The Way to Wealth (Books of American Wisdom)
The Way to Wealth (Books of American Wisdom)
Overview
washingtonpost.com Pearls From Poor Richard By Michelle Singletary Sunday, January 4, 2004; Page F01 Since I suspected some of you would be recovering from a stress- and debt-filled holiday, I decided to make the Color of Money Book Club choice for January an oldie but a goodie penned by Benjamin Franklin. This month I'm recommending Franklin's ""The Way to Wealth"" (Applewood Books, $9.95). At just 30 pages, this pocket-size book takes less than a half-hour to read but will give you a lifetime of financial wisdom -- that is, if you're wise enough to follow the advice. ""The Way to Wealth"" is an essay first published in 1758 as a preface to Franklin's Poor Richard's Almanack. The essay begins with Franklin's fictitious Father Abraham being asked to talk about taxes by a crowd waiting for an auction to start. Father Abraham, who quotes Poor Richard, lectures the consumers on topics ranging from the perils of idleness to business ownership to frugality to the dangers of debt. Franklin's most well-known quotes can be found in this essay. Here are just a few: ""Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise."" ""Never leave that till tomorrow, which you can do today."" ""God helps those who help themselves."" It is in ""The Way to Wealth"" that you will find Franklin's most famous maxims about money. In fact, Arthur Levitt, former chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, gave out copies of ""The Way to Wealth"" at his final investor town-hall meeting. Here's what Franklin's Father Abraham said: On the importance of saving: ""If you would be wealthy, think of saving, as well as of getting. Away, then, with your expensive follies, and you will not have then so much reason to complain of hard times."" These words ring so true today. In fact, if current savings patterns continue, there will be an annual shortfall of at least $45 billion by 2030 between the amount retirees need to cover basic expenses and what they have accumulated, according to a new study by the Employee Benefit Research Institute in collaboration with the Milbank Memorial Fund, a New York research foundation. For many middle-income folk, the personal shortfall could be avoided if they saved just 5 percent of their annual income every year, the authors of the study concluded. On the foolishness of always searching for a sale ""Many have been ruined by buying good pennyworths . . . and yet this folly is practiced every day at auctions."" Think Wal-Mart or Target: Bargain shoppers get positively giddy when boasting how they saved money on various items (I know I used to). But if you buy one item and get the second at half off, you haven't saved any money. You're still spending. ""You can go broke saving money,"" Jeff Lychwick, one of my readers, often says. On the constant need to buy clothes and goods: ""What use is this pride of appearance, for which so much is suffered? It cannot promote health, nor ease pain: it makes no increase of merit in person, it creates envy, it hastens misfortune."" Father Abraham then asks the crowd ""what madness it must be to run in debt for these superfluities?"" How often do we all (me included) succumb to the clever marketing of stuff we don't need? ""The blurring of this needs/wants distinction helps fuel our consumer society,"" wrote Knight Kiplinger in the January issue of Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine. ""The success of this process over the past two decades has resulted in what I call the democratizing of luxury. Today as never before, American households at virtually every income level seek products whose price, quality and prestige clearly exceed the functional need to be met."" Just look at how DVDs have become an electronic ""necessity."" For goodness' sake, people were pushing and shoving for a chance to buy a $29 DVD player at Wal-Mart during the holiday season. Madness! On the accumulation of debt: ""Think what you do when you run into debt; you give to another power over your liberty."" Franklin goes on to write: ""When you have got your bargain, you may, perhaps, think a little of payment; but, as Poor Richard says, creditors have better memories than debtors. . . . The day comes round before you are aware, and the demand is made before you are able to satisfy it."" ""The Way to Wealth"" should be required reading, especially for teens and young adults -- before they get credit cards. It's no wonder Franklin is on the $100 bill. His timeless insight on money management is worth a handsome sum. Michelle Singletary discusses personal finance Tuesdays on NPR's ""Day to Day"" program and online at www.npr.org . Readers can write to her in care of The Washington Post, 1150 15th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20071 or by e-mail at singletarym@washpost.com . 2004 The Washington Post Company -- Michelle Singletary ""Washington Post"" (01/04/2004)Description
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If you are shipping an item over $75, you should consider using a trackable shipping service or purchasing shipping insurance. We don’t guarantee that we will receive your returned item.
