Book Review: Helping Me Help Myself by Beth Lisick
Beth Lisick’s Self Help Analysis Helpful, Fun
I have a great friend named Sarah who works at a San Fran bookstore and just sent me a couple books. The one I was most tempted to start (and finished quickly) was “Helping Me Help Myself” by Beth Lisick. It came out in early January and but Sarah had gotten the proof copy earlier. (So that’s how those book store types have already read the book when it has just come out!)
First of all, I am one of those people people on a constant quest for self improvement. I don’t usually seek help; I often reasearch things a little on my own and mostly go it alone. Beth has summarized all those books I’ve been meaning to read including “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People“. I have actually read myself “Organizing From The Inside Out” and “Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus“. In other words, I understand why Beth would undertake this. It is a similar reason to why I’ve done this blog: to learn more about money and entertain others in the process.
I skipped (of course) to the financial chapter (Chapter 8) where she consults Suze Ozman, a financial planner who has her own show, column, and is Oprah’s buddy. I’m working on a post about Suze Ozman so I’m not going to talk too much about her now.
The single most valuable thing that Beth got out of her book (and you can too) is to advocating for herself. She called her credit card company, who had put her interest rates through the roof (over 20%). She pointed out she was a loyal customer who could take her business elsewhere and they brought down her rate a bit. She insisted on zero percent and she got it. “In under five minutes’ time, I just saved myself about $80 a month.” she writes, only wishing she had made the call earlier. I think this is a great illustration about sticking up for yourself.
I think in the areas of our lives that we are least confident in, we are afraid to advocate for what we want. Or maybe we don’t know what to advocate for. Which is why we need to make it our business to know at least a little and then become the squeaky wheel with our credit card companies, banks, insurance companies, and anyone else who isn’t giving us a fair shake.
I have since read the rest of the book (the Richard Simmons part ended up being my favorite) and it’s great. If you’re looking for a good read from a funny lady, this is it. And I now understand a few little tricks gleaned from some of the most popular books of all time.
See Beth’s YouTube video…
Hear the NPR piece about the book…
I’m Offically Addicted…
My mom has been recieving Bon Appetit magazine and then either sending them or giving them to me for years now. Also, whenever people see a great recipe in a book or are thinking of getting rid of a cookbook, they ask me first.
I’m known as a lover or recipes and a bit of a cook (though not at all a baker as some friends are a little too quick to point out…though my cake with substitutions did work out in the end, anyway…). The problem then becomes a file folder of recipes I can’t organize, let alone find to make. Plus piles of ripped out magazine pages just get to me.
I'm Offically Addicted…
My mom has been recieving Bon Appetit magazine and then either sending them or giving them to me for years now. Also, whenever people see a great recipe in a book or are thinking of getting rid of a cookbook, they ask me first.
I’m known as a lover or recipes and a bit of a cook (though not at all a baker as some friends are a little too quick to point out…though my cake with substitutions did work out in the end, anyway…). The problem then becomes a file folder of recipes I can’t organize, let alone find to make. Plus piles of ripped out magazine pages just get to me.