Robert T. Kiyosaki | Sharon L. Lechter
1 Too many people think of security instead of opportunity
A quote I used in a speech once says it all -- "Too many people are thinking of security instead of opportunity. They seem to be more afraid of life than death" - James F. Bymes
In the October 2003 issue my newsletter I reviewed, "Rich Dad, Poor Dad." Then I read "CASHFLOW Quadrant" which Kiyosaki's says is Part II in a three-part series. As I read the book I found it to be an "eye-opening" experience.
Financial success, or any other success for that matter, begins in the mind! The core idea is that there are four types of people in business: Employee, Self employed, Business Owner, and Investor. For quite some time I've advocated that Self-employed "Business Owners" are not really business owners because a business is a living entity unto itself and is not dependent on individuals. Kiyosaki takes that concept to the next level, explaining how employees (working for others or self) and business owners (and by extension, those who invest in businesses) think differently.
In the end it boils down to security versus risk. Employees are consumed with an overriding desire for security that they will stay in dreadful jobs rather than risk opening their minds to other opportunities. On the other hand, business owners and investors constantly seek new ideas and seize opportunities. One reason they are so successful is they do not try to do everything themselves. Instead, business owners and investors hire a team of professionals to assist in their quest for financial success. Kiyosaki says that "the true motto of a 'B' is, Why do it yourself when you can hire someone to do it for you, and they can do it better?"
"CASHFLOW Quadrant" is divided into three parts:
Part I - The CASHFLOW Quadrant. Maps out the E/S/B/I Quadrant to explain how Employees, Self-employed, Business Owners, and Investors think and behave differently.
Part II - Bringing Out The Best In You. Talks about how "Money is a drug." And how "A diet will not help if your thoughts do not change."
Part III - How To Be A Successful "B" and "I" Presents "THE 7 STEPS TO FINDING YOUR FINANCIAL FAST TRACK" which illustrates exactly how to take control of your mind and your financial freedom.
Whereas "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" offers inspiration, "CASHFLOW Quadrant is more about the "how-to's" of changing your view on work - hard or smart, and opening your mind to the unlimited possibilities surrounding each of us.
Michael Davis - Editor, Byvation
2 Simple yet Elegant
The concepts of The Cashflow Quadrant can change your life.
Like other MAJOR self-help products, the concept is deceptively simple, which contributes to its elegance and power.
This book is a Charter Member of my Self-Help Collection, along with a number of KEY books that helped me to develop
the best aspects of myself as a man and as a person.
Other books and self-help products which are on par with this book are:
NEW SEX NOW: Life's Ultimate Pleasure
Giant Steps
How to Win Friens and Influence People
Self Matters
7 Spiritual Laws of Success
Ageless Mind, Timeless Body
THE 4 AGREEMENTS
The Power of Concentration
GODDESS WORSHIP
I believe that anyone who wants to be a great person would do well to study all of the above very sincerely.
3 Great Info
In typical Kiyosaki fashion, Cashflow Quadrant gives the reader some extraordinary advice about building wealth. The cashflow quadrant is represented by four squares, where the E square represents Employee, S equals self-employed, B is business owner, and I is investor.
The interesting point is that while many self-employed people see themselves as business owners, Kiyosaki believes a self-employed person is somebody who owns their job. A business owner is somebody who controls a business, but is not tied to its day to day operations. For example, a doctor is self-employed, and is limited in his ability to grow in wealth by his ability to work, while not being able to replicate himself. The owner of a service company, on the other hand, is able to hire a manager, build control mechanisms, and esentially leave the day to day operations to others, while collecting portions of the profit and being free to build other businesses.
This book is highly readable and takes off where the first Rich Dad, Poor Dad ended. I recommend this book to any aspiring wealth builder.
4 More Rich Dad Poor Dad
This book is a continuation of the first book, "Rich Dad, Poor Dad." Some of the material is repetitive. This is not a problem as it goes deeper into cash flow concepts. The book does not give any simple answers and does not give the reader a blueprint or recipe to success. However, the book is superb at assisting the reader in thinking about money in a healthy way. The reader is given the concept in having money work for the reader, rather than just working for money. You can work hard to put money to work rather than just working to get money to spend on wasting assets.
5 Excellent book for cashflow
I have to say that if you want to get out of the rat race you need to understand how cash flow works. This book will change the way you think about money - your money. I couldn't recommend this book higher for everyone who is tired of working hard and tired of not being wealthy. I also recommend Stop Working by Rohan Hall. This book teaches you how to build a cash flow based Agile business. Buy both of these books and learn how to become financially independent.
6 Ok for fiancial novices
This is the second book in the Rich Dad series, which follows the wildly successful Rich Dad, Poor Dad book. In this book, Kiyosaki and Lechter have created and trademarked the "Cashflow Quadrant" shown on the cover of the book. This is used repetitively as a teaching aid throughout the book, almost to the point of absurdity.
This book is not especially well written, and be warned, it is repetitive. But that repetition serves a purpose. The authors repetitively hammer home the idea that to be rich you must be focused on the right side of the cashflow quadrant -- either as a business owner or investor.
So how do you get there? Few specific details are provided. The authors suggest you learn, read, develop your skills, start small, and just do it. More specifically, the advice is to start your own successful business so it will help you to be a better investor. The financial advice is always generalized.
Still, the authors do make some points, some of which run counter to the standard investment advice handed out by "financial planners." Most striking for the initiated is that a house is not necessarily an asset. That investing can be low risk (but strategies are provided).
I would only recommend this book to children or people who are interested in learning more about finance in very general terms, but only in addition to the other Rich Dad book. Whoever reads this book will surely get the point-- that in order to be rich, hard work isn't enough.
7 Rich Dad - Poor Dad with a New Cover
Everything in Rich Dad, Poor Dad is in this book. I found the first book to be far more engaging and unique.
Cashflow Quadrant is a creative re-hashing of the first in the series. If you have not read the first book, you will find Kiyosaki's second text interesting.
8 Good basic statement, but too little substance
I often felt I was being pitched by a seller of Amway products while reading this book. His basic advice is: Get as much of your income from owning a system or investing, don't expect to find security as an employee or self-employed person.
Being a small business owner and having a wealthy father, most of that already seemed pretty obvious to me. Maybe for those who did not grow up around business owners this basic statement being repeated over and over is of value. I don't know.
You could easily gain what this book offers by opening excel and working up an income statement and balance sheet for yourself, and then finding ways to increase the number of items in the income column, and reducing the number of items in the expense column. Once you look at life as a balance sheet and income statement - life choices become much easier.
The hard part (starting that company or finding that investment) is not a topic of this book, so don't expect to find any advice on that topic here.
9 it's time 4 new education.the former "rules"don't apply!
this my second installment to the "rich dad" series...OH MY GOD!.what this does it challenges you to change the way you think about money and yourself.i'm ready for a change so i didn't find this material offensive.enlightening and thought-provoking.already i'm starting to change my thinking patterns about money.so many people get caught up and buy things they think are assets but are really liabilities.cash flow quardant shows you where you are and how to get out of the trap.a wonderful read.
10 this book changed the way I think about money
As the title suggests, this book has changed forever how I think about earning and making money and investing. The book is highly accessible and easy to read. As someone wwho found the ideas here new to me, the storytelling, personal examples, and extended deescriptions of an idea made the book relevant, concrete, compelling, and real for me. Others have criticized the book for all of that. however, robert did not write or want to write a textbook here! The book is an educational tool for the average person and for me it has succeeded wonderfully. The author has identified several books he has found very useful and I am now reading them. They are yielding even more information and expanding on the author's ideas. There are tons of books out there that reach a conclusion and try to convince you of an idea. If you want a thorough explaination of how the world of moneymaking works, then this book is for you.
11 If you've read RDPD, don't waste your money on this book!
I really found Rich Dad Poor Dad to be an interesting and useful read, and was expecting this book to build on the foundation layed in that book. I was terribly disappointed. The Cashflow Quadrant is just a rather tiresome rehash of all the same material and theories that were in RDPD. In fact, even within CQ, the repetition of the same notions and ideas over and over again becomes incredibly irritating. You might come away with an opinion that this was a good book if you hadn't read RDPD before it, but if you have, don't waste your time or your money on this one.
12 Become a business owner - I agree!
In this followup to Rich Dad Poor Dad, Robert Kiyosaki goes even deeper into the various quadrants and explains why and how anyone can go from the E to B to I to S Quadrants. And I am pleased to see that Kiyosaki is telling the truth about network marketing and why it is such a powerful S-Quadrant.
