A Dog Called Money — Bodo Schäfer

Through simple and easy-to-understand conversations with Kira, the Labrador named Mani (as well as other characters the girl meets) shares the basic principles of money management:

Dream Album and Piggy Banks: Kira learns to clearly articulate her material desires. She starts a “dream album” with pictures of the things she wants to buy and saves money in special piggy banks for specific goals.

The 72-Hour Rule: If you have an idea or a plan, you need to take the first step toward making it happen within 72 hours (three days); otherwise, the likelihood that you’ll ever do it drops to almost zero.

“Success Journal”: Every day, you should write down at least five things you accomplished today. This helps build self-confidence—without which, according to Mani, it’s impossible to make money.

The Story of the Goose That Laid the Golden Eggs: Money in the bank (capital) is the goose, and the interest it earns is the golden eggs. You can’t “slaughter the hen” (spend your capital); you need to let it grow so you can live off the interest. Bodo Schäfer advises dividing all income as follows: 50% for the “hen” (investments/savings), 40% for your dream fund, and 10% for everyday expenses.

Earning Money Doing What You Love: Instead of complaining about her age or circumstances, Kira starts earning her first money by walking the neighbors’ dogs and teaching them commands—in other words, doing what she already loves.