Book Review: Barefoot Investor
Title: The Barefoot Investor
Author: Scott Pape
Length: 264 pages
Genre: Finance
Summary: In this guide to personal finance, Pape offers a 10-step plan to eliminate debt and build wealth. The book is structured around the concept of financial “date nights,” where readers are encouraged to set aside time regularly to work on their finances. Pape’s approach includes creating a simple “napkin plan,” setting up specific bank accounts for different purposes, and focusing on low-cost retirement savings options. He emphasizes the importance of paying off debt, building an emergency fund, and investing for the long term. The book also covers topics such as insurance, property investment, and leaving a financial legacy.
Review: It feels almost unfair to be reviewing this book. It’s meant to be someone’s introduction to finance, but it’s hardly my first book on the topic. Written by an Australian author, a lot of the advice was also very specific to the Australian population. And I wince more so than laugh at Pape’s attempt at humor. That said, it’s truly the first book that mentions anything about raising financially responsible kids, how to set up their investments, and leave a legacy. For these three pages, it was a worthy read.
Rating: 2/5