In fact, Kiyosaki offers two examples; one a friend who didn't have the money to start a conventional business so dove into network marketing and over time, built a very successful bsuiness.
The other was a real estate investor who was continually being probed by people on how to become rich. When he told people that he made his fortune in million dollar real estate deals, they were depressed because they knew that they did not have the capital of the skills to do that. So this guy got into network marketing solely to provide a vehicle that people with limited capital and limited sales skills could dive into and begin creating cash flow and residual income immediately. His circles of influence saw his success in network marketing and knew this was something they could do. And they succeeded!
Cash Flow Quadrant discusses the various quadrants. It describes the personalities of the people in each quadrant. And describes how to become more than a business owner but to reach the S-Quadrant, the ideal quadrant which provides financial and personal freedom. It gives you both time and freedom.
13 An absolute must read!
I read Rich Dad Poor Dad which was great and got me hooked on the series, and that was the perfect warm-up for the Cashflow Quadrant. I learned more about the way the world of money REALLY works in the 2 days it tooks me to read this book than I have in my entire life. I'm 28 now, and if I had read the Rich Dad series before I ever got my hands on a credit card, I'd be a millionaire by now. Chapter 6 of this book especially blew my mind. It's very much like the movie "The Matrix". I had no idea what was really going on in the real world before I read the first two Rich Dad books and they opened my eyes up to the systems the rich use. The problem is, most people that are not born rich feel like they can not achieve great wealth, but it is very attainable if you have the knowledge and the courage to act. These books are priceless to me, and I'm trying to get my parents to read them and break out of their "Industrial Age" way of thinking that has kept them in debt their whole lives with very little saved for retirement. Read Rich Dad Poor Dad first, because it lays the foundation perfectly for this book. You may hear people complain that there is too much repetition in these books, and there is to some extent, but it only reinforces the concepts they are trying to teach you. I don't mind that all, since that's the way you remember things, just like studying for a test. Don't listen to naysayers, these books are gold!!
14 Powerful book for generating cash flow
This bookis awesome. I bought it on Friday and already have developed cashflow strategies that will enable me to exit my 9-5 job. Thank you Robert Kiyosaki.
15 THINK!!!!!
That is what I got out of this book--To THINK! Obviously the 1 star reviewers missed that.
If you bought this book looking for an action plan, a business plan or a "paint by numbers" type of book, sorry. Take a nite class at your local school and when that doesn't work, come back and read CASHFLOW QUADRANT to learn how to make money.
But first you have to be willing to learn how to THINK! Thomas Edison used to say that thinking is very hard work which is why so few people participate in it.
THINK! Read CASHFLOW QUADRANT and THINK! Then you will achieve goals that will blow your mind.
Remember:
THINK!
16 Another great Rich Dad book!
Cashflow Quadrant picks up where Rich Dad Poor Dad leaves off. This is another great book in the Rich Dad series and this one focuses on the topic of cashflow. A must read for anyone who wants to increase their cash flow and asset base.
17 For your financial security
This excellent followup to Rich Dad Poor Dad will show you why some people work less and earn more, pay less in taxes, have both the money and the time freedom to live out their dreams and feel more financially secure than others.
Great book. Possibly the best that RTK has written.
18 Stop the Rat Race
Kiosaki's principles in this book are sound. Most people in this country are taught to get a job and work there whole life. In the end we have very little to retire on. Most people have to depend on the governtment, family, friends, or keep working. He shares concepts on business ownership and investing which are outstanding. This is a must for anyone sick of the rat race. If you are spinning your wheels in the area of finacial freedom then this is the book for you to get kick started into high gear on the road to success.
19 Finally the meat and potatoes of making money
After enjoying Rich Dad, Poor Dad, I was motivated yet had very little substance to work with, in gaining the depths of R. Kiyosaki's ideas. Everyone I talked to recommended, that I wait till Cashflow Quadrent to get a better understanding, and as recommended, the picture became clearer with this book. Sure Cashflow repeats several stories told in Rich Dad, Poor Dad, but the book is sound. It details concepts along with a multi-step plan to start you on your roadmap to success. Two favorite topics found in this book, are the levels of investors, which you must first honestly determine your level, to get to my second favorite section, which is the multi-step plan to riches. In between is the same great motivation found before, only this time with wheels to get your going in the right direction.
20 Great Introduction to the Cash Flow Quadrant
I have read a few of the "Rich Dad" books, and "Cash Flow Quadrant" is by far the best one. It gives a clear and succinct explanation of each of the 4 quadrants (or ways of making money), and also helps the reader plot a path from the "left side" (where money is made as an employee) to the "right side" (where money is made passively as a business owner and an investor.
As a lifelong entrepreneur, this book finally captured exactly the way I try to think about all of my money-making ventures, in a way that was a great refresher to me - and a great intro to people I know who have tried to figure out how my mind "ticks".
The reason this is the best book in the series is that it doesn't cram the whole "real estate" business down your throat. The other books in the series tend to make it sound like real estate is the only way to make money. I personally prefer more innovative businesses to real estate (no offense to those who make their money in real estate :).
21 Closer to a 1.5 than a 2.5
Many people disagree with me on this one!! All I can say is if you choose to buy this book, read it - then set it aside.
Pick it up again in 6 months and see if it changed your life or bank account. If it did - Good for you! If not, resell it along with everybody else that bought it.
I listened to it on tape.
There is a great deal of overlap with his other book Rich Dad Poor Dad. If you are short on time and have other books and authors you would still like to get to, then skip it if you read the first book.
The thing I noticed immediately was the influence of the audiotape authors he alludes to throughout the book that he listened to during his previous sales days early in his career. This is not a bad thing, just that the ideas are not necessary brand-new. I would say he tells his story over and over again much like you're absent minded grandfather might. It is a good story, just that you have already heard it once or twice. This book covers much more of the psychology of the money mind set than the nuts and bolts of the everyday how to - unless of course you buy his game Cashflow for kids. (Which I did - on ... )
The four or five books the author suggests late in the book are all highly rated according to many other reviews on Amazon. You may want to research some of them in addition to or in place of this book. (Depending on your current knowledge base)
Since this is not the ONLY book on finance and investing out there
22 Cash Flow is King
The clear key to financial success does not reside in the possession of assets. Instead, in order to financially succeed, one must have a system where there is a strong level of cash flow that surpasses his or her level of expenses. The next step is the reduction of expenses. But since we all know that the reduction of expenses is limited by our actual fixed expenses (mortgage, rent, car payments, phone bills) then the focus must be on establishing a system where our level of cash flow is always positive and is always increasing to the point where it enables us to be able to rely on it for our financial well being. This is the same concept clearly proven and verified in other classics such as the Millionaire Mind and the Millionaire Brain. These two books also demonstrate that in order to achieve financial success you need to have a realistic and practical system that will get you there. In Cashflow Quadrant the idea of developing your cash flow with a reliable system that is sustainable is perhaps the most important idea that many investors and entrepreneurs seem to miss while building their financial net worth.
23 This is all about cash flow
This is actually my favorite of the Rich Dad books. Cash Flow Quadrant will reveal why some people work less, earn more, pay less in taxes and feel more financially secure than others. It is simply a matter of knowing which quadrant to work from and when.
Cash Flow Quadrant will also answer some questions like:
* Why do some investors make money with little risk while most
other investors just break even?
* Why, in the industrial age did some parents want their
children to become medical doctors, accountants or attorneys..
and why, in the information age, are these professions under
financial attack?
* Why do most employees go from job to job while others quit
their jobs and go on to build business empires?
* What is the difference between an employee and a business
owner.
And why is that so many of the brightest students from our universities want to work for college dropouts....dropouts like Michael Dell, Bill Gates, Ted Turner and Richard Branson? Dropouts today who are the mega rich of society.
Cash Flow Quadrant will help answer some of these questions and also assist in guiding you to find your own path to financial freedom in a world of ever increasing financial change.
Cash Flow Quadrant is for you providing you are ready to:
* Move beyond job security and find your own world of financial
freedom
* Make deep professional and financial changes in your life
* Move from the industrial age to the information age
Cash Flow Quadrant made a profound impact in my life and I am sure will do the same for you. All you have to do is read it and apply what you learn.
If on the other hand you are looking for a "safe", "secure" job and expect your employer to take care of you, then then this is not for you.
Great book RTK. In my opinion, your best book to date.
