Break Down Your Money: How to Get Beyond the Noise to Profit in the Markets - Hardcover

by Tracy Byrnes (Author), Liz Claman (Foreword by)

Praise for Break Down Your Money

"Tracy Byrnes writes like she speaks on FOX-clearly, passionately, and yes, lovingly. She is that rare expert who helps enrich your portfolio and your soul. You can do both, and Tracy shows you how. Others talk about what your goals should be. For the first time, finally, someone who shows you how to reach them in finances, and in life."
--Neil Cavuto, FOX News Channel, FOX Business Network

"Break Down Your Money is unique-smart, wisecracking market insights. You'll learn and laugh, a lot."
--Dan Colarusso, Managing Editor, Conde Nast Portfolio.com

"Tracy Byrnes is truly one of the best at helping investors get a grip on their finances. In Break Down Your Money, she delivers on that promise so eloquently-with the kind of bite-size information and entertaining flair that makes her a TV standout. This is one money book you won't want to put down."
--Jennifer Openshaw, author, The Millionaire Zone, host of ABC Radio's Winning Advice

"Being in the financial business, I have read plenty of books about the markets, and would never use the word 'fun' to describe any of them. Until now. Tracy paints a colorful picture of the markets. Her book is an entertaining, well-informed, fun read for the expert and the novice alike."
--Steven Grasso, Floor Governor at the NYSE, Managing Director, Stuart Frankel & Co.

"Tracy offers a comprehensive walk through the basics of finance in an easy-to-understand manner. A great read!"
--Todd Harrison, founder and CEO, Minyanville Publishing and Multimedia, LLC

"As a money manager, university professor, financial writer, and frequent media guest, I am constantly challenged with the objective of explaining complex concepts to an audience that is trained to focus on sound bites and instant messages. You have to boil down these complex concepts to a quick and digestible form accented by down-to-earth language and humor when necessary. Tracy Byrnes has accomplished these goals in Break Down Your Money and, in the process, makes learning about financial and money management more enjoyable to the reader. I wholeheartedly recommend Break Down Your Money to readers of all ages and investment skill levels."
--Scott R. Rothbort, founder and President, LakeView Asset Management, LLC, Professor of Finance, Stillman School of Business, Seton Hall University, founder and Manager, TheFinanceProfessor.com

"Tracy has a unique knack of explaining the market to folks who are not 'in the market.' It is really a wonderful gift. A must-read for anyone wanting to invest and who is too overwhelmed to dive in."
--John Layfield, CEO, Layfield Energy, and, as WWE wrestler John "Bradshaw" Layfield, the longest reigning World Champion in SmackDown history

Front Jacket

ETFs, DRIPs, index funds, the Federal Reserve: the language of Wall Street can often be overwhelming for the average person. If you're going to be a successful investor, you have to know exactly what is being said so you can ferret out the information you need to make smart decisions.

Investing in the markets is not unlike sitting down at the high-roller poker tables in Vegas. You can lose your shirt if you place a bet on the wrong stock or--even worse--leave your chips on the table for too long. You need a sound strategy that will guide you when the market's up and when it's down, when there's talk of recession, or when it's a bull market. In Break Down Your Money, FOX Business Network reporter Tracy Byrnes offers reliable advice for investors looking to "break down" today's Wall Street lingo and beat the stock market through simple strategies and easy-to-follow advice.

What exactly is the stock market? And why should you be a part of it? Byrnes begins with the basics, explaining in easy-to-understand terms exactly how the markets work--and stressing the often-overlooked fact that when you buy a stock, you're basically buying a small piece of the company you chose to invest in. With entertaining examples and illustrations, she reveals the ins and outs of the bond market, mutual funds, ETFs (Exchange Traded Funds), IPOs (Initial Public Offerings), DRIPs (Dividend Reinvestment Programs), and more. Moving beyond the basics, Byrnes also tells how to "look under the hood" of your investments with straightforward advice on how to understand financial statements and find useful information in a company's annual report. In addition, she uncovers the sometimes mysterious workings of the Federal Reserve and clearly defines basic economic terms such as inflation and recession--and what they mean for your investments.

An invaluable resource for both novice and experienced investors, Break Down Your Money offers a wealth of sound guidance for anyone looking to decode the jargon of Wall Street and make money in today's markets.

Back Jacket

Praise for Break Down Your Money

"Tracy Byrnes writes like she speaks on FOX--clearly, passionately, and yes, lovingly. She is that rare expert who helps enrich your portfolio and your soul. You can do both, and Tracy shows you how. Others talk about what your goals should be. For the first time, finally, someone who shows you how to reach them in finances, and in life."
--Neil Cavuto, Senior Vice President, Anchor and Managing Editor, FOX News Channel and FOX Business Network

"Break Down Your Money is unique--smart, wisecracking market insights. You'll learn and laugh, a lot."
--Dan Colarusso, Managing Editor, Condé Nast Portfolio.com

"Tracy Byrnes is truly one of the best at helping investors get a grip on their finances. In Break Down Your Money, she delivers on that promise so eloquently--with the kind of bite-size information and entertaining flair that makes her a TV standout. This is one money book you won't want to put down."
--Jennifer Openshaw, author, The Millionaire Zone, host of ABC Radio's Winning Advice

"Being in the financial business, I have read plenty of books about the markets, and would never use the word 'fun' to describe any of them. Until now. Tracy paints a colorful picture of the markets. Her book is an entertaining, well-informed, fun read for the expert and the novice alike."
--Steven Grasso, Floor Governor at the NYSE, Managing Director, Stuart Frankel & Co.

"Tracy offers a comprehensive walk through the basics of finance in an easy-to-understand manner. A great read!"
--Todd Harrison, founder and CEO, Minyanville Publishing and Multimedia, LLC

"As a money manager, university professor, financial writer, and frequent media guest, I am constantly challenged with the objective of explaining complex concepts to an audience that is trained to focus on sound bites and instant messages. You have to boil down these complex concepts to a quick and digestible form accented by down-to-earth language and humor when necessary. Tracy Byrnes has accomplished these goals in Break Down Your Money and, in the process, makes learning about financial and money management more enjoyable to the reader. I wholeheartedly recommend Break Down Your Money to readers of all ages and investment skill levels."
--Scott R. Rothbort, founder and President, LakeView Asset Management, LLC, Professor of Finance, Stillman School of Business, Seton Hall University, founder and Manager, TheFinanceProfessor.com

"Tracy has a unique knack of explaining the market to folks who are not 'in the market.' It is really a wonderful gift. A must-read for anyone wanting to invest and who is too overwhelmed to dive in."
--John Layfield, CEO, Layfield Energy, and, as WWE wrestler John "Bradshaw" Layfield, the longest reigning World Champion in SmackDown history

Author Biography

Tracy Byrnes has been a financial journalist for over ten years, covering tax, accounting, and personal finance issues. She is currently an on-air reporter for the FOX Business Network. Prior to that, she wrote weekly finance columns for the New York Post and TheStreet.com, where she also did daily videos for the Web site, and was a regular guest on numerous financial television shows. Before diving into journalism, Byrnes spent five years as a senior accountant with Ernst & Young LLP. Byrnes has an MBA in accounting from Rutgers University and a bachelor of arts in economics and English from Lehigh University.