Introduction: Would You Rather Be Sexy or Rich? Why do people get fat after college? The eerily similar guilt about spending and not working out. * Counterintuitive but true: We need less personal-finance information * Common excuses for not managing money * Stop debating minutiae and get something done * The key messages of I Will Teach You to Be Rich * "Rich" isn''t just about money: What does it mean to you? Chapter 1: Optimize Your Credit Cards: How to beat the credit card companies at their own game Why Indian people love negotiating * How credit can help you be rich * Picking the best credit card for airline miles, cash back, and rewards * Getting a card when you have no income * The six commandments of credit cards * How to negotiate with your credit card company to get fees waived and receive lower rates * Why you should always buy electronics, travel, and furniture on your credit card * What not to do with your cards * The burden of student loans * When credit cards go bad * Five steps to ridding yourself of debt * Week One: Action Steps Chapter 2: Beat the Banks: Open high-interest, low-hassle accounts and negotiate fees like an Indian Why old people are afraid of online banks--even though they offer the best new accounts you can get * How banks rake it in * Why you really need a separate savings account * Opening high-interest, no-fee accounts * Five marketing tactics banks use to trick you * My personal favorite accounts * Negotiate out of fees with your current bank (use my script) * Week Two: Action Steps Chapter 3: Get Ready to Invest: Open your 401(k) and Roth IRA--even with just $50 Why your friends probably haven''t invested a cent yet * Investing is the single best way to get rich * The ladder of personal finance * Everything you need to know about your 401(k) * The importance of crushing your debt * Why everyone should have a Roth IRA * Week Three: Action Steps Chapter 4: Conscious Spending: How to save hundreds per month (and still buy what your love) Spend less--without making a detailed, irritating budget * The difference between cheap and frugal * Conscious spending: how my friend spends $21,000 per year going out--guilt-free * Using psychology against yourself to save * The four buckets: fixed costs, savings, investments, and guilt-free spending money * The envelope system for not overspending * How to make more money * Handling unexpected expenses * Week Four: Action Steps Chapter 5: Save While Sleeping: Making your accounts work together--automatically The power of defaults: Give yourself fewer choices * How to spend only three hours a month managing your money * Where does your next $100 go? * Setting up a bill-pay and transfer system that works for you * Consultants and freelancers: What about irregular income? * Week Five: Action Steps Chapter 6: The Myth of Financial Expertise: Why professional wine tasters and stock pickers are clueless--and how you can beat them We''ve been tricked by "expertise"--why financial "experts" can''t even match the market * You can''t time the market * How experts hide their poor performance * You don''t need a financial advisor * Pundits worth reading * Most mutual fund managers fail to beat the market * Why I love index funds Chapter 7: Investing Isn''t Only for Rich People: Spend the afternoon picking a simple portfolio that will make you rich What''s your investor profile? * The beauty of automatic investing * Asset allocation: more important than the "best stock of the year!" * Convenience or control? You choose * The many flavors of stocks and bonds * Creating your own portfolio: How to handpick your investments * Investing the easy way: lifecycle funds * Feeding your 401(k) and Roth IRA * The Swenson model of asset allocation * Week Six: Action Steps Chapter 8: Easy Maintenance: You''ve done the hard work: Here''s how to maintain (and optimize) your financial infrastructure Feed your system--the more you put in, the more you''ll get out * Ignore the noise * The tricky part of managing your own portfolio: rebalancing your investments * Don''t let fear of taxes guide your investment decisions * When to sell * For high achievers: a ten-year plan * Giving back--an important part of being rich Chapter 9: A Rich Life: The finances of relationships, weddings, buying a car, and your first house Student loans--pay them down or invest? * Don''t let your parents manage your money * Role reversal: How to help when it''s your parents who are in debt * The big conversation: talking about money with your significant other * Why we''re all hypocrites about our weddings (and how to pay for yours) * Negotiating your salary, I Will Teach You to Be Rich style * The smart person''s guide to buying a car * The biggest big-ticket item of them all: a house * The benefits of renting * Is real estate really a good investment? * Planning for future purchases * Parting words (cue the violins) Index.