24 Rich Dad's Cashflow Quadrant; Guide to Financial Freedom
The best part of the book that I found exceptional rewarding was: The seven steps to finding your financial fast track and the seven levels of investors. These two concepts helped me to gain knowledge on financial intelligence, will eventually increase my cash flow and allow me to become financially secure within the next 15 years. I would love to earn money enough from investments before I am 62 years old and teach college part time.
25 An amazing novel
Robert Kiyosaki does an excellent job of bringing the financial world to my level. I am able to understand what he is talking about and why it is important. This is his second book. I think the first one is like a wake call, or a warning. This second book begins to explain what individuals need to do to become financially free.
This book talks about the seven levels of investors: Those with nothing to invest, borrowers, savers, "smart" investors, long term investors, sophisticated investors, and capitalists. Knowing which type of investor you are allows you to see where you need to improve to get to where you want to be. But one of the biggest themes in this novel is the message to take action now. The more action one takes, the more they learn, and the more successful they can become.
I encourage you to buy this book, because I plan on reading it again and I think if you read it, you will also probably read it again.
26 Cash FROTH Quid pro quo!
A friend recommended this book to me. I quote from the introduction "The CFQ was written for you if your life has come to a financial fork in the road." I read with enthusiasm for the first couple of chapters then the repetition in the text started to annoy. About half way it had become an irritation to the soul but I gritted my teeth and read on! By the end I was really, really, really steamed.
The author could have reduced the number of pages by (a) 25% by dedicating this book to his wife and stating that they were poor with no assets and living out of a vehicle and off friends' graces before becoming financially free several years later. (b) another 25% by eliminating the repetition. (c) another 25% by eliminating the repetitive diagrams especially the EBSI one. (d) did I mention the repetition?
Interestingly, while the book deals with their success in general terms, it does not say HOW they did it. Indeed, the author and his wife did not appear in their own cash flow quadrant since there is no place for U [my creation] meaning the Unemployed.
So the question remained, How did they go from U and destitute to B and I in the CFQ? The answer is real estate we are told. Ok, but how does one without a job or collateral secure funds to pay the required 10% deposit. We are carefully told NOT to break the law. Real estate is key but WHERE to buy seems to be a problem. The author was magically ably to buy huge portions of land cheaply and sell with massive profits. We learn that the author learned three invaluable methods of negotiation previously unknown to him but are carefully not told what these methods were.
We are told that a true B or business owner can leave his business for a year and return to find it still functioning and more profitable than when he left it. I guess he is speaking of the fortune 500 companies then. We are told of the author's real estate properties that generate income whether he works or not. Mention is also made of mutual funds and "other" ventures. Yes, but HOW was this done...we are left to wonder.
We are then told of some failed business practices and that the majority of businesses fail however, he recommended becoming a B before moving to an I. When investing, this should be done carefully with advice of those in the know but again we are not told how or what to invest in because the author did not like giving specifics because each person's circumstance was different. ..However, in his NEXT book, RDPD's guide to investing, all will be revealed!
In his conclusion, the author reminds us to mind our own business and get into the right mind set by playing his board game CF. DUUHH!
He then proceeds to compares three groups, the Broke masses, the successful middle class investor and the rich. One group [guess which one?] has resources listed as: RDPD, CFQ, CF Game, RK tapes etc.
Finally, we live in a real world. What about persons with CHILDREN? How does this impact with day care, school fees, attendance and pick up. Funny enough, no mention is made about these entities that require HUGE sums of money to maintain, having an impact on our financial adventure!
Recommendation: Read the Richest Man in Babylon instead. It is shorter and has everything that you want to know and you can start immediately! It outlines broad principles and formulas that work which can help the ordinary person as well as the E, S or B move between quadrants and save to become an investor. It can even help the U's get into a quadrant! It talks about your family, children , wife etc. It has certainly helped me. The multiple streams of income are explained, as is the use of your money to work so you don't have to, all clearly laid out. And this book was written over 50 years ago!
Read also the Wealthy Barber, I view this as an essential follow up to the Richest Man in Babylon in the unlikely event that your eyes did not light up after reading it for the first time. This will tell you the specifics instruments available that will help you.
This book CFQ, [all 251+ pages] should have been edited removing the 82.5% FROTH leaving approximately 30 pages of material for second edit!
Comment: this book does nothing to help the ordinary citizen move into financial freedom. What it does do is ensure a stream of income for the author whether he works or not! By constantly mentioning the super rich such as Bill Gates, Ford, and so on makes one think. Of the over 220 Million persons in the USA how many Bill Gates are they? He is the exception, not he rule!
If it were possible to give negative stars, I would have here. This incomplete, rushed, advertising marvel seemed to have captured the imagination of some readers by using a diagram and re-presenting material that has been well presented elsewhere. By the way, one reader compared this book to the Richest Man in Babylon. In a word..don't. That would be like comparing little leaguers to the superbowl!
In conclusion I cannot recommend this book. It is Cash Froth Quid pro quo. We give cash; he gives froth, quid pro quo! Hence 1 star.
27 Financial Freedom? - a little overstated
Although this book is treading on what can be very difficult for someone who has never had any experience in finances to to understand, I really did not glean a lot from it except the definitions of the "cashflow" quadrant and where I should go within that quadrant. There were some interesting little maxims and proverb-type-things, but it really didn't have a whole lot of "nuts and bolts" type of info that I like, but I do have a profession in investments. I think you have to read (all 25 books is it now?) in order to figure out what rich dad's cashflow quadrant is....books maybe? There is just too much hype around these books and I am a little dissappointed. All around probably worth reading from the library or something.
**Read something by Peter J. Daniels those books will actually help you change you life. www.peterdanielsonline.com**
28 Repetition with meaning
I read this book from front to back. It is full of repition and seems as if the publisher was just out to get money(Afterall, I think he owns the publishing company).
In all honesty, I do recommend the book, but don't expect to get alot out of this book. Like with anything, there is competition. He's not going to divulge all of his secret, since you're going to be his competition. He writes this book to give a little bit of information covered by a whole lot of ambiguity. He keeps saying, "pay yourself first", but never discusses how to avoid "the man".
In any case, sort through all of the repition, all of the self-contradicting statements, and learn the core of what he talks about. Hes got many.. MANY good points, but they are hidden very well, and some are single setences in the most boring of stories. Keep learning from other books, and don't stick to this series.
However, I do recommend this and Rich Dad Poor Dad highly, since it'll get you thinking outside of the box. The last few pages of this book sum it up clearly. It is just to get you thinking another way. He does a great job of doing that.
29 Optimize cashflow!
I am a business owner who wasted money prior to reading RDPD. In this book, Kiyosaki emphasizes the difference between a liability and an asset sufficiently to make anyone who is prone to frivolous spending change their ways. After reading RDPD, this great book, and many reviews about the power of Optimal Thinking, I decided to read Optimal Thinking: How To Be Your Best Self. Optimal Thinking is definitely the mental software for peak performance and the "how to" obtain optimum financial results.
30 This bok really helped!
Thanks Robert, you really helped shed some light on a lot of financial issues! This book was able to give me insight into the type of businesses, how they work, types of investing, how they work again, and some interesting aspects on different types of jobs and how they differ. Thanks to this book I think I can further my goal of owning my own business one day...
31 An Improvement Over Rich Dad Poor Dad
This book is designed to work on your emotional and mental approach to financial well-being and should not be expected to be a "How To" book. As the author states in the book; there are plenty of step by step books out there but few if any deal with the misconceptions and fears one deals with when trying to learn about money and becoming rich.
At first I was disappointed that this book didn't hold my hand and show me what to do every step of the way. But after reading it, I realized that it's approach is useful: You have to change your frame of mind regarding money and how you look at your life, your spending habits, whether you accumulate debt for frivolous things or for assets that will help provide you income. Why do 80% of lottery winners wind up bankrupt within 5 years of winning their millions? Because they haven't changed their approach to money and spending. So, if you want to learn a different, more effective approach to money and riches, this book is a great start. If you're looking for a step-by-step plan to become rich, you'll probably be disappointed in this book.
32 dissapointing
fluff & filler - same info as found in RDPD & RD's guide to investing but with about 125 pages of worthless rambling.
33 good point for life but a bit commercial
Mr.Robert had saved me and some of my friends from financial disasters with his first book where the term of 'real asset' is clearly described!! However, I guess he should be more concise with his writing style (not too many repetitions from previous pages and his other books) and not too much advertising on his other products on this book. He really made a good point on defining the cash flow quadrant, but,we feel that he could make this book become more valuable 'asset' if he could just get to the point and hence reduce the book price
34 Fluff
This is simply a rehash of his other books. None of them any good. His redefinition of assets and liabilities is simply absurd.
