Women would rather talk about anything—anything—before talking about money. No one knows this better than financial expert and journalist Nicole Lapin, who despite working as a business and money reporter from age eighteen had to learn the language of money for herself through extra research and sweat equity before she could speak it to the world as a news anchor.
Inspired by her own hard knocks education, Lapin has written RICH BITCH: A SIMPLE 12-STEP PLAN FOR GETTING YOUR FINANCIAL LIFE TOGETHER…FINALLY (Harlequin; published February 24, 2015), a sassy guide to personal finance that you don’t need a dictionary to understand. The newly released book has become an instant New York Times best seller and is driving a national conversation about women taking control of their finances.
In partnership with Nielsen, Lapin conducted a national financial survey* and found that more than 2/3 (67%) of all U.S. adults would rather admit their weight than how much money they make. 60% of the women surveyed said they would admit the number on their scale before the number on their paycheck. Additionally, Lapin revealed that more than half of all U.S. adults find that they are over budget at the end of each month. Among the 18-34 year olds surveyed only 1 in 4 say they are on target with their expected monthly budget.
“These findings prove that there is a stigma regarding talking about money and our salaries in our country. People would rather talk about their health and weight—traditionally taboo subjects—before discussing how much money they make,” Nicole Lapin said. “That is why I want to promote financial literacy, so that people—especially young women—can join the financial conversation, making it less off-limits and more engaging,” she added.
In her new book “Rich Bitch,” Lapin guides readers through 12 straightforward steps, starting where other step-programs do: by admitting you have a problem. From the basics of setting up your LBD (Little Budget Diary) to the ins and outs of getting into investing to the complexities of navigating love and money, Lapin explains it all in a way that is easy to understand and easy to implement, and shares her own personal stories—warts and all—to back it up.
Sharing generously from her own personal experience and professional expertise, Lapin shows women why it is important to embrace the “Rich Bitch” attitude—to stop smiling and nodding when the talk turns to money and to get a grip on your finances once and for all. Here are just some of the basics she explains:
- Learning how to create and live on a realistic spending plan (it’s not about deprivation, but aspiration!)
- Setting 1, 5, 7, and 10 year goals for yourself and the life you want to live
- Deciding when to buy or lease a house…or not
- Paying off your debt, and keep it off
- Growing your money through investing
- Setting up smart retirement planning
RICH BITCH is a jargon-free zone. Written in a sassy and conversational way, Lapin punctuates the book with personal anecdotes, called “Confessions of a Rich Bitch” and offers dozens of “Bitch Tips” on everything from buying in bulk (don’t!) to buying a morning latte (do!) to leasing a car (don’t!). She also teaches you how to put your career into overdrive and to invest in the most important commodity out there: yourself. The book also features an extensive glossary, written in plain English, to understand the language of Wall Street and financial lingo that has left many women out of the financial conversation.
To join the conversation and get more smart financial advice and unconventional money tips, visit http://nicolelapin.com.
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