Recommended by Hon. John C. Ninfo, II 

A story of the present and future consequences of credit dependence in all strata of American society. Describes in detail how the least affluent in American society pay the most interest and get the least return on their credit card use, perpetuating lower rates for the wealthier members of society.

Recommended by Sara Farrak, the Producer of "The Things I Learned the Hard Way - Paying for Consumer Credit" 

 
"The way to end a nightmare is to wake up, and Affluenza is an alarm clock. We have created a world that dishonors all that is honorable, good, and meaningful. There is another possibility." —Paul Hawken, author of Ecology of Commerce and Natural Capitalism "Using humor, facts and compelling stories, Affluenza exposes the disease of over-consuming that threatens our health, families, budgets, friendships, communities and the environment…. But it doesn’t stop there; it offers concrete ideas that can contribute to healthier, happier lives and a more livable planet. I was mightily impressed by the film "Affluenza," but the book digs even deeper to illuminate the epidemic that’s eating [the planet]. You should read it. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and you might even change your life—or extend it!" —David R. Brower, Chairman, Earth Island Institute, and Founder, Friends of the Earth

Recommended by the Freshman Seminar Leaders at Nazareth College of Rochester

This exposé of America's rich and how they achieved their wealth and status exposes the myth of inherited wealth and instead reveals that hard work, living below one's means, and diligent savings are more often the creators of true wealth. Big-spending tendencies and high-profile images are often rejected for thrift and low profiles in this revealing and important expose.

Recommended by David Cornell, President of COrnell Jewelers

A #1 New York Times bestseller, 'Rich Dad, Poor Dad' is a true story on the lessons about money that Robert Kiyosaki learned from his two "dads." One dad, a Ph.D. and superintendent of education, never had enough money at the end of the month and died broke. His other dad dropped out of school at age 13 and went on to become one of the wealthiest men in Hawaii. 'Rich Dad, Poor Dad' will . . .· Explode the myth that you need to earn a high income to become rich · Challenge the belief that your house is an asset · Show parents why they can't rely on the school system to teach their kids about money
· Define once and for all an asset and a liability · Teach you what to teach your kids about money for their future financial success. In 'Rich Dad, Poor Dad', Robert Kiyosaki explains how to make your money work hard for you instead of you working hard for money.

Recommended by Dr. Daniel Raimondo, Director of Campus Life at SUNY Brockport

This exposé puts human flesh on the bones of such abstractions as "living wage" and "affordable housing." Ehrenreich worked, for a month at a time, at "unskilled" jobs—as a waitress and chambermaid in Florida, a housecleaner and nursing-home aide in Maine, a Wal-Mart clerk in Minnesota—to report on how people survive on wages of six or seven dollars an hour. In an easy, conversational style, she brings us the daily life of the working poor and shows that their diligence and good nature cannot earn them a place to live—a social worker advised Ehrenreich to move to a shelter—or medical or dental care or, in some cases, enough to eat. In her last chapter, Ehrenreich suggests that the working poor are "the major philanthropists of our society," sacrificing their families, their health, their privacy, and their leisure so that the rest of us can live more cheaply and conveniently.

Recommended by Hon. John C. Ninfo II

Warren, a law professor at Harvard (The Fragile Middle Class) and her daughter Tyagi, a former McKinsey consultant, have joined forces here to argue here that the two-parent middle-class working family is on the brink of financial disaster. The number of families declaring bankruptcy or receiving a foreclosure against their house has shot up dramatically. Presenting carefully researched economic data to support their arguments, the authors contend that, contrary to popular myth, families aren't in trouble because they're squandering their second income on luxuries. On the contrary, both incomes are almost entirely committed to necessities, such as home and car payments, health insurance and children's education costs. When an unforeseen event such as serious illness, job loss or divorce occurs, families have no discretionary income to fall back on. The authors recommend a number of useful societal solutions to get families out of this trap, such as legally prohibiting credit card companies from charging grossly unfair interest rates and exposing banks that employ a loan-to-own strategy that steers minority customers to higher mortgage rates with an eye to future foreclosures. Warren and Tyagi point out that families buy homes they cannot afford in order to live in a neighborhood with better schools. Their proposed solution, however-to institute a public school voucher system with wider choice-is less carefully thought out. Overall, however, this is a needed examination of an emerging social problem.

Recommended by Alison J. Scott, Community Outreach Coordinator - Boleman Law Firm, P.C., Richmond, VA.

This book contains everything you NEED to know about your credit, even if it is excellent. Good credit is sexy covers topics such as identity theft, getting rid of junk mail, getting a mortgage or auto lease, and of course, how to fix your credit......

Recommended by Michelle Singletary, Washington Post

 
Off to college. Excited. Nervous. Broke...

Finding a way to pay for college and live on a budget is not always easy, but it definitely beats paying off huge loans for the next 30 years. And these students are living proof that it can be done.