35 I am accruing and protecting income- producing assets!
Kiyosaki showed me (a former paycheck to paycheck reader) my options for wealth acquisition in this easy to read book. I am now accruing income-producing assets and minimizing my liabilities (including unnecesssary tax payments). Wealth acquisition involves risk and Kiyosaki motivated me to learn how to manage risk and not avoid it. I agree with him that the single most powerful asset we have is the power of the mind. Rich Dad Poor Dad and this book were big wake-up calls for me to get off my butt, invest in income-producing assets and stop wasting money. Another book, Optimal Thinking: How to be your Best Self (which has been recommended by many reviewers) has shown me how to OPTIMIZE my mind power, to make the MOST of every circumstance, master my self-limiting thoughts and feelings, take the best calculated risks, create optimal contingency plans and make the most of every opportunity. I am having fun and getting rich.
36 Outstanding book - perhaps his best
CFQ was worth every dollar and every minute. Jam packed with information on entering the CAsh Flow Quadrant. This book is especially good for the financially handicapped (those with college and especially advanced degrees and only understand a 9-5 existance)
CFQ helped take me from paycheck to paycheck to paycheck and 9-5 to self employment.
I highly recommend this book along with Rich Dad Poor Dad and other books in the RD series. They are all great.
37 Mostly a waste of time
I read Rich Dad Poor Dad and didn't like it because it was very fluffy - no details, just hand-waving. This book was at least as fluffy as Rich Dad Poor Dad...maybe fluffier.
The one good piece of advice I took away from this book (and it was probably plagiarized) was a sound numerical strategy for extricating one's self from consumer debt. If you want to read it, go to a bookstore read the last chapter or two, kindly place the book back on the shelf, and save yourself $15.
38 Wonderful Real Life Education
I initially disliked the name of his books and supposed concepts because I did not want to be a person going for riches. Until one day I received his books and game as a gift so I didn't want to waste it and started reading them. After playing his game, something clicked in my brain. Now I understand him and myself.
It really takes that to understand what Robert is trying to educate us to see. I look around and see so many people doing what they have always done by using old concepts and yet never accomplishing what they want in life. The world has changed and new concepts are needed. Robert helps us see that and gives specific ideas and yet also makes us really think about what we want financially.
Most people may not want to be extremely rich, instead they just want to be comfortable and do what they like without worrying about money again. I want financial freedom and the feeling of knowing I have the choice of choosing to stop working but that takes passive income which can be built but takes learning and time.
It takes good planning and guts to do that plus discipline and that is what Robert shares with us because the world is not as it was before and so the game cannot be played as before.
I have seen so many go for College degrees, MBA's etc. but are still working for money and unfortunately cannot stop working. I like the advice in Robert's books about not working for money but learning new concepts and make money work for us. It even works for us average people.
I share my feelings because I know what I am talking about. I once did have passive income but I did not have Robert's education at that time and did not realize that I had passive income from a "B" quadrant business. I went for a higher paying job and lost my passive income. How dumb! I could have retired 10 years ago if I had read his books earlier.
As Robert says, mistakes are OK as long as we learn from them and I have a better future ahead because of my mistakes. From the bottom of my heart, I thank him and all the people who helped him in his books.
39 He Nailed It!
Once again, Robert has nailed it. This author has taken basic common sense information and illustrated it sooo.... effectively with his wordsmithing that all of the lightbulbs in one's mind light up at once. I plan to re-read and absorb everything this author writes.
Edvard Redding Richards
author of Fire Your IRA!
40 Kiyosaki strikes again
Once more, the author knows how to skin em'. He spends most of this book repeating the blatantly obvious with cute diagrams, but never quite gives you the hard data. Why not? You need to buy his board game, which he offers at the end of the book.
This is the key. So hand over the dough.
41 Broke the "Paycheck to Paycheck" Cycle
Before reading and more importantly, following the advise in Cash Flow Quadrant, I was like most people in that awful "paycheck to paycheck" cycle, "thank God it's Friday" and oh no, today it's Sunday, back to the old grindstone tomorrow" RUT.I was astonished the other day to talk with someone who I thought was doing pretty well financially. This individual said that if he missed2 paychecks, he would be bankrupt! Then I remembered that was were I was before I read and used the concepts in Cash Flow Quadrant!I would also recommend Who Stole The American Dream, The E-Myth Revisited And Multiple Streams of Income.
42 Even worse than the first one!
Read "Rich Dad's Guide to Investing" and forget about Kiyosaki's other books - the third book in the series captures all the ideas this man has. If you must, browse through the other books in the bookstore - you will realize that the information is repeated, and that you can save a lot of money by not buying his other books.
43 Become Cash Flow Rich - The 4 Quadrants
In this second of the Rich Dad series, Kiyosaki explains the 4 quadrants and while being an E-employee is suicidal.
The theme is the same as the first book with Rich Dad Poor Dad comparisons. Then we learn why the rich become rich and why the poor are and stay poor.
Kiyosaki also discusses taxes and why the poor are paying so much more in taxes than they need be. RTK uses as an example his poor dad who was highly educated had a high income but was not wealthy because of his Cash Flow patterns. By contrast his Rich Dad had an average education, made less money than his poor father but was wealthier because he learned how to have money work for him instead of working for money as so many do.
Cash Flow Quadrant is a excellent book for anyone who wants to break the work for money, live paycheck to paycheck syndrome.
Question: What would happen to you if you and your spouse both lost your jobs?
If you make money work for you as espoused by RTK in Cash Flow Quadrant you will realize that ir really doesn't matter. But if all you have is a job---oouch!!!
44 Better than the first book
I disagree with the readers who feel that CFQ is inferior or at best, just RDPD in another cover. CFQ goes into more detail the whole Cash Flow concept. Of course, anyone who has actually read the books already knows this which tells me that the bashers at best probably just skimmed the free sample pages here on Amazon and didn't even bother to read CFQ.
Good book. I highly recommend it.
45 Great follow up to "Rich Dad Poor Dad"
This book is a fantastic sequel to "Rich Dad, Poor Dad". While the first Rich Dad book laid a great foundation and provided some high level direction, this book took what I had learned and added to it. There are some repeat "lessons" but they tend to go more in depth and have different examples that help me have a better understanding of the concept. In one of the books RTK uses an example of the financial education that you need to be financially free and compares it to the foundation of a building. These books are helping me lay that strong foundation.
As a side note, I listened to the audio CD version of this book and the only things I didn't like were the speakers voice (very robot-sounding) and the fact that every time he mentioned a particular quadrant, he had to say both the letter and name of the quadrant... this got a bit tiresome and a bit Sesame Street sounding (ie "B, Business", "I, Investor").
46 DONT WASTE YOUR TIME OR YOUR MONEY!
I have read most of the books in the Rich Dad series. While I see some limited benefit to the perspective with which one might view wealth and entrepreneurship that was provided in the first "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" book, the quality severely deteriorates with each new book.
Before buying any of the books I read all the Amazon reviews, postive and negative. I decided to listen to the positve reviews and ignore the negative. That was a mistake.
The books contain alot of "fluff". Over simplified information and stories. In one of the Rich Dad books, the author goes on to speak of the different kinds of "leverage" and then alludes to the leverage of popular children's fairy tales. Ludicrous!
IF YOU DO NOT BELIEVE THIS, THEN PLEASE REFER TO THE RECENT SMART MONEY MAGAZINE ARTICLE (I believe it was Jan 2003) THAT PROMINENTLY FEATURES MR. KIYOSAKI. MUCH OF THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE BOOKS, INCLUDING THAT OF MR. KIYOSAKI'S SUPPOSED BUSINESS SUCCESS IS FICTION!!!!
