Women Talk Money

Nora Ephron, Tyne Daly, Joan Fontaine, Trisha Yearwood, Julia Child, Ruby Dee and Other Celebrities Offer Financial Advice to Women
-- Author in Baltimore and Philadelphia at End of October

Los Angeles, CA (October 7, 2002)— If you asked an actress, an heiress and businesswoman, and a best-selling author for advice about money, what would you expect them to say? Joan Fontaine has only two words to say, in caps: “SAVE IT!” Dina Merrill advises, “Save for a rainy day.” And Fannie Flagg cautions, “Start a pension plan – at an early age!!” All of these highly successful women talk about SAVING more.

Dr. Allison Acken, who was born and raised in Baltimore, is now a clinical psychologist and author of the new book, IT’S ONLY MONEY: A PRIMER FOR WOMEN. On Monday, October 28, she will conduct a money-readiness workshop for women and sign books at Borders, Towson Commons, at 6 p.m. IT’S ONLY MONEY is an introductory book for women who want to know more about money but don’t know where to start. This primer includes a program for beginning to talk about money, real women’s stories, statistics about women and money across the lifespan, and advice from celebrities.

The author simply wrote to a number of celebrity women asking just one question: What is the single most important piece of advice about money you would give to women today? The responses are humorous, inspirational, poignant, and a few are very serious.

“Most of these celebrities stress how important it is for women to know how to manage money,” says Acken. “And I think it is telling that, except for Trisha Yearwood who talks about being a banker’s daughter, no young women responded even though many were asked.” Dr. Acken believes that money is something that catches up with women later in life and the statistics bear that out. In today’s world of highly visible, money-savvy women, the average woman earns only 74 cents to the man’s dollar (a statistic that has barely changed in 30 years). She has little or no pension benefits, may outlive her husband by 15 years, and
has an unhealthy probability of being one of the elderly poor.

What do these celebrities have to say?

* Blossom Dearie quips, “Buy silver and hide it in the backyard.”
* Kathryn Crosby talks at length about having been a “bird in a gilded cage.”
* Linda Ellerbee says, “Keep your money. Fall in love. But keep your money.”
* Ivana Trump advises, “Don’t be shy about money. That’s not the winner’s way.”
* And more.

“Just like an adult who doesn’t know how to read, women who think they can’t handle money try to hide that fact. I was one of those women. I wanted to know more about money, but even the best of the money management books was over my head. I had a Ph.D. and I was convinced that I was too stupid to learn about money,” says Dr. Acken. “Once we can get past the emotional blocks, it isn’t rocket science - it’s only money.”

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For more information:
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Email: allison@womentalkmoney.com