A HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR

Kevin Coolidge

"I've been rich and I've been poor. Rich is better.” --Sophie Tucker

It’s 2011 and time to get a fresh start in a new year. Many resolve to get fit, lose fat, or erase that credit card debt that’s been eating away at your take home pay, or maybe you are unemployed and hoping to pay the mortgage without selling a kidney. Well, money can’t buy you happiness. Anyone with lots of money and two kidneys will tell you that, but what they usually won’t say is how they got their money. I don’t think money will buy you happiness, but it does make it easier to pay your electric bill if you have something in your wallet other than pocket lint. If this year, you would like to find out for yourself if having a little more cash would bring a smile as well as an umbrella, then here are some books you might find helpful…

Secrets of a Stingy Scoundrel: 100 Dirty Little Money-Grubbing Secrets by Phil Villarreal: Phil believes that money is to be saved and not spent, and in Secrets of a Stingy Scoundrel he offers 100 ways that anyone can save money in some of the most satisfying ways possible—by taking advantage of banks, car dealerships, and big movie complexes.

For example, buy a ticket for an early movie, and hop from theater to theater. After all, the movie theater only pockets about 10% of the ticket price. The rest is commandeered by the studio. The snack counter is where the theatre sees most of the profit. So, if you buy another ticket, the theater might see another dollar. If you load up on artery clogging popcorn, you are doing the manager and the coroner a favor…

How to Get Rich as a Televangelist or Faith Healer by Bill Wilson: You’ve tried hard work, but you find that it just leads to more hard work. Well, money, power, prestige and even sex can be yours in your new career as religious con artist. This handy book delves into the psychology of a sucker, what credentials you will need, and how to build your flock. Of course, you shouldn’t actually believe what you preach, as the Bible is filled with dangerous concepts like self-sacrifice, living simply, and serving others. So, enough of the suits off the rack, dress for success. Lights….camera….salvation….

Don’t be a Victim: How to Protect Yourself from Hoaxes, Scams, and Frauds by Michael E. Chesbro: Thousands of people are cheated out of their life savings every year. There are many scams and no book can identify every variation, but this book can help you be aware of the more common, as well as to recognize the underlying principles that make these crimes so successful. A con artist might not be able to cheat an honest man, but he could trick him into giving up his social security number…

There you have it. A book on how to save your money, a book on how to take someone else’s money, and a book on how to make sure you keep your hard-earned money. Here’s to a happy and healthy New Year. Pass the sauerkraut…

For richer? Or for poorer? Drop me an email at from_my_shelf@yahoo.com Can’t commit to reading us weekly? Visit http://frommyshelf.blogspot.com now for money saving coupons and great extras. Looking to save more than just a buck? Check out “Hobo Finds A Home,” a children’s book about a stray cat. A portion of the proceeds goes to saving animals here in Tioga County.