47 Your financial success or failure begins between your ears!
In considering this book, consider the following points: The condition of your life today is the result of the actions you have taken and words you have spoken in the past... and THESE are the result of the thoughts you have been thinking in your mind. If you want to change your LIFE, change your THOUGHTS. And if your financial life is what you want to change, then this sequel to "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" is a great place to continue your journey to financial success. "Cashflow Quadrant" is even better than Robert Kiyosakis original book! However, you need to master the first (reading it several times if necessary) if you are to have any hope of grasping the second. The lessons and principles taught by the author in this second book of the "Rich Dad" series will transform how you view the four elements of the Cashflow Quadrant: Employment, Self-Employment, Investing and Business(which he differentiates from Self-Employment nicely). You NEED to understand the differences between these four sources of cahsflow if you expect to increase your wealth. I have not only personally applied what I learned from Cashflow Quadrant, but I have also shared these principles with other individuals and watched the "light go on" in their head--the first step to becoming financially FREE. Learn to THINK free, and you will BE FREE. Learn to think like the RICH, and you must eventually BECOME RICH as you will have the same thought processes that they had to become what they are. As the Scripture says "As he thinketh in his heart, so is he", you must be delivered BETWEEN YOUR EARS if you want the evidence of that deliverence to result in your LIFE! Buy & read "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" to gain the basic understanding necessary for this second edition to have its full impact on your thinking, then dive into Cashflow Quadrant and become wealthy as a result of your new wealthy thinking! Other books, of course, will need to be read as you continue your financial education, but the "Rich Dad series" and its "Rich Dad Advisor Series" are the best place to start!
48 Good, BUT....
"Cash Flow Quadrant" has a good message, but not unique enough to warrant purchasing in ADDITION to "Rich Dad, Poor Dad", unless you are a fan of Kiyosaki and his stream of consciousness writing style. As other reviewers have stated, it is short on practical specifics, long on generalities and is somewhat repetitive. Very well suited for an audio book listened to over multiple sittings -- since it is motivational and repetitive, one easily pick up anywhere in the tape and get the message.
49 A book that has little help, and over rated
Key points of the books has repeated again and again. The main theme of the book is focus on the 4 quadrant which most of us are aware of. The author does not point out specifically on how to achieve the right site of the quadrant but brad only on the benefits of having business and being an investor, author should tell how a normal person should achieve those goals from the begining, I mean from zero. Like the saying goes "Everyone knows their mom is a women" that is what this book is telling you, Things that you and I already know.For example invest in properties have it paid off and the rest of the rental for the remaining years is yours????? But it does not tell you how to purchase a property if one have no money at all. Isn't it this book is for those who have extra money in the first place to do what the book tells them to do. Why not write about how to reduce debts, plan for the future which I think is more realistic. I am disapointed about this book where I found it totally useless. It is defiantely over rated. I find this book is for those who is rich and seek more income.
Please think for yourself and not follow too much on what this book recommend.
50 Cash Flow Quadrant review
This book is an real eye opener. Robert has a great way of teaching the reader sound financial advice. The book is set up in a way that brings the reader in. I like his thought process.
51 Some useful information, a lot of cross-marketing.
There is some good information in this book, and it reads easily although there is a lot of padding. Key points are repeated 2-3 times, presumably for emphasis. The central Cashflow Quadrant concept is very easy to understand and rings true. The book is targetted at middle class investors who feel ready to increase their wealth & cashflow, but who first need to change their mindset - and this book won't let you forget it, so be sure you've got a thick skin.
Be aware before you buy this book that it aims to sell you a copy of the author's boardgame CASHFLOW(tm). There's a reason for the book's title, and a reason the title "CASHFLOW Quadrant" and the quadrant diagram are both trademarked. And that boardgame is somewhat expensive, the book edition I have quotes a price of [$$$]... and that's just for the first gameboard!
Certainly there is something to be gained from reading this book, but it can leave you feeling like you've just bought an advertisement for the author's products.
52 Very good strategic advice, also motivational.
About a third of this book repeats Rich Dad Poor Dad, another third is fresh material, and the last third is a rehash of the first two thirds.
That said, the book is well worth it because the fresh material in my opinion is very valuable advice.
The authors goal is to teach you how to think so you can better yourself financially. This book has done a good job in doing that. For those of you looking for specific answers on exactly what to do and which business to open, etc., that's not what this book is about. Mr. Kiyosaki's advice is to teach you how to think for yourself and what to do in the bigger picture. If this is your goal, I'd recommend the book. If you want specific advice on specific businesses, you need to research the businesses yourself. He does give general recommendations however.
I did not give the book a five star rating due to repetition and filler content, although this is partially the authors style of writing.
53 Not as good as Rich Dad, Poor Dad 1.
I really enjoyed 'Rich Dad, Poor Dad', so I picked up a copy of Cashflow Quadrant right away. But I found this follow up to 'Rich Dad, Poor Dad' had just way too much filler. This book keeps pounding the same statements over and over. I know this was also done in Rich Dad, Poor Dad, but this time it was overkill. The motivational messages started to wear thin when you can see that it was just to fill up a page. There is also something very contradicting I found between the first and second book. In 'Rich Dad, Poor Dad' he said that owning a business is very hard and he dosen't recommend anyone starting one unless they truly desire to have one. Then In 'Cashflow Quandrant', he says that you should own a business first before moving into the I quandrant to invest in stocks and real estate. Uhhh.....hello? These are the reasons why I'm giving it only 2 stars. If you already read 'Rich Dad, Poor Dad', then you don't need to read Cashflow Quadrant.
54 Same Message - Better Explanations
Cashflow Quadrant has basically the same message as Rich Dad, Poor Dad. (I have read many of Kiyosaki's books, and have found that they all basically have the same message.) Cashflow Quadrant, however, is written with much stronger language. There's more enthusiasm contained with in the book than there was in Rich Dad, Poor Dad, which was a more docile reading. They way it read, it seemed as though Cashflow Quadrant was a response to criticisms that Kiyosaki may have gotten from his first book. Because of this, Kiyosaki stamps out any concerns created by his ideas before you have time to create those concerns.
Overall, it is a powerful nad intelligent read. I highly recommend it.
55 Great for those of us stuck in the middle class
This book is for those of us who grew up reciting the "must get good grades and then get a job" mantra. It was instilled in us as children by our parents and teachers, and it was reinforced by our network of friends from the neighborhood, classmates at school and co-workers at work. The cycle is viscious, until by some miracle someone or something comes to us and bops us on the head with the idea of "our own business". The word "assets" was one that only rich people use. And the term "rich people" was pretty much, from the beginning, a concept of "people that have a mysterious way about them; they have secrets that we can't, won't and aren't allowed to know."
This book is great and worth reading. It helps you realize where you are in the Quadrant, and then how to get out. It shows you how "the rich" think - and how YOU the middle class man are the loser when it comes to money and how it is used to work against you. It's not their fault, it's your ignorance.
I wrote a paper in grad school on a novel about a villan and a good guy. The paper had to address the villan's good qualities and why he wasn't such a bad guy. Hard stuff, 'till I realized that people were handing goods over to him; he was just there to accept it. He knew how to make the system work for him, so - why not be the one to benefit from it?
Ignorance is bliss. It's also expensive.
56 OK if you are a beginner, but....
...if you have moved beyond the novice level, have some personal finance knowledge, have your own business, or even have done your own federal taxes (the long form), this is probably too basic for your needs. Interesting graphical treatments of the concepts. If you are a personal finance beginner, give it a try.
57 Beware - this is not a legit moneymaking or business guide
The concepts seem to make sense but you end up realizing that this gentleman is only telling you what you want to hear. The author has obviously made his fortune with this neo-psychology nonsense. He bottom lines his only specific suggestion for financial success - network marketing. Sorry, author, but Ponzi-scams and Amway may qualify as 'business ownership' to you, but I think I'll stick with my day job instead of trying to con my friends and relatives. Like many other reviewers, I noticed that there is constant reptition of the basic concepts and theories.
There is some merit in his 4 classifications of people, but I can't see how it would help someone get rich......
58 The Media Is The Message
Some readers say about Kiyosaki's books: lots of words, no content. That's right! All Kiyosaki's books repeat the same general theme a lot of times. But this is a secret of his doubtless success: the hypnotic shaman repetition serves for deep adaptation of his simple ideas. And the simplicity of his suggested message is making these books both powerful, and popular.
Kiyosaki's receipt to become wealthy is very simple. To be collected into a short list of ideas, it is just a half page long.
--- There are a lot of ways to earn money. But to become wealthy you cannot work for money. You must have the money work for you.
--- To force money to work for you, you have to be a business owner, who owns assets than make a cash flow, or an investor, who invests in those assets. Your Cashflow Qudrants are (B) and (I).
--- Become financially literate. Have a basic understanding of how assets create income, and liabilities create expenses. Then, simply collect assets.
--- Once financially literate, hire the best advisors who can help you to play the game. Don't penny pinch on financial advice; good advisors will pay for themselves.
