What the e-book has that the original edition lacks
If you already happen to own the original print edition of Findependence Day (now called the Canadian edition), is there any reason to also buy the new e-book edition of the just-published US edition? Perhaps there is, considering that at $3.99 or less for all but the Kindle edition, the e-books are only a quarter of the price of print editions.
The two main features in the e-book that are new are the glossary at the end, and the end-of-chapter summaries of what Jamie and Sheena learned. The latter may be useful for those who have already read the story and now just want to be reminded of the basic principles of financial literacy covered.
End-of-chapter summaries
For example, you can view the summary after Chapter 1 by clicking the sneak preview of the Amazon Kindle version here. (Amazon charges US$7.63 for it). For convenience, I’ve reposted that page below. Most of the bullet points apply to either edition, although some are focused on US-specific financial content like IRAs or Roth plans. This isn’t the case for the excerpt below, though. At some point, I will likely do an all-Canadian ebook edition but until then, readers of the original book may still find the US ebook useful.
There are also some subtle differences most wouldn’t notice unless you compared the editions side by each. The original was finished just as the financial crisis was hitting, while the new edition benefits from the insights investors have gained since 2008. There are minor changes in the technology devices: in the original, Jamie has a cell phone, in the new one, it’s an iPhone and there are more references to social media in the subplot about Jamie’s troubles with his business partner. Some names and places have been changed but the story itself and the financial lessons imparted remain pretty much the same.
Kindle, Nook, iPad & other formats
If you want the Kindle version, access the Amazon.com link shown under the Buy American edition button. For the Nook e-book, access the Barnes & Noble link under the same button or click here. For most other e-book formats, go to the Trafford.com site here, select the e-book edition and you’ll get a list of formats from which to choose.
What Jamie & Sheena learned this chapter (Chapter 1):
• You can’t start building wealth until you’ve eliminated debt.
• To save, you must stop spending.
• To stop spending, you must embrace “guerrilla frugality” and be willing to make small sacrifices.
• The foundation of Financial Independence is a paid-for home.
• Findependence Day is simply a contraction of Financial Independence Day.
• The key to manifesting your Findependence Day is to pick an actual date in the future and visualize it happening.
• To reinforce the idea that saving is more important than spending, take to heart the motto “Freedom, Not Stuff!”
News release on new edition: review copies available on request
The official news release announcing the new US edition of Findependence Day has just gone up on PR Web. Click here to view. Since the publisher does not as a matter of course send out review copies to the media, any member of the press interested in reviewing the book needs to contact the publisher to formally request a copy.
The contact for this is at the top right hand of the release linked above: Marketing Services, Trafford Publishing, 888-232-4444. There’s also an email request form there. If you tried and found the process unwieldy, drop me an email at jonathan@findependenceday.com and I’ll try to expedite the request.
The vinyl records subplot in Findependence Day
As noted on Twitter, there have been a fair number of stories in the press lately about the resurgence of vinyl records: as recently as Friday morning on BBC World News.
When I tell people vinyl actually plays a big role in the subplot of Findependence Day, I usually get some blank stares. So I’ll summarize it here. The Jamie character is 28 years old when the action begins, which makes him an echo boomer or member of Generation Y. He carries an iPhone everywhere he goes and, like most of his generation, listens to music mostly via MP3s, although he also frequents traditional music stores to buy physical CDs and DVDs.
After he meets a financial planner (Theo) on the financial reality TV show, Jamie “gets religion” about guerrilla frugality, and starts brown-bagging it and visiting a vinyl record store in Boston. Ostensibly this is to save money but also because the proprietor is a fee-only financial planner on the side, and recommended highly by Theo.
Will cloud-based music eventually vanish?
Jamie returns frequently for vinyl bargains and financial advice and ends up creating a hobby web site and selling vinyl through the site around the world. He starts blogging about the future of digital music, taking a bit of a “retro” approach as he champions the superior audio quality of the Boomers’ old vinyl records. He starts to fret that all the music held on the cloud and in mobile devices will eventually vanish. When a blog he writes entitled “The day the music died,” goes viral, his web site starts attracting interest from big social media sites, which spins the plot in another direction.
The other recurring theme in Findependence Day is real estate. This ties in to the vinyl subplot when Jamie decides to venture into commercial real estate, living in an apartment above a commercial unit that eventually becomes a vinyl-themed Internet cafe. When it too attracts attention for its franchising potential, the plot again advances. On top of all this, there are romantic complications, as Jamie’s marriage with Sheena encounters turbulence triggered — as is so often the case with modern couples — over disagreements about money.
You can read the first two chapters free at Amazon.com, which includes the very beginning of the vinyl subplot midway through chapter two, when Theo suggests Jamie should visit his friend Bobby at the Vinyl Cave.
