Financial educators Vitt and Murrell encourage readers to become proactive and self-informed when it comes to handling their finances. Financial literacy doesn’t require an advanced degree in economics, they write: “Financial decisions are much less about how much money you have in the bank than they are about your values, needs, and wants.” To that end, they give readers a life-values profile to determine the greatest influences on money-management habits. Having identified what motivates you to spend or not spend, they say, allows you to take corrective measures to find a balance. Vitt and Murrell bring an appealingly positive voice to get readers elementally involved in home economics. But even with the help of others, they say, you are still the captain of your financial ship: “Taking responsibility for your financial well-being means setting life priorities and making choices each day in the service of those priorities.” The authors provide specific resources and advice regarding investments, housing, the use of financial professionals and–of vital importance–how to recover from adversity. A financial security blanket. --Kirkus Business and Financial Report