I'm always skeptical about money-making books, yet I can't help perusing them when I visit the library. Not long ago, I checked out Put More Cash in Your Pocket by Loral Langemeier.
What I like most about this book is that it doesn't aim for the moon. It aims for a smaller goal of extra cash each month. The author suggests that everyone can put their existing skills to work in a self-run business and make $500 to $1000 per month. I think this estimate is a little on the high side for many of us, but the author's heart is in the right place. She wants to encourage each reader to figure out a way to start making extra money without investing money you don't have.
The other two things I like are that the author gives practical tips, worksheets, and advice--and she offers detailed case studies of people starting small businesses in areas like tutoring, computer repair, and power washing. The book feels accessible, and the plans seem doable.
Langemeier does have a taste for snappy phrases, and I feel like she oversimplifies a bit in her role as cheerleader and encourager. I haven't read other books of hers, and I've read that she talks a lot about real estate in her other work. This book doesn't talk about real estate or anything that requires more than a few hundred dollars in start-up costs (and you can even avoid that if you already have the equipment you need).
All in all, this is a friendly and encouraging book for people who want to start practical home-based businesses to increase their income without quitting their day jobs.
For more on Langemeier, see this review of another of her books on Get Rich Slowly.
