Have you often wondered why your financial situation isn't better? Do you struggle to pay debts, save money, and live the life you deserve? If you can answer yes to these and other questions like them, you are certainly not alone and one book that is intended to help you gain control of your finances and your future is The Flow of Time and Money: How to Create a Full and Prosperous Life, by author Lloyd Watts.
 
Basic Contents of This Book:

This 124- page book is divided into five main sections:

Money, Time, Life and Wealth
Why We Struggle Financially
The Path to Financial Independence
Realizing Your Dreams
Contributing to the World
Recommended Reading
Index
About the Author
 
Starting with the opening section on Money, Time, Life, and Wealth, this book begins by diagramming inflows and outflows of money, time, and life processes. It then proceeds to the second section where it discusses the things that prevent us from living a prosperous life, such as credit cards, personal debts, living beyond our means, etc.

In the third section of the book, Watts talks about the path to financial independence and what it takes to achieve a life free from financial worry. In the fourth section, the book discusses what needs to be done once your financial dreams have been reached to better ensure that you do not fall back into your old habits. The book then wraps up with a section about contributing to the world in a positive way by giving back and sharing the unique knowledge that each of us possesses.  

Final Thoughts:
 
Most people like the idea of financial independence and while most of us don't necessarily care about being very rich, we still like the idea of living comfortably. But there are many obstacles that get in the way of realizing our dreams. Credit card debt takes a large portion of our net pay each month. Our house might be more than we can really afford. Our payment on our brand new SUV could take a substantial chunk of cash. These outflows of money prevent many people from achieving a life free from financial anxiety and many among us would like to change, but are not sure how best to accomplish our goals.

Lloyd Watts is one man who feels he has the answer to your future and he wrote this book to assist individuals who are sick and tired of living paycheck to paycheck and want to escape the rat race once and for all. The book offers many simple answers to the pressing questions that nag many individuals when it comes to personal finance. It offers many different explanations for what gets people into debt, what can get them out, and what needs to be done to maintain a comfortable existence once financial independence has been achieved.

One unique fact about The Flow of Time and Money that I found interesting and helpful is its use of illustrations. Yes, this book has the occasional table and graph, just like you often find in other personal finance books. But The Flow of Time and Money includes more than just tables showing income, debts, expenses, etc. This book also shows illustrations that are intended to make it easier to understand how time and money so easily slip away. For example, there are several illustrations that depict a bucket with a water spout directed into the bucket, along with a small hole in the bottom and possibly a smaller bucket on the inside of the larger one. By using a leaky bucket, the book helps the reader visualize how money comes and goes. There are also several flow charts to help readers understand the various inputs and outputs of time and money in our daily lives.

Personal finance books are often very helpful and the authors usually have a genuine interest in assisting others to help them reach a stronger level of financial health. The Flow of Time and Money is no different from the others, but there are a few flaws that prevent this book from being a better financial/educational tool. First of all, the book repeats itself more than once. There are many numbered lists that direct the reader with steps to take to reach goals. But these numbered lists often include a step or two that are exactly the same from one list to the next. Not only is the item the same, but the explanation that follows is an exact copy/paste from another list. Another problem I have with this book is its lack of sufficient length. Right when you think the book is getting warmed up on a specific topic, it comes to a sudden halt and moves on to something else.

Another aspect of this book I don't like is its tendency to go to extremes. It does this on a few occasions, like with its advice on credit cards. The book recommends that you cut up and dispose of your credit cards right away. But this is generally unnecessary. Most people do not have that much trouble with control over credit cards. If you do, then yes, you might be best off eliminating credit cards completely. But it is still a good idea to have at least one credit card handy, in case of emergencies. All it takes is a little discipline to fight the urge to use the credit card. Lack of any credit cards could prove to be an unwise decision and could result in a difficult predicament in the case of a financial emergency.

Overall, however, The Flow of Time and Money is still a good financial book that could help many individuals gain control of their finances and their future. I like the graphics, the flow charts, and the other illustrations because they can help readers to visualize these concepts and better understand how money and time flow. A little more length, a little less repetition, and a few more details would make this a much better book. But it is still a handy little guide for personal finance. 







 

Recommended: Yes