Love & Money: A Life Guide for Financial Success

As a follower of the weekly Sunday column, "Love and Money", I moved to a new city where Mr. Opdyke's column is not in my Sunday paper. After many unfilled Sundays, to my excitement I discovered that this book was assembled. The book is equal, if not better than the weekly series. I enjoy reading the financial and true life information that realistically plagues our married and family lives. It constantly makes me reevaluate my finances, spending, and budgeting (or I should say "Spending Plans"). The book should be required reading for married couples. Well worth it.

This book was given to us as a wedding gift. It has been invaluable as my husband and I have built our life together, from pooling our checking accounts, to managing bills.

Jeff Opdyke takes a hard look at various money problems facing people at various stages of their lives. Although you won't have to face each problem, the advice is sound and the reasoning behind the advice is bound to be helpful in some aspect of your financial life. One problem, ignored by other authors, is how to handle the situation when an aging parent makes bad (wasteful) financial decisions. Do you sacrifice your own retirement savings to bail them out, or is there a better solution? Opdykes answer is worth the price of the book.Other topics are covered in a thoughtful manner. This book is easy to read and provides good financial advice.

This book is an excellent companion to other financial books. Rather than tell you how to save or invest, it talks about the personal sides of money in life. Although most of the book comes from the standpoint of someone in a marriage, much of the material will be relevant for everyone. The point of the book is to make us think about the "other" questions that personal finance implies, such as dealing with financial compatibility with others, kids & allowances, supporting parents in their old age, deciding what you actually want to do with your retirement, and some others. I appreciate Opdyke's candor in talking about the conversations he has with his spouse, as I have similar talks with my wife. This book has given me much to think about, and more to talk about with my wife. All of this is done in a pleasant, easy-to-read style that is not at all "preachy" about what you "should" be doing. A great read, and highly recommended.

I look forward to reading Opdyke's column in my paper every Sunday. What I love the best about his advice is that he never "preaches" or makes you feel bad about what you're NOT doing with your money. He's realistic and shows that there are a lot of gray areas when it comes to family and finances. His column -- and now the book -- gives you a glimpse into how other couples and families handle their money challenges. I always learn something from his columns. His book gives such thorough advice that is sure to help me navigate issues with my husband, my friends, my kids and my in-laws for years to come!