Every decision, from buying a home to grabbing a daily latte,
has costs and benefits-personal as well as financial. The Real Cost
of Living helps you make better decisions, both big and small-
decisions that involve money, but aren't all about money.
Well-known personal finance expert Carmen Ulrich makes
personal finance personal and takes into account that we all have
motivations that go way beyond number crunching. From marriage and
family to career, investing, and more, Carmen examines the "real
cost" of the choices we all make every day.

* Is deciding whether to go back to work full-time after you have
a child really all about money? Should it be?

* Is prepaying a mortgage a smart-money move, or is it really
about craving security and stability-and which means more to
you?

* How much do your bad habits really cost you? And is saving
thousands of dollars enough of a motivation to get you to
stop?

* Are college degrees really worthwhile? And if so, how can you
maximize the odds of gaining all the benefits of a degree, both
personally and financially?

* Is becoming your own boss the answer to your career malaise?
Can you handle the costs?

The Real Cost of Living is a rare melding of personal psychology
and personal finance at an important time when we have discovered
that having more money may not bring more happiness, but knowing
what really will make you happy can be worth any cost.