--- Don't let the government needlessly take your money by taxes. First earn cash then spend. Start a corporation and legally pay taxes after expenses. Earn, spend then tax.
--- Start small and learn from your mistakes. Learn, learn and learn. "The only difference between a rich person and a poor person is what they do in their spare time." - said Kiyosaki.
--- Become a sophisticated investors who is willing to take educated risks. "True investors make more money in bad markets." - said Kiyosaki.
--- Don't take on debt that will not take care of itself. If you take risk, make sure you get paid for it, just like banks do.
This is good reading for anyone willing to change the way he/she thinks about money and success so that financial freedom can be achieved. I find Kiyosaki's explanations to be helpful and clear.
59 Financial Freedom, Part II
After I read Rich Dad Poor Dad, I HAD to get this book, and I wasn't disappointed!! Kiyosaki explains the 4 categories that working people fall into, then explains the mind-set that pervades each category.
If you're serious about becoming financially free, then this book is an ESSENTIAL addition to your library.
You won't be disappointed.
60 Nothing specific
I agree with the readers, who said that this book does not offer specific advice. I like the logic, that you should not overspend and earn before spending. But how can we start? Does he suggest to move in a trailer as he did? Or bring my family to live in the basement f our friends? He says that the house is a liability even if the mortgage is paid. OK, what should we do? Pay the same money as rent? Or invest in real estate, rent it and live in a broken car, so that not to pay taxes? This is an example of the specific advice I believe is missing. I don't want to offend anybody, but many people who rated highely this book are still in college and do not have a sense of what the real life is. This book is just for starters, to get the idea of not going into too much debt and think about investing. It is nothing more.
61 After you read ?Rich Dad, Poor Dad?, why stop there?
At the beginning of the book we are introduced to, most likely already known, categories of working people. The are categorized according to the way they earn their money, and put in one of the quadrants. Once you identify yourself in the quadrant, it tells you how to change and the way you should go. The book gives you the steps to follow to move to the right side of the quadrant.
I didn't like often reference to the first book, the author could've skipped that and save some paper.
62 The best book in the Rich Dad Poor Dad series yet
Kyosaki goes down to the details drawing down and sighting the differences between the 4 areas of the Cash flow quadrant. This book is the perfect follow-up read for the first Rich Dad Poor Dad book because it explains in detail the difference between the Employee, Self-Employed, Business Owner and Investor. Kyosaki does not paint a flattering picture for the Self-Employed and Employee and shows that the best way for financial independence is to go and become a Business Owner or Investor.
I have shown and gave away this books to friends who are either self-employed or working for a company and their reactions were mixed. Looks like the book hit a raw nerve - some were quite offended and others found the book's advice invaluable. Interestingly the negative picture that Kyosaki in his books about those who choose to stick with the "left side of the quadrant" or the self-employed and the employee are quite true since most of the very same people who were offended by the book are now laid off by their company despite their years of service.
The concept of the Cash flow quadrant is the perfect foundation on how to see things the way the rich do. This book is a great read for the beginner who wishes to take control of his or her financial destiny.
63 Not about specifics...Kiyosaki fixes the way you think!
Ever promised yourself that you'd go to the gym and lose weight? Ever reneged? Me too... that's why I hired a personal trainer. The trainer introduced a level of accountability - but more importantly: 'Reinforcement of good techniques by repetition.' (You need more protein. Watch the sugar. Watch your form. Do your cardio.)
Kiyosaki's books are akin to personal training for your financial future. He repeats concepts in such a way that they `sink in'. Cashflow Quadrant helps break you of the 'I need a job and a 401k so I can retire' middle class mentality.
The critics of this book most often say that the Rich Dad, Poor Dad series is short on real information. These are typically people looking for magic cures to their investment woes. These books don't tell you exactly what to do - they correct misperceptions you have with regard to jobs, retirement, money, and investing and point you in the right direction (who to talk to and what other non-kiyosaki books to read for specific answers).
Are you thinking, "I already know what I need to do to get rich!" (I know I need to eat right and exercise!) Well, if you're still financially flabby then odds are something is wrong your approach. Read this book! It will retrain your brain and keep you focused simultaneously.
64 This is how the rich stay rich
Ever wonder why while some people are starving and yelling recession others are prospering and cheering prosperty?If you answered politics--ENT---wrong answer.The reason is recessions can be controlled by an individual. Successful people take control by moving into the Cash Flow Quadrant. They own assets, not liabilities. They work for themselves, not a unappreciative employer. They know how to use leverage. This book is the best business book available today. I have read RDPD and RYRR and although some of the material is repeated, there is also much fresh material as well.And if you feel the material is so redundant, let me ask you a question: How are you going financially? Hello???If your goal is become financially independent, you must go with the times and RTK offers the most current beneficial success education available today.
65 Financial Common Sense We Should All Know
It is true that Kiyosaki's books repeat the same general theme, but it is the brute simplicity of his message that make these books both powerful, and popular.
To be wealthy:
1) There are many ways to earn money, but to be wealthy you cannot work for money. You must have the money work for you; you have to be a business owner (B) who owns assets than make money or an investor (I) who invests in those assets. If you are an employee or self-employed specialist, there is a limit to your income because there are only 24 hours in a day.
2) Become financially literate. Have a basic understanding of how assets create income, and liabilities create expenses. Then, simply collect assets.
3) Once financially literate, hire the best advisors who can help you to play the game. Don't penny pinch on financial advice; good advisors will pay for themselves.
4) Don't let the government needlessly take your money (Earn -tax then spend). Start a corporation and legally pay taxes after expenses (Earn - spend then tax).
4) Start small and learn from your mistakes. "The only difference between a rich person and a poor person is what they do in their spare time." (page 65)
5) Become a sophisticated investors who is willing to take educated risks. "True investors make more money in bad markets" (page 64)
6) Don't take on debt that will not take care of itself. If you take risk, make sure you get paid for it, just like banks do.
66 Insightful view of people & money
The second book in the Rich Dad series, Cashflow Quadrant defines where money comes from and how it is generated. The ways of generating money are broken into 4 quadrants: (E)mployee, (S)elf Employed, (B)usiness, (I)nvestor.
Kiyosaki describes the characteristics associated with each quadrant and the kinds of people that fall into each quadrant. The idea is to move to the more lucrative (B) and (I) quadrants, and Kiyosaki gives strategies on how to get there. Of course, it is all about how you think and the changes that need to take place when moving from one quadrant to the other.
Like the Rich Dad book, you are not going to get step-by-step advice on how to do it, just the ways you need to change your thinking to make it happen. I found the book helpful in categorizing the different ways in which income is produced and the advantages the (B) and (I) quadrants hold over the others.
If you have read Rich Dad already, some of the material will be redundant. It comes with the territory. :)
67 Excellent explanation of the four quadrants
This book offers an excellent explanation of the four quadrants introduced in his first book, Rich Dad, Poor Dad, and how moving from the left side (Employee, Self-employed) to the right side (Business owner, Investor) of the quadrant takes you closer to long-term wealth goals. Admittedly, I was disappointed when Kiyosaki began talking about needing business systems to be a successful business owner but did not elaborate on how to develop them. Luckily I found two other book resources (The E-Myth, by Michael Gerber, and How to Make Your Business Run Without You, by Susan Carter) that fully explained what that means and how to do it. Despite others' criticisms of information continually being repeated (which I found to be a helpful reminder of the concepts), the Kiyosaki series of books has helped me go from working for my money, to having my money work for me.
68 Lots of words, no content
I really liked the first book, but this one was a waste. He doesn't say anything that wasn't in the first volume. This is just words and more words about pretty much nothing.
69 The Best Financial Book Yet
I love his books. Rich Dad Poor Dad was awesome. I have read many financial books and most are interesting but only to a point because most all say the same thing. However, Rich Dad and Cashflow Quadrant offer new information that I think is very important and is changing my life for the better. I have ordered Cashflow for Kids and my 8 year old son loves it. It is a great game and I am thankful Robert Kiyosaki developed such a game as I do not feel my children learn enough in school to help them become successful in life. I can't wait to introduce my 5 year old to these concepts. You will be thankful for these books if you will just read them.
70 A Primer for Changing our Attitude
As its predecessor, "Rich Dad, Poor Dad," this book is written in a simple style to allow the reader to reflect on the information. Readers will find themselves agreeing with a lot of things in this book and slapping their heads because they didn't see this earlier.
