Every day we are faced with financial decisions. Should I buy that DVD player or 100 lottery tickets? What percentage of my salary should I allocate to my 401(k)? How much should I be saving for my daughter's college education? Will I be better off leasing or buying my next car? The problem for most of us is that we freeze up when making these choices; regardless of our level of formal education, we find ourselves intimidated by the numbers and poorly prepared to make some of the most important decisions of our lives. We've become a society of math-o-phobes with profound consequences for our financial well-being. In You Can Do the Math, Ron Lipsman draws from over 30 years of teaching mathematics to help you take control of your financial destiny by applying basic arithmetic techniques. Step by step, he walks you through the fundamental calculations that underlie virtually every financial decision.

A mathematician shows how to use basic arithmetic to take control of your financial destiny-from financing your home to buying insurance to saving for your kids' college education.

PrefaceIntroductionOutline of the Book's ContentBasic MoneySaving for a College FundInvesting for a College FundTaking into Consideration Taxes and InflationHow Tax-Deferred Accounts Can HelpThe Facts of LifeYour Paycheck: What Is Your Salary Really WorthBuying a House or Car: Mortgages and LoansBuying or Leasing Your CarOwning or Renting Your HomeInsuranceCut Up those #$%& Credit CardsAccumulating WealthGambling: Can I Win the LotteryThe Stock Market and Other InvestmentsRetirement