From Booklist
With wit and insight, Hanson offers advice on the pros and cons of debt while helping us develop a philosophy about it as well as one for spending and saving. He explains that good debt increases net worth and includes credit-card debt, leasing a car greater than you can afford, and buying a house with 5 percent down. If what you purchase on credit can easily pay its way by selling it, or hopefully from the cash flow it produces, then such debt is a good idea. When debt reflects greed, impatience, or seeking the appearance of wealth, it has negative consequences. Using personal stories, humor, and cartoons, Hanson explains the principles of debt and money in the first four chapters and then counsels us on the value of developing a mathematical financial plan based on these fundamentals. This is an excellent primer on a very important topic. Mary Whaley
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

People Magazine
Who couldn't use a New Year's makeover? [Hanson's book]... can help you conquer debt...

Book Description
Debt is like cholesterol, says author and lecturer Jon Hanson: Some kinds are good and some are bad. Too much bad debt can wreck your financial health, but so can too little good debt. The problem is that many people never learn the difference. Hanson himself barely survived a "near debt experience" a few years ago. In Good Debt, Bad Debt, Hanson explains how good debt can help readers achieve their dreams, such as buying a house, a car, or a college education. But he’s also tough about diagnosing the symptoms of bad debt. If you’ve ever gotten into trouble with your credit cards, or leased a car that’s way more expensive than you can really afford, or bought a house with only 5 percent down, it’s time for a reality check. Hanson has been researching this topic relentlessly since pulling himself out of the hole he dug with bad debt. His book blends personal stories, humor, and even twenty original cartoons, making it more fun to read than the typical personal finance tome. It covers topics like income/wealth confusion, emotional spending, and marriage issues—as well as nuts-and-bolts chapters on car buying, home buying, retirement, and more. Good Debt, Bad Debt is an entertaining and inspirational guide to improving your life so that bad debt can’t rob you of your joy. In the tradition of Rich Dad, Poor Dad, it shares the secrets that only a minority of lucky people already know.

About the Author
Jon Hanson lectures to audiences of all sizes on personal finance topics. A twenty-four-year veteran of the real estate business, he is now a full-time writer and public speaker.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Debt is like cholesterol, says author and lecturer Jon Hanson: Some kinds are good andsome are bad. Too much bad debt can wreck your financial health, but so can too little good debt. The problem is that many people never learn the difference. Hanson himself barely survived a ￯﾿ﾽnear debt experience￯﾿ﾽ a few years ago.

In Good Debt, Bad Debt, Hanson explains how good debt can help readers achieve their dreams, such as buying a house, a car, or a college education. But he's also tough about diagnosing the symptoms of bad debt. If you've ever gotten into trouble with your credit cards, or leased a car that's way more expensive than you can really afford, or bought a house with only 5 percent down, it's time for a reality check.

Hanson has been researching this topic relentlessly since pulling himself out of the hole he dug with bad debt. His book blends personal stories, humor, and even twenty original cartoons, making it more fun to read than the typical personal finance tome. It covers topics like income/wealth confusion, emotional spending, and marriage issues—as well as nuts-and-bolts chapters on car buying, home buying, retirement, and more.

Good Debt, Bad Debt is an entertaining and inspirational guide to improving your life so that bad debt can't rob you of your joy. In the tradition of Rich Dad, Poor Dad, it shares the secrets that only a minority of lucky people already know.

Author Biography: Jon Hanson lectures to audiences of all sizes on personal finance topics. A twenty-four-year veteran of the real estate business, he is now a full-time writer and public speaker.

FROM THE CRITICS

Library Journal

Hanson spent years in the real estate business and is currently a self-styled financial sanity planner. He has taken his own experience of being in debt and attempts to write words of wisdom based on these experiences. Unfortunately, there is nothing new here. The author makes mention of his past debt problems but never explains how he got into debt (e.g., how did he come to owe the IRS over $78,000?). Each chapter starts out with quotes (most by the author himself) and ends with "Points To Ponder." Good debt (debt that increases your net worth or cash flow) is differentiated from bad debt (debt that decreases your net worth), and typical advice on how to avoid debt (e.g. delay gratification) is given. There are some suggestions on how to increase your good debt, such as investing in real estate (how relevant is this to most people?), and how to evaluate your partner for financial stability. An optional purchase for public libraries.-Stacey Marien, American Univ., Washington, DC Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING

USA Today

This take on personal finance is heartfelt, homey and humorous at times. — 2/7/05

Mary Whaley