Coins in the Sofa

It is never too early to learn some foundations of personal finance.


I have come across hundreds if not thousands of adults and young adults who have no strategy around their personal financial situation, Most of them don't seem to know where to begin to learn. Worse yet are the ones who think they are financially savvy even though they are clueless. Too many people are in the vicious circles of working for a paycheck. Then spending more than their paycheck. They live their lives in an endless downward spiral that they can't escape from. 


I don't want you to be one of those people. Reading this book will give you a solid base of financial knowledge. I want you to understand the appeal and dangers of credit cards. I want you to learn why it is so important to being saving early and regularly (even if it isn't a huge amount). And finally, I don't want you to be taken advantage of by someone who will benefit from your naiveness. 


If you are a parent or grandparent, this book can change your child's life. Teaching them about how to handle their finances is much more important than giving them another electronic gadget. Things are much different than they were when you or I were younger. This knowledge will give the reader a leg up in thinking about finances that will impact them their entire life.


About the Author


Before retiring to Florida with his wife and two rescue dogs, Larry spent more than 30 years in the finance industry. He held several executive level positions with investment and commercial banks. Larry has also taught finance to both undergraduate and graduate level college students. He has served on board of directors for both the State of Missouri and the City of St. Louis Council on Economic Education, as well as the World Affairs Council and the Financial Markets Association.


He has been invited to speak throughout the country and written numerous published articles on topics ranging from fixed income investments to recognizing and managing international financial risks. Larry holds an undergraduate degree in Applied Economics from the University of San Francisco and an Executive International Master's Degree in Business from St. Louis University.


After spending a career in finance, dabbling in academia, and raising two children, Larry realized that our schools are not preparing young adults for personal financial success. Instead, they are allowing banks, insurance companies and other non-educational entities to teach our kids about financial responsibility in ways that can be costly. This book is an attempt to address that dilemma.