The Money Goddess

Wilkinson Publishing (Published 2007)

Written By Paula Hawkins

UK

Review 4 stars— Excellent Book

How the blurb describes the book:
'There's useful info here, especially if you're in debt, worried about your pension or feel that your bank's idea of customer service is flogging you loans' Time Out

Natasha knows a thing or two about money – which is more than can be said for her friends, who are happy to natter over dinner about sex, love, beauty tips and heel sizes, but go silent when the bill arrives. Does that sound like you? Well, it doesn't have to be this way.

The Money Goddess is going to change your attitude to personal finance and show you that in many ways it's the most important aspect of your life. In recounting the ups and downs of her friends' travails with money, Natasha will painlessly show you how to sensibly:

Buy a house

Get Married (or divorced!)

Sort out your debts

Check your tax

Save and invest

Start your own business

Get insurance

Set up a pension

And the best thing is that by following Natasha's advice, you'll find you've got more money to play with!

Stop worrying about money – and start living like a money goddess!

Mr Home Budget's Review:
What do you get when you cross a fictional love story, with a fact driven non-fictional budget book? You get "The Money Goddess".

Natasha the freelance finance journalist knows money inside and out. However, her three best friends since high school are a little underdone when it comes to money and home budgeting.

The books reads as an everyday love comedy fiction; however in this story her friends are always having some type of money problem. Then Natasha comes to the rescue with her facts and figures to show them the way. For example, her friend Jackie wants to send her kids to private school. However due to the 3000 pounds a year fees she is finding it hard to come up with the money required. Natasha rides to the rescue and writes an extremely liveable budget. The budget is designed around the fact that she needs to save 300 pounds a month by the time the children are old enough to go to school. Presto her friend's problems are solved.

But home budgeting is not where Natasha stops handing out good advice, she also tackles:

- Pension plans

- Private vs. Public Schools

- Divorce and How To Handle Your Finances

- Women vs. Men And Their Long Term Financial Positions

- Life Insurance

- How To Invest

- How To Get Out Of Debt

- Compound Interest

Here is a part of the book which I like: "Consider a few alarming facts and figures which show that, at some level, women's finances are different. One in four single women pensioners live in poverty. The average retirement income of a single woman is just over half that of men. Because of their working patterns, only half of women qualify for a full state pension, compared with nine in ten men. Newspapers may be full of stories about super grans, illustrated with pictures of Jerry Hall and Joan Collins looking fabulous, but the reality is less glamorous. It is not just in retirement that women are falling behind in the financial stakes. The average woman has 20 percent less money saved in cash than the average man. And around twice as many women as men say they find investing in the stock market a daunting experience."

Of course the above section was from the non-fiction part of the book, and this is where the book excels. I do not believe this book could have been a stand-alone fiction, as the storyline at times can be slow or even boring. Because the book is always trying to interject with a non-fiction part, the story can come quite predictable at times. The Money Goddess certainly could have been a stand-alone non-fiction book.

This is a different writing style which is unique. It allows people to understand home budgeting and money without just giving them a straight book of facts. As it is broken up with a somewhat compelling storyline, it gives the reader different reasons for wanting to finish the book. While the book is quite long, and very English, it does have some really good information which everyone should know.

Pros: With the book combined as Fiction and Non Fiction it does add something to the reading, and makes it more enjoyable.

Some of the ideas on budgeting are extremely unique and interesting.

Cons: It's just far too long and covers every topic.

For an Australian reader, some of the terms and laws might be too British to understand.

Sometimes the storyline can be a bit slow.