This book is more about assumptions and how these need to change for us to become successful. People are broken into categories to help understand how successful people think. The author gives examples, but he is helping us design our own map towards financial freedom. He does not give specific advice on how to make money. There is still a lot of work for the reader to do. Kiyosaki is merely trying to open our eyes.
The author does have a list of recommended readings in the back of the book, plus more advertisements for his other books and products.
This is good reading for anyone willing to change the way he or she thinks about money and success so that financial freedom can be achieved. I find his explanations to be helpful and clear.
71 Excellent book
ALL I HAVE TO SAY IS BUY THIS BOOK YALL. YOU WON'T REGRET THAT YOU DID. IF YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND THIS BOOK, THEN YOU'RE PROBABLY IN THE RAT RACE, OR YOU'RE IGNORANT AND IN DENIAL. RICH DAD POOR DAD CHANGED MY LIFE.
:)
72 excellent - looks at the core principles of investment
this is a truly excellent book for anyone who has the desire to succeed in the world of business and investing. too many are quick to criticise details (as kiyosaki mentions in his books) without knowing the core principles and fundamentals of business and investment, such as financial literacy (cash flow, the debt to equity ratio, the balance sheet etc).
have you ever wondered just how it is possible for a person to become worth billions of dollars? well, read this book and you will have a very good idea how. take bill gates or sam walton. they built businesses using teams, constantly working with others to achieve a mutually shared goal. these people typify the 'B' person, as kiyosaki puts it.
not only would i recommend reading this book, i would suggest you read RDPD, and 'Rich Dad's Guide To Investing'. the books interrelate heavily and build on each other extensively.
finally, when i reflect upon the educational gain i received from kiyosaki's books, the ratio of amount spent to amount gained (if you could quantify that in monetary terms) would be something like a million:one! trust me, read his books and listen to his tapes. remember, the quality of advice given, should be measured by the success of the person giving it, and kiyosaki is very successful - kinda speaks for itself doesn't it?
73 Excellent book - it makes you think
I've always puzzled what takes to be a successful businessperson. This books gives me the answer. It is how we think makes the difference. I like the way he demonstrates his idea through the "Rich Dad" story. Also, this is not a how-to-be-rich kind book. If you look for a quick way to be rich, then this is not the book you want.
74 Excellent book - it makes you think
I've always puzzled what takes to be a successful businessperson. This books gives me the answer. It is how we think makes the difference. I like the way he demonstrates his idea through the "Rich Dad" story. Also, this is not a how-to-be-rich kind book. If you look for a quick way to be rich, then this is not the book you want.
75 Perhaps the most influential book ever written.
You have to think macrohistorically -- about phases of civilization like the Greeks, the middle ages, the Enlightenment, and the information age -- to really comprehend this book.
The identification and explicit explanation of passive income, and the four modes of Life (the quadrant) changes -- has changed -- the world.
Kiyosaki's fable of Rich Dad Poor Dad is the exact Jungian vehicle to introduce these concepts to civilization.
The only people who don't read, or don't "get" this book -- are poor people.
"Poor" in the sense that they simply have no understanding of money, and (hence usually) have no money.
In 100 years, "money" and all economic concepts of work, wealth, social interaction, will be completely different from today's paradigm.
The start of it all, is this book.
76 Key Nuggets of Wealth Creating Knowledge
Kiyosaki is not the greatest writer but I am not reading his books to admire his command of prose, rather to learn key wealth creating principles that were not previously "common sense" to me.
Kiyosaki breaks it down into a complete framework that is far more organized than his first book. In fact, if you buy this book you do not need the first.
Some people may expecting this to be a "how-to" book on how to get rich. This cannot be the case as the path to success will be different to us all. But if you have the discipline to stick to these general principles you will do well.
One reader mentioned that in pre-Enron times that diversification should be paramount. I would remind you all that Buffet, who Kiyosaki quotes as saying that diversification is not necessary, did not get caught in the Enron scandal. This is because he specialises in certain industries and companies and can determine the right time to sell or short-sell respectively.
In conclusion, if you find yourself caught in the job-job cycle and you truly wish to escape, this book will help you. But you must keep an open mind and be very disciplined.
77 Rich author, Poor reader
Robert Kiyosaki sure made himself very rich - his books are selling like hotcakes. It is easy to capitalise on people's desire to grow rich. Book 2 is nothing much more than a repackaging of the ideas presented in Book 1. Again, the content is irritatingly repetitive and lacks substance. Its effect is comparable to the best sleeping pills. Why did I read this book? The answer is simple: I want to give the author a second chance to convince me. I have been disappointed. If you enjoy reading common sense, go buy it. Otherwise, save your money for something more productive. I didn't fall prey, the copy I read was borrowed from someone.
78 This is about writing books, not advice
Read his books and listened to his books on CD- he is not going to say how he moved from the E quadrant to B quadrant...this is about him making money by writing books.
Reminds me of Robert Allen- Multiple Streams of Income...
This is just another one of his multiple streams.
He hasn't really said anything that most other financial books have said.
79 This guy can write. Powerful book!
Not since "Who Stole the American Dream" by Burke Hodges has anone written a book that dispels the notion of go to college, get a job and work hard--ENT!Not since How to Make Nothing But Money, a NY times best seller by Dave DelDotto has anyone explained with clarity the power of paper; Real Estate, Tax Liens and Discound Mortgages.Self employment is the way to go and this book proves that the American Dream is ALIVE & WELL.In this decade and beyond, more money will be made in network marketing, real estate and the stock market than ever before.Anyone who wants to participate in that growth must read this book.I also recommend Wall Street Money Machine for the new Millenium for powerful cash flow strategies.
80 poorly organized
Mr. Kiyosaki does present some good ideas in this but they are buried in redundancy and the book could easily be trimmed in half.
The presentation is not well organized and any guidance offered tends to change depending on how he's trying to persuade the reader. For example at one point he tells us the "Rich" aren't at all risk averse, yet later they only undertake risk if they know the outcome to be assured of success.
The book does contain numerous positive elements which are invaluable to understand. His discussion of the perfectionist nature of the self-employed, is insightful regarding their inability to trust others and thus limit growth of their business.
In the aftermath of Enron and the ensuing questionable accounting practices of other public companies I believe his advice against diversification is not in the best interest of most people. The non-diversified employee 401k plan is presently the source of considerable discussion. Perhaps Mr. Kiyosaki could better his argument for this strategy by explaining the positive and negative arguments for and against the diversified portfolio and illustrate weaknesses in the theoretical models which are in use by mutual fund companies today.
The two pages of debt reduction strategy at the end of the book are very useful to those who are plagued by debts, but only if one is disciplined and can keep Mr. Kiyosaki's lessons in mind afterward.
81 Great for the novice wanting to step up into passive income
Cashflow Quadrant: Rich Dad's Guide to Financial Freedom
by Robert T. Kiyosaki, Sharon L. Lechter (Contributor)
Kiyosaki wrote a great book with "Rich Dad Poor Dad", but this was not quit as powerful, and not just anyone can manage or start thier own business or leave their traditional day job without going bankrupt.
However, he does make the average person think! Which is an accomplishment in itself. I like Kiyosaki's style, so he gets five stars, rather than the four I was going to give this book, had it been written by Robert Allen or someone likewise.
If you want to begin to THINK like a true investor, then buy this book, if you already are an investor, stop, turn away, and invest in rental real estate like I do. I hesitated to write the previous sentence because I know many people that truly think they are investors, when in fact they are gamblers. If this sounds confusing to you, then you should buy the book, as it is the most powerful concept that Robert Kiyosaki defines, and it really is life changing.
I highly recommend "Rich Dad Poor Dad", "Cashflow Quadrant", and "Rich Dads Guide To Investing", for the novice. After you have these three Kiosaki classics in your library, I would start to find other sources of information, as your probably ready to actually do something, and not just dream about doing something. Robert Kiyosaki never does say "How-To" to do anything, but getting you mentally prepared to move forward is accomplished in his works. Robert is the master of teaching you "Why" you must do something, which is a necessity for any person seeking wealth.
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82 It might not happen to everyone
I collected this wonderful book today from the post office. By the time I had finished page 31, I had thought of a new invention. The part that got my brain working overtime was when the author mentioned business systems and the I quadrant.
I will mention this book when I appear on TV to talk about my invention.
"An invention is a soultion to an irrating problem"
David A
83 Outstanding book! Helps clarify the differences of mindset.
This book does an excellent job of describing the attitude and mindset of the financially literate versus the average person.