Overview
washingtonpost.com Pearls From Poor Richard By Michelle Singletary Sunday, January 4, 2004; Page F01 Since I suspected some of you would be recovering from a stress- and debt-filled holiday, I decided to make the Color of Money Book Club choice for January an oldie but a goodie penned by Benjamin Franklin. This month I'm recommending Franklin's ""The Way to Wealth"" (Applewood Books, $9.95). At just 30 pages, this pocket-size book takes less than a half-hour to read but will give you a lifetime of financial wisdom -- that is, if you're wise enough to follow the advice. ""The Way to Wealth"" is an essay first published in 1758 as a preface to Franklin's Poor Richard's Almanack. The essay begins with Franklin's fictitious Father Abraham being asked to talk about taxes by a crowd waiting for an auction to start. Father Abraham, who quotes Poor Richard, lectures the consumers on topics ranging from the perils of idleness to business ownership to frugality to the dangers of debt. Franklin's most well-known quotes can be found in this essay. Here are just a few: ""Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise."" ""Never leave that till tomorrow, which you can do today."" ""God helps those who help themselves."" It is in ""The Way to Wealth"" that you will find Franklin's most famous maxims about money. In fact, Arthur Levitt, former chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, gave out copies of ""The Way to Wealth"" at his final investor town-hall meeting. Here's what Franklin's Father Abraham said: On the importance of saving: ""If you would be wealthy, think of saving, as well as of getting. Away, then, with your expensive follies, and you will not have then so much reason to complain of hard times."" These words ring so true today. In fact, if current savings patterns continue, there will be an annual shortfall of at least $45 billion by 2030 between the amount retirees need to cover basic expenses and what they have accumulated, according to a new study by the Employee Benefit Research Institute in collaboration with the Milbank Memorial Fund, a New York research foundation. For many middle-income folk, the personal shortfall could be avoided if they saved just 5 percent of their annual income every year, the authors of the study concluded. On the foolishness of always searching for a sale ""Many have been ruined by buying good pennyworths . . . and yet this folly is practiced every day at auctions."" Think Wal-Mart or Target: Bargain shoppers get positively giddy when boasting how they saved money on various items (I know I used to). But if you buy one item and get the second at half off, you haven't saved any money. You're still spending. ""You can go broke saving money,"" Jeff Lychwick, one of my readers, often says. On the constant need to buy clothes and goods: ""What use is this pride of appearance, for which so much is suffered? It cannot promote health, nor ease pain: it makes no increase of merit in person, it creates envy, it hastens misfortune."" Father Abraham then asks the crowd ""what madness it must be to run in debt for these superfluities?"" How often do we all (me included) succumb to the clever marketing of stuff we don't need? ""The blurring of this needs/wants distinction helps fuel our consumer society,"" wrote Knight Kiplinger in the January issue of Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine. ""The success of this process over the past two decades has resulted in what I call the democratizing of luxury. Today as never before, American households at virtually every income level seek products whose price, quality and prestige clearly exceed the functional need to be met."" Just look at how DVDs have become an electronic ""necessity."" For goodness' sake, people were pushing and shoving for a chance to buy a $29 DVD player at Wal-Mart during the holiday season. Madness! On the accumulation of debt: ""Think what you do when you run into debt; you give to another power over your liberty."" Franklin goes on to write: ""When you have got your bargain, you may, perhaps, think a little of payment; but, as Poor Richard says, creditors have better memories than debtors. . . . The day comes round before you are aware, and the demand is made before you are able to satisfy it."" ""The Way to Wealth"" should be required reading, especially for teens and young adults -- before they get credit cards. It's no wonder Franklin is on the $100 bill. His timeless insight on money management is worth a handsome sum. Michelle Singletary discusses personal finance Tuesdays on NPR's ""Day to Day"" program and online at www.npr.org . Readers can write to her in care of The Washington Post, 1150 15th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20071 or by e-mail at singletarym@washpost.com . 2004 The Washington Post Company -- Michelle Singletary ""Washington Post"" (01/04/2004)Description
Condition Guidelines
Books - New and Used
The following guidelines apply to books:
- New: A brand-new copy with cover and original protective wrapping intact. Books with markings of any kind on the cover or pages, books marked as "Bargain" or "Remainder," or with any other labels attached, may not be listed as New condition.
