cover image Michael Finney's Consumer Confidential: The Money-Saving Secrets They Don't Want You to Know

Michael Finney's Consumer Confidential: The Money-Saving Secrets They Don't Want You to Know

Michael Finney. Berrett-Koehler Publishers, $14.95 (216pp) ISBN 978-1-57675-300-2

Writing a financial guide that is general enough for the average reader, yet contains enough specific information to be useful, is a difficulty that confronts many popular financial gurus. Oftentimes, what the reader gets is a compendium of the obvious. Finney's volume is no exception. Though it covers an array of consumer topics--money, privacy, insurance, automobiles, travel, investments, home buying and rip-offs--the book is too brief to give its subjects more than a superficial treatment, and many of its tips are common knowledge. (For example, to stop receiving telemarketing calls, sign up with the National Do Not Call Registry online.) The book does contain a few nuggets of unexpectedly good advice, however. Finney explains in one section that stopping payment on a check is not a good way of combating shoddy service--it's illegal, expensive and can be circumvented. It's better to pay for service with a credit card, or, better yet, don't pay at all until the service is complete. Likewise, Finney addresses the topic of ""public adjusters,"" professionals consumers can hire to obtain a fair settlement from insurers who they believe are short-changing them. Near the end of the book, Finney also provides a good list of resources with Web site addresses and telephone numbers for organizations that provide consumers with information. If you had to buy just one book on personal finance, this may not be it, but Finney's guide is a handy volume to keep beside the computer or the phone when purchasing airline tickets or calling a plumber.