Recommended by Michelle Singletary, Washington Post

Credit Scores & Credit Reports provides the first thorough examination of the all-important, but little understood, Credit Scoring and Credit Reporting systems. The Second Edition of this highly-acclaimed book enables consumers to understand how both of these systems actually work, and what they can do to improve their FICO scores, and to ensure their credit reports are accurate. Importantly, the book also describes how the system sometimes doesn't work, and how hundreds of thousands - if not millions - of consumers have been frustrated in their efforts to correct errors in their credit reports. Moreover, it explains: *Link between credit reports and the burgeoning problem of identity theft *How credit card companies use credit scoring to raise your interest rates *The role of credit scores in auto and homeowners insurance *The difference between mortgage rates for consumers with excellent, good, fair and poor credit scores *The damages to consumers and their creditworthiness flowing from credit report inaccuracy and identity theft *Credit reports and debt collection *The debate over credit scoring and discrimination *The politics of credit reporting The current credit reporting system keep detailed financial histories on more than 200 million Americans. That is why virtually everyone has a stake in the system, and why Stephen Brobeck, executive director of the Consumer Federation of America said, "There are few books I think all consumers should read. This is one of them. It is a well-informed, informative, and a well-written guide to a subject of great and growing importance to consumers."

Recommended by Hon. John C. Ninfo, II

The Debt Trap is a road map to help you avoid life’s potential financial pitfalls. It delves into the historical, social, moral and economic reasons why so many Americans are in debt. It is preventative, not curative, in its approach. It teaches by exploring the mistakes of others in the areas of relationships, desires, spending and saving habits and values. It correlates how the breakdown of traditional values has created a society in which instant gratification, selfishness, and victimization has led to the disintegration of religion, family and love of country, while also destroying financial stability.

Recommended by Hon. John C. Ninfo, II

The success stories speak for themselves in this book from money maestro Dave Ramsey. Instead of promising the normal dose of quick fixes, Ramsey offers a bold, no-nonsense approach to money matters, providing not only the how-to but also a grounded and uplifting hope for getting out of debt and achieving total financial health.

Ramsey debunks the many myths of money (exposing the dangers of cash advance, rent-to-own, debt consolidation) and attacks the illusions and downright deceptions of the American dream, which encourages nothing but overspending and massive amounts of debt. "Don't even consider keeping up with the Joneses," Ramsey declares in his typically candid style. "They're broke!"

The Total Money Makeover isn't theory. It works every single time. It works because it is simple. It works because it gets to the heart of the money problems: you.

Recommended by Mitchell Franklin, Ph.D., CPA, Syracuse University, Whitman School of Management

We save and invest for retirement because, at some point in the future, we will choose to stop working and will need to replace the salary we currently earn. Saving and investing to afford a comfortable retirement is an obligation we have to ourselves. It is important to realize that we have no choice but to get on track saving and investing for retirement. We will be depending on it for survival in the later years of our life—considering how much longer people live with every passing decade, saving and investing is becoming increasingly more important.

Recommended by Mimi Cecere Ninfo

In this new and expanded edition of one of the biggest selling financial-planning books ever, Chilton simplifies the complex puzzles of personal finance and helps you achieve financial independence. With the help of his fictional barber, Roy, and a large dose of humor, Chilton shows you how you can take control of your financial future slowly, steadily, and with sure success. Chilton?s plan (detailed in an entertaining story) is no get-rich-quick scheme, but it does make financial independence possible on nothing more than an average salary. Even if you consider yourself a financial basket-case, Chilton explains how you can easily put an effective financial plan into action.

Recommended by Donna Benton,
Practical Living Specialist of Jefferson County Public Schools

"This book is a work of humor meant solely for entertainment purposes.  It is not intended to recommend or advise regarding personal-finance management.  The advice contained in this book is intended as a parody of personal-finance books; actually following the advice contained herein may be harmful to your bankk account.  The publisher and anyone associated wiith the production of this book do not advocate breaking the law."
- How to Get Into Debt

Recommended by Hon. John C. Ninfo, II

In Extra Credit: The 7 things every college student needs to know about credit, debt & ca$h. You'll learn how credit card companies "trick" you into playing their game by their rules and why it's not your fault that you can't beat them... at least until now. Extra Credit is the book that every college student and high school senior should be armed with as they are about to be assaulted by 50 credit card solicitations each semester. Extra Credit should be a mandatory book for all incoming freshman. You will be able to get your first credit card and use your debit card on your own, but nobody taught you how to use them, when to use them, how to balance your account, or how to tell if you are getting ripped off. You'll discover everything that credit card companies don't want you to know and more!

Recommended by Hon. John C. Ninfo, II

The book shows how the student loan industry in the U.S. has devolved into a corrupted and predatory system that extracts large and unjustified amounts of wealth from vulnerable borrowers, enabled by the Congressional removal of nearly all basic consumer protections from these loans, the sheer greed and lobbying influence of the nations largest student loan company, combined with an egregious lack of oversight by conflicted, and corrupted officials within the Department of Education.

As a result, millions of citizens have seen their lives and livelihoods marginalized. Many have been forced "off the grid". Many have literally fled the country, or worse as a result of this uniquely predatory and inescapable debt instrument.

The system has also directly led to unprecedented tuition increases by our nation's colleges and universities- significantly impacting all students and their families- not just the borrowers.

The book argues for the return of basic consumer protections to student loans, an end to draconian collection powers given exclusively to the student loan industry, and also provides practical advice for distressed borrowers.

The book is concise, to the point, and does not hesitate to "name names" in terms of corporate, and governmental responsibility for this system.