal.

Did I tell you thank you? If you happen to look over those words I am saying it again thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you for helping me acheive financial freedom and opening my eyes to a new way of thinking about money. Thank you David Bach and promise to give this book as gift on a regular basis.

Your new best friend,

- Stephanie Decquir

January 19 2005

Your book, Smart Couples Finish Rich, was a gift from my dad, and it is changing my and my husband's lives! My dad bought three copies for his kids, and my husband and I read the first 100 pages the first few days we had the book. We quickly drew out our values circles (a life-changing exercise in itself!) and reorganized our filing system. We realized, also, how little we knew about our own net worth, our investments, our goals. In the last month, we have taken a small, but a great step...we found out that my uncle is a financial advisor (with your book on his bookshelf) and we made an appointment to meet with him. He was so impressed that we had been doing our homework, and at ages 25 and 32 (with a 13-month-old little boy), we are starting with plenty of time to finish rich.

We have big goals and dreams, but in order to get there, we have to take care of BIG debts standing in our way. A scary-looking school loan, a new car payment, and about $10,000 in credit card debt. Yikes!! Most days this seems pretty overwhelming to me, especially as the primary breadwinner of the family (I'm an RN and my husband is the world's best stay-at-home daddy!!), but since starting your book, we can see the light! Now more than ever, we are on our way to success. We have a goal to pay off three credit cards this year, and at our meeting with my financial advisor-uncle, we got the ball rolling on our 401(k) and 403(b) rollovers (from previous jobs). We are thrilled with your ideas, and we can't wait to start teaching our son about investing early. Thank you, thank you, thank you!! This is one of the best gifts my dad could have gotten us!

Sincerely,

- Michelle Collazo

January 19 2005

David, I read your book the Automatic Millionaire. While I am doing some things correctly, I needed to make a few changes. I read the part about the latte factor and must say I thought it sounded funny, but than I set back and looked at what I spent on a daily basis. My morning started with a stop for soda on the way to work ($1.19) at my first break I go to breakfast ($5.00). Then there is lunch, another $5.00, second break, another soda ($1.19). Okay so I figured $12.28 not too bad, until I sat down and added up mine and my wife's weekly bill for eating out- an average of over $500.00 a month! Now your latte factor made a whole lot of sense and no longer looked funny. I now eat breakfast before I go to work and I pack my lunch, my wife and I still go out to eat but only on Friday nights. I was already in the company's 401K at 10%; they match up to 6% of my pay check. I have now increased my part to 14%. I already have money automatically coming out of my checking and going into a savings. I also have direct deposit going to mutal funds with Edward Jones. The only thing I really need to work on is my credit card bills.I am using the money that I am saving because of the latte factor (about $600.00 a month) and paying off my bills early. I also called a few of my credit card companies and asked them if they lower the interest rate. A few said they would and I now pay those by electronic payment. A few even just lowered my interest rate, because I have good credit. The newest luck I have had is that my wife was just offered a house as part of her benefit package for work. We make one room an office and the house is free for us to live in. So I am renting my house and letting someone else build my equity, and the extra money is going to bills so we can pay them off faster. I am also in the middle of buying two foreclosed houses to use as rentals.
Your book was very helpful and I do see myself finishing rich. I let one of my friends read your book and told him to pass it on when he is done.
You truly did help my wife and I.

Thank You,

- James L . Williams Jr.

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