The Beauty in Women's Wealth

In the past, as an avid TV channel surfer, whenever I saw Suze Orman I clicked on past. That's about money, I thought, nothin' to do with me. However, I have recently resolved to develop an affinity with money rather than to continue leading a life rich in experience but puny in pecuniary consciousness.

When I learned that Suze was coming to speak at Dominican University Institute for Leadership Studies, I tuned in to her show to get an idea of what she was about. To my surprise, Suze was, as appropriate, light and funny, serious and firm, and always focused, lucid and informative. She delivered honest and pragmatic advice without a hint of condescension to callers regardless of the size of their cache.

As I listened to the show, I began surfing her website and discovered her 2007 book "Women and Money: Owning the Power to Control Your Destiny." Perfect. The answer to my unspoken prayer.

A few weeks later, at the reception for Suze before her speech, I was struck by the grace with which she greeted friends and met new admirers. She was centered in her body like a dancer, relaxed, confident, genuine. Every movement was intentional. When she reached out to someone to say hello, to shake a hand, to give a hug, she did so completely. For that moment, you and she were the only people in the room.

This authentic woman has written five New York Times best sellers; has produced five PBS Specials; writes for "O" magazine, Yahoo and Personal Finance. She hosts her own shows on CNBC-TV (shown in 18 countries) and on QVC. Her credits go on and on. I decided it's time to throw out all the stereotypes about finance magnates and listen up.

Later that evening, Suze brought the same qualities to the Dominican University stage with a packed audience of 600 – mostly women of course. When she said, "How happy I am to be back in California where everything is normal!" The house roared.

Suze says "Women and Money" is the best and most important book she has written. "I hope it brings you together so you can know who you are. My job is to educate you so you can own the power to control your destiny." Suze Orman is on a mission.

The book addresses why women who are so competent in all other areas of their lives, but cannot find the same competence when it comes to matters of money. Suze wrote the book because, "You will not do for yourself what you will do for everybody else."

Women are reticent to do what is in their best interest. Never once has a man called her with the same hesitancy. As an example, Suze reminds us that on an airplane the instruction given to put an oxygen mask on yourself before you put one on a child is directed at women. Men know this. Men wouldn't think to put the mask on the child first. "Men, you have it right." Suze says.

To women she says, "I simply want you to give to yourself as much as you give of yourself. By taking care of yourself financially, you will truly be able to take care of those you love."

I empathize with Suze's disclosure that in her childhood her intellect went unrecognized. Suze says, "When I was five or six I could not pronounce my R´s, S´s or T´s. So words such as beautiful came out as boobital. In fact if you listen closely to me speak to this day you can still hear it. Words such as fear and fair, bear and beer come out the same. Because I could not speak, I could not read very well. Because I could not read, I would always score one of the lowest in the class on exams. I knew I was dumb, everyone I knew thought I was dumb."

The speech impediment is key to a secret code in the book which unlocks additional pages on Suze's website with essential information for "Saving Yourself." (Each book she has written has a personal joke.)

Suze also revealed that when she first came to California she lived in her car, and for years she worked as a waitress earning $400 a month. Patrons and friends gave Suze $50,000 to open a restaurant of her own. She lost the money to a disreputable broker of Merrill Lynch, who she is quick to defend as a fine company.

That failure motivated the underrated child, the homeless waitress and vulnerable entrepreneur to become the world-renowned financial magnate who exudes sincerity, enviable energy and sagacity.

Suze Orman is a financial healer. "The primary goal of this book is to heal the relationship you have with money. The money problem is usually a symptom or a consequence of the relationship problem."

"I would be thrilled if you loved dealing with your money as much as you love watching Dancing with the Stars."

Suze warns that the middle class is disappearing. To persuade us to get serious about saving, Suze convinced TD Ameritrade to bestow a bonus of $100 to those who save a minimum of $600 over the next year. Details and the code are in the book. Neither Suze nor her publishing company earns any money from this arrangement.

Startling statistics demonstrate women's need for guidance: 51% percent of women live alone; 90% feel insecure about finances; 50% have "Bag Lady Syndrome – the fear that they will end up homeless; 1% give themselves an A in knowledge of financial products and services; 66% have not talked with their husbands about life insurance or a will; 80% plan to rely on Social Security for retirement funds. Women are twice as likely as men to retire in poverty.

"Women and Money" addresses practicalities as well. In the center of the book, "The Save Yourself Plan," provides actions combined with concepts and principles. This book presents a pared down version of advice Suze has written in great detail in her other books. The basics are offered in a simple, easy to follow recipe for financial security. The chapter includes the code to access additional information, forms, calculators and individualized guidance on the website www.suzeorman.com.

Suze suggests the results exhibit in eight qualities of a wealthy woman: money; happiness; courage; balance; harmony; generosity; cleanliness; and wisdom. The same qualities make a woman beautiful, Suze tells us. "A wealthy woman has it all, so to speak, and brings these qualities into every relationship, carries them with her in every waking moment of her life."

The publisher sums up the book's content this way:

"After years of conversations with women, Suze Orman came face-to-face with this difficult truth: Despite the remarkable social advancements women have made over the past four decades, very little has changed in the way women deal with money. When it comes to matters of personal finance, women hand over control and refuse to take responsibility as they do in no other area of their lives..."

She goes on to say,

"What goes into a book with the title "Women and Money?" Penetrating insight into how we arrived at this condition and a careful assessment of the far-reaching consequences of this reckless behavior—for ourselves and for our daughters. A persuasive argument for change that is free of shame and blame. An inspiring portrait of a true woman of wealth. A challenge to value ourselves fully in all aspects of our life, a primer on how to behave responsibly in our relationships, and a thrilling depiction of what it means to be in control of our financial destiny."

Diana deRegnier writes from the San Francisco Bay Area. Her articles appear in Websites and print publications around the world. Write to Diana at spiritlinks@comcast.net.

copyright 2008 Diana deRegnier