
Albert EinsteintIntellectual growth should commence at birth and cease only at death.”
Theoretical physicist
You can’t fight a battle without a weapon (well give or take an exception or two) and in my fight towards FIRE that weapon is knowledge.
Since knowledge is power and the more power to the people the better, I’m sharing with you my thoughts and remarks on the books related to finance, economy and financial literacy.
Most of them will be about trading the various markets or about financial independence and financial literacy. A small portion (say less than 25%) will be about entrepreneurship.
I will do my best to keep the format the same for every book I review. There might be a difference depending on the book and the subject it covers.
Finally, at the end of each review, you can find a FIRE score. Each letter of this acronym holds a different value. The rating for each of these letters will go from 1 (outdated/ignore the advice given/simple) to 5 (up-to-date/reference in its field/complex).
- F: Financial level, How complex is the finance explained in the book. Is it more academic in nature or for the average Joe or Jane?
- I: Informative, does the book provide good examples and are they up-to-date?
- R: Rhetoric, did the writing convince me? Was the book able to persuade made about its point?
- E: Elucidation level, was the message of the author clear to understand?
If I didn’t touch a certain domain, it will get a marking “N/A” and the remaining domains get a heavier weighing.
It should be obvious, but just in case, I’d like to note that I base my (final) rating on my own (in)experience and understanding.
I hope that I can save you some time with these reviews and help you find the best books to read when you wish to reach FIRE like me.
Books to read
My book reviews
Robo Investing: Innovative Investing Or bland Banking Facelift?
Robotic investing for individuals made its appearance in the U.S. in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis and around the arrival of the iPhone. In 2015, this trend spread to the E.U. and Belgium, where smaller financial players such as Birdee, Easyvest, Keytrade Bank, and MeDirect first made robotic…
Getquin review: The Best Free Portfolio Management Tool for you?
One of the biggest issues you can face as an investor is keeping track of your portfolio in a clear and intuitive way. Getquin can help you with that.
Curve Card Review: The best Card To Rule Them All!
My Curve Debit MasterCard is in my possession for over a month now, so I figured I’d share my experience with everyone having it used both in Belgium and abroad (in South America). Eventhough it's only been 1 month, this card has been impressive, to say the least. Thanks to unique features and ease of use it's a must-have for everyone!
Crypto.com Visa Ruby 6 Month Review: Interesting Or No Good?
With over 6 months of use with my crypto.com Visa debit card, I figured I’d share my experience with everyone. For myself, this card has been a nice addition to my Credit cards. Without doing anything I also improve my portfolio thanks to the cashback this crypto card provides.
Wise, Revolut or Monese: Popular Online Money Transfer services compared
When my wife wants to receive from or transfer money to her family in her home country, it typically happens through Western Union as that is the most known way. But is it the best way? And if not, which European alternative is better? Wise (formerly known as TransferWise), Revolut or Monese?
Book review: “The marvelous simplicity of index investing” by Jacques Wintermans
Thanks to a three week Christmas holiday I finally had the time to do some reading. Of the four books I choose to read in these next three weeks, the first one that I wanted to get my teeth in was the Dutch book "De schitterende eenvoud van indexbeleggen: wat de banken u niet vertellen" which loosely translates to "The marvelous simplicity of index investing: what the banks don't tell you" written by Mr. Jacques Wintermans.
Book review: “How you get rich and stay rich” by Erica Verdegaal
It's been long overdue, my first book review. I originally planned to get this out faster, but life got in the way. That said, without further ado, a review of the book with the enticing title: "How you get rich and stay rich" by Erica Verdegaal.