First off, I should point out that I'm a big fan of David Chilton. He "gets it."
On the topic of basic money management, there is some good advice in this book (pay yourself first, the 10% rule). For anyone struggling to pay down debt, or avoid living beyond their means, they may need more specific guidance and encouragement found elsewhere, perhaps in a Dave Ramsey book.
There's at least one critical flaw in this book, however. When it was written in the late 1980s, Canadians didn't have many options for low cost investment vehicles. Through the narrative of this book, Mr. Chilton advises readers to "pick a mutual fund with a good manager." The author himself has debunked this fallacy in the intervening years. Mr. Chilton does an excellent job explaining this in an interview with the Globe and Mail's Rob Carrick:[...]
Mr. Chilton fights the good fight, going toe to toe with Kevin O'Leary on CBC in an entertaining video here: [...]
I would advise potential readers to pick up a copy of this book's sequel titled "The Wealthy Barber Returns" rather than the original. Here's a link to that:
The Wealthy Barber Returns : Dramatically Older and Marginally Wiser, David Chilton Offers His Unique Perspectives on the World of MoneyAnother book to consider would be Andrew Hallam's "Millionaire Teacher." For more advanced reading, the Canadian Financial Wiki "Finiki" and it's associated "Financial Webring Forum" will steer users toward sound investment strategies.