- Used - Good: All pages and cover are intact (including the dust cover, if applicable). Spine may show signs of wear. Pages may include limited notes and highlighting. May include "From the library of" labels. Shrink wrap, dust covers, or boxed set case may be missing. Item may be missing bundled media.
- Used - Acceptable: All pages and the cover are intact, but shrink wrap, dust covers, or boxed set case may be missing. Pages may include limited notes, highlighting, or minor water damage but the text is readable. Item may but the dust cover may be missing. Pages may include limited notes and highlighting, but the text cannot be obscured or unreadable.
Note: Some electronic material access codes are valid only for one user. For this reason, used books, including books listed in the Used – Like New condition, may not come with functional electronic material access codes.
Shipping & Delivery
Shipping Fees
- Stevens Books offers FREE SHIPPING everywhere in the United States for ALL non-book orders, and $3.99 for each book.
- Packages are shipped from Monday to Friday.
- No additional fees and charges.
Delivery Times
The usual time for processing an order is 24 hours (1 business day), but may vary depending on the availability of products ordered. This period excludes delivery times, which depend on your geographic location.
Estimated delivery times:
- Standard Shipping: 5-8 business days
- Expedited Shipping: 3-5 business days
Shipping method varies depending on what is being shipped.
Tracking
All orders are shipped with a tracking number. Once your order has left our warehouse, a confirmation e-mail with a tracking number will be sent to you. You will be able to track your package at all times.
Damaged Parcel
If your package has been delivered in a PO Box, please note that we are not responsible for any damage that may result (consequences of extreme temperatures, theft, etc.).
If you have any questions regarding shipping or want to know about the status of an order, please contact us or email to support@stevensbooks.com.
Returns & Refunds
You may return most items within 30 days of delivery for a full refund.
To be eligible for a return, your item must be unused and in the same condition that you received it. It must also be in the original packaging.
Several types of goods are exempt from being returned. Perishable goods such as food, flowers, newspapers or magazines cannot be returned. We also do not accept products that are intimate or sanitary goods, hazardous materials, or flammable liquids or gases.
Additional non-returnable items:
- Gift cards
- Downloadable software products
- Some health and personal care items
To complete your return, we require a tracking number, which shows the items which you already returned to us.
There are certain situations where only partial refunds are granted (if applicable)
- Book with obvious signs of use
- CD, DVD, VHS tape, software, video game, cassette tape, or vinyl record that has been opened
- Any item not in its original condition, is damaged or missing parts for reasons not due to our error
- Any item that is returned more than 30 days after delivery
Items returned to us as a result of our error will receive a full refund,some returns may be subject to a restocking fee of 7% of the total item price, please contact a customer care team member to see if your return is subject. Returns that arrived on time and were as described are subject to a restocking fee.
Items returned to us that were not the result of our error, including items returned to us due to an invalid or incomplete address, will be refunded the original item price less our standard restocking fees.
If the item is returned to us for any of the following reasons, a 15% restocking fee will be applied to your refund total and you will be asked to pay for return shipping:
- Item(s) no longer needed or wanted.
- Item(s) returned to us due to an invalid or incomplete address.
- Item(s) returned to us that were not a result of our error.
You should expect to receive your refund within four weeks of giving your package to the return shipper, however, in many cases you will receive a refund more quickly. This time period includes the transit time for us to receive your return from the shipper (5 to 10 business days), the time it takes us to process your return once we receive it (3 to 5 business days), and the time it takes your bank to process our refund request (5 to 10 business days).
If you need to return an item, please Contact Us with your order number and details about the product you would like to return. We will respond quickly with instructions for how to return items from your order.
Shipping Cost
We'll pay the return shipping costs if the return is a result of our error (you received an incorrect or defective item, etc.). In other cases, you will be responsible for paying for your own shipping costs for returning your item. Shipping costs are non-refundable. If you receive a refund, the cost of return shipping will be deducted from your refund.
Depending on where you live, the time it may take for your exchanged product to reach you, may vary.
If you are shipping an item over $75, you should consider using a trackable shipping service or purchasing shipping insurance. We don’t guarantee that we will receive your returned item.
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