I’ve watched more episodes of The Suze Orman Show than I can count.  I’ve read most of her books and spend time visiting the forums on Money Minded Moms.  I even got the opportunity to talk with Suze Orman on the phone.

And despite all of that, she still finds a way to surprise me and teach me.

I sat down with her latest book, The Money Class: Learn to Create Your New American Dream, expecting it to be a beginner’s course for managing your personal finances.  I was expecting some of the tough love that Orman doles out with her advice.

I was not expecting the wake-up call that The Money Class provides.  This book lays out the fact that things just ain’t what they used to be and we need to get over it.  Orman lays out her vision of the New American Dream and calls on us to “Stand in our own truth” no matter how uncomfortable that reality might be.

The Money Class reads exactly how you might expect a personal finance course to run.  There are chapters dedicated to teaching you the must-know money info in regards to your family, home, career, retirement planning, and living in retirement.

Yet unlike a lot of other personal finance books and courses, there is no happy picture here.  Orman paints a picture of a stark new reality and uses each chapter of the book to help you find a bit of hope for your financial future.

I found the information on teaching your children about money to be especially interesting (i.e. she’s a bit anti-allowance), although I was surprised that she did not come across as anti-credit card as she usually does. Her guide to retirement planning and living in retirement offer a wealth of useful information that can help you focus on those goals.  The book also includes free access to The Money Class “classroom” where you’ll find additional worksheets and guides to help you manage your money.

While this isn’t my favorite Suze Orman book, The Money Class is definitely a good read.  I loved the message of “Standing in Your Truth” – to ground yourself in reality – before you spend a dime of your money.  It’s a lesson that bears repeating.

Disclosure: I checked this book out of the library and the opinions expressed here are 100 percent my own.  This post does contain affiliate links which help support this blog at no additional cost to you.  Please read my full disclosure policy for more information.