Findependence Day USA now available on the Nook
In addition to the various e-book formats found at Trafford.com (see previous post), Barnes & Noble is now making the new US edition of Findependence Day available on the Nook, and at a slight discount to the regular e-book price of $3.99. Details here. Note that you can also peek at the first two chapters, table of contents and new foreword by Sheryl Garrett without having to commit to purchase.
P.S. I sometimes refer to the new American edition as Findependence Day USA to distinguish it from the original Canadian edition. However, the actual title in both versions is simply Findependence Day.
Amazon Kindle reviews
Wanted to share a nice review on the Amazon Kindle site today about the new US edition of Findependence Day.
Here’s what Rob has to say:
A unique and well-written book that is doing something important….. it is teaching you more about becoming financially independent than anything else out there. The narrative story is easy to follow for those who would never read a financial book and a nice format change for those who would. Well worth it – enjoy.
We have the fireworks; we have the balloons!
Tonight is the official launch party for the new U.S. edition of Findependence Day. The two main ingredients of the cover are fireworks and balloons, and here they are ready to be unleashed. It also happens to be the actual day I turn 60. I’m billing this as the world’s first Findependence Day party. Since we coined the term, we’re entitled to make that claim, right?
Does this mean I’m now financially independent enough not to show up to work on Monday at MoneySense magazine? In theory, yes, since in Canada you can collect the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) as early as age 60. In practice, however, it will be business as usual. But as I say in the book, the key point about Findependence is that you may choose to keep working, but because you want to, not because you perceive you must.
With many North American baby boomers turning 60 and 65 in the coming months and years, I expect there to be many Findependence Day parties — at least if the term catches on and the US edition of the book gets any traction. Here’s how you can help: please use your social media to spread the word, especially if you have American friends you think would benefit from the book if they just knew it existed.
And exist it does, as you can find elsewhere on this site. The paperback and hardcover editions are now available at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble and Trafford. An e-book edition selling for $3.99 will be released in a few weeks. And of course, the first or “Canadian” edition is also available directly from me by clicking on the Buy Canadian edition button.
US edition has launched
Literally years in the making, the new U.S. edition of Findependence Day has launched, just in time for my 60th birthday party this Saturday!
Initially, you can get the new book in paperback or hardcover form from the three sources listed in the link below:
US online sources for new US edition of Findependence Day
These include Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble and the publisher, Trafford.com. The e-book is not yet out but will cost just under $4 when ready, hopefully a week or two from now.
Here are the key differences from the first (2008) edition, which was originally a North American edition but which I now call the Canadian edition:
1.) Brand new cover and back cover, actually closer to the original concept I had to illustrate Findependence Day.
2.) Completely Americanized, with all Canadian financial content removed and plenty of new material on American IRAs, Roth plans, Social Security and so on.
3.) Reset entirely in the United States: primarily Chicago, Boston, New York and Florida
4.) The technology subplot now features a Twitter-like fictional “Chirper” rather than the discussion forum in the original (Twitter had only just launched when the first edition came out)
5.) End-of-chapter summaries of what Jamie and Sheena learned. This does break the “fictive dream,” but is more useful for those more interested in the financial literacy content than the story, and helpful in recapping the lessons learned.
6.) New glossary of terms.
When a million isn’t enough
Here’s my latest “Financial Independence” blog entry published at MoneySense.ca:
When a million dollars isn’t “enough” to retire on.
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The Kids are not alright: Fee-only planner and FP columnist on Findependence Day
This weekend’s Financial Post featured a column on financial literacy for young people and writer Jason Heath closed with a nod to Findependence Day. Titled The Kids are Not All Right, here is the full article and below is the reference to the book.
Jonathan Chevreau’s Findependence Day is another book that focuses on different stages of a young person’s financial development. While Taub’s book has chapters directed towards parents with children ranging from five to 21, Chevreau’s is aimed more specifically at young people aged 20-40. Findependence Day follows a young couple’s financial planning journey from their 20s to their 40s.
I should add that Jason is one of several fee-only financial planners with whom I vetted the manuscript when it was written in 2008. At the time, Jason was with one of Canada’s largest fee-only shops: EES Financial. The firm had created a concept it called Dream Day, which was very similar conceptually to what I call Findependence Day. Jason and a partner recently went out on their own to create their own fee-only financial planning shop, Objective Financial Partners Inc., based in Toronto.
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Credit Counselling Society buys Findependence Day
The Credit Counselling Society (www.nomoredebts.org) recently purchased a bulk order of Findependence Day for its offices in Westminster, B.C., which is being distributed to various Counselling Team leaders across the country.
For instance, on Twitter Winnipeg-based Counselling Team Lead Christi Postner (www.moneycoach.ca) today posted a mention of this on Twitter. Thanks to Christi, Scott Hannah, and others for helping to spread the word.
As long-time readers of this blog may know, Toronto-based Credit Canada is also distributing the book to clients.
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