It gives few specifics; it merely starts you on the road to achieving the right mindset, you must walk down it. Example, the dumb investor sees an investment property that looks georgeous on the outside, but the intelligent investor might see the same property with no accounting for vacancy rates, management fees, repairs, poor zoning, and a negative cash flow.
It teaches us to think rationally about investing, not emotionally. It has us learn the things that make a successful business person, like learning to understand the behind-the-scenes stuff like finacial statements, and how interest rates effect everything.
I believe it is one of the great books that can help create the foundation of a great entrepreneur. The person not ready for the information will probably get very little out of it, though.
84 Better than "Rich Dad..."
Robert Kiyosaki, author of the best-seller on personal finance, "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" comes back with "The Cashflow Quadrant." This time around he goes into the differences between the people who struggle in the "rat race" (the Employee and the Self-Employed type, or the left side of the Cashflow Quadrant) and those that are on the "fast track" (Business Owners and Investors, or the right side of the Quadrant). As much as this sounds like "deja vu" for those who read "Rich Dad..," this book can be considered as a general practical complement to it, rather than a mere repetition of it.
Chapter 5 is particularly interesting as he describes what he considers to be the 7 levels of investors, ranging from the one who has nothing to invest and the borrower, to the sophisticated investor and the capitalist. It puts a mirror in front of you, by making you question which level you are in, where do you want to be and how you can get there.
Chapter 6 and beyond are true eye-openers for the uninitiated: "the name of the game is 'Who is indebted to who?'." It becomes apparent from reading the last part of the book how easily, because of our low emotional IQ, we fall prey of our fears and greed and end up sinking further into the "rat race."
Finally, the book wraps up with some very good pieces of advice (seven steps to help you find your financial fast track). I've already taken step 1 (minding my own business) and I'm currently working on step 2 (taking control of my cash flow).
As much as its predecessor, "Rich Dad...," it could use more editing (it sometimes jumps between topics without much structure), yet... then again, this is not a Literature Nobel prize winner writing! All in all, the book coves some ground which the first one only insinuated. If you haven't read "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" yet, start with this one. There is nothing in "Rich Dad..." that this book won't provide as well, and there's a whole lot more.
85 A few ideas but redundant Rich Dad Poor Dad material
If you haven't read Rich Dad Poor Dad this book would be the equivalent and would be worth a read to gain new ideas on helping oneself financially. The ideas and concepts presented here are the same as the content in Rich Dad Poor Dad.
86 Repeat, reiterate, and recap x 50
Easy reading but I have to agree with other readers who commented that this book should be a pamphlet or should be in 2 chapters.
1st quarter of whole book was repeating the same stuff over and over again with no new information. My suggestion would be to borrow it from the library and then if you think you must have the book, buy it.
87 A Classic! I couldn't put it down.
As someone who is contemplating buying his first piece of real estate, I'm glad I read this book before I made an offer! This book should go along side other personal wealth classics as "Millionaire Mind" and "Think and Grow Rich". It will change the way you view money and your socio-economic position in life. Indeed, if you already think that playing the stock market makes you an 'investor' this book will challenge your assumptions as well. While the inestment device specifics are saved for the 3rd Rich Dad Poor Dad book, this one focuses on individuals who can change the way they view the entire capitalist system and how they can best benefit from it. It preaches financial and emotional intelligence, independence from the 9-5 grind and learning how gradually move yourself from being an employee to a business owner and investor. You have to ask yourself "Where am I deriving my cash flow?" If the answer is your mundane, spirit crushing, petty political office job then you need to change today! Read this book! Better yet, I don't care who you are - have the courage to read this book! Bonus: great success oriented book selections are listed at the end such as Think and Grow Rich and Awaken the Giant Within. Get started today! You're never too poor to turn your life around!
88 PRETTY GOOD OVERALL!
All in all, the book was pretty good, although many have stated that he was really redundant (i have to agree).
I must say that he presented his ideas in an extremely relatable manner which made the the book easy to read and hard to put down. Without his real life examples it would sound too good to be true.
He did regurgitate much of the text time and time again (about the only drawback). I haven't yet but will purchase the book because I think it will be a good reference guide for both motivation and a FEW investment options.
Oh, and last but not least, does anyone know how to get a hold of this "Cashflow" board game he swears by!?!
89 Good but not specific enough.
I have one major complaint with this book and others by Mr. Kiyosaki and that is it lacks specific strategies to move from one quadrant to another. Mr. Kiyosaki is excellent at distilling the information he does present but sounds more like a cheerleader. I got the basic premise in two chapters and then waded through an endless repeat of the same information for the rest of the book. I agreed with his conclusions of how the rich think and conduct their affairs but he does not get into how one can move from the E quadrant to the B or I.. I had recently watched his seminar on a local PBS station and was posed this exact question "How does one from the E quadrant with a limited income move to the B or I"? Mr. Kiyosaki's answer to the question posed to him was a round about evasion on tax advantages. His answer is how all his books are written; no real advise on how to move from poor to rich. The poor are poor for some of the reasons Mr. Kiyosaki gives but does not go into socio-economic factors that also effect class other than outlook on money. Mr. Kiyosaki does tell us to start part-time business and his only advise to that is start a MLM business. Anyone who has a brain and investigated these business will know the scam that they are and are not a path to wealth for 99.99% of the suckers involved. MLM only makes money for those at the top of the pyramid. Mr. Kiyosaki never tells us how to secure a business loan with no assets or how to invest so as to maximize profit and reduce risk. Mr. Kiyosaki believes that debt helps us get rich, he tells us about good debt and bad debt but once again how do we get the loans? What do we need to do to make a banker approve a loan for Real Estate investment? In conlusion this book is all style and no real substance. There is not one strategy you can implement after you have read this book to move quadrants and go from poor to rich.
90 Impression book
I am a final year student of Marketing Department in City University of Hong Kong. I feel this book is not as impress as the first one "Rich Dad, Poor Dad". However, it still a book that is worth to read. The most imporant concept in this book is the four area to earn money. That is be employed, be self employed, business field and investment aspect. Rich people often come from the business field and investment.
Actually, the main concept still ask us to learn more skill rather than find a stable job. That seems quite boring in the begining of this book when compare to the "Rich Dad, Poor Dad". However, nearly end of this book. The author suggests some steps for us to take action. One of the steps is to write down the name of six people that you spend lots of time with them in daily life. That's a great idea that we will discover something that we never think about it. In other words, it is a good book also.
91 this is THE book to guide you to TRUE financial freedom!!
This is a book that will help you to find your own path to financial freedom. It discusses why it makes more sense to be a "business owner" or an "investor", as opposed to being an "employee" or "self-employed".The author also talks about the importance of buying or building a business system which would generate "passive" income(money earned from income producing assets).i found this to be one of the most impressionable CONCEPTS found in the book.All in all, a great book that's an enjoyable read!!
92 Excellent...will boost your motivation for getting ahead.
Easy reading and super explanations. It included many financial lessons in an easy-to-read story. Very enjoyable. It will change the way you look at debt, income, etc. I am now reading Guide to Investing and almost finished with that one....same author.
Give a copy to your grown kids. The book is small enough, they won't think it will be a drudgery and they will learn alot!!
93 "Repitition Leads to Automation."
This book is excellent for teaching you the fundamentals of acquiring personal wealth. Despite earlier reviews finding fault about the numerous times that certain principles are repeated, some people need to hear these principles over and over again in order to learn (There is an old cliche that states: "Repitition leads to automation."). I find that this book functions as a way of counter-conditioning what we always thought about amassing great wealth. The obvious objective of this book is to try and get the reader to buy Kiyosaki's board game, Cashflow. With all it's board game hype aside, this book is still worth twice the price just for the clear and conscise (as well as repetitive) way that Kiyosaki teaches about how the rich think. Developing the mindset of "the rich", as labeled by Kiyosaki, is crucial to becoming very wealthy.
94 when is it going to end?
Good info, but said over and over and over again. This book could have been 2 chapters.
95 Not as good as I expected
I became a fan of Mr. Kiyosaki after a friend turned me on to Rich Dad, Poor Dad. Reading that book and The Armchair Millionaire side-by-side is as close to life-changing as I can imagine from a book other than the Bible.
With that in mind, I browsed this book in on off-line bookstore, and decided I needed it to expand my knowledge of how to build personal wealth.
On the positive side: Mr. Kiyosaki continues his slightly off-center and fresh presentation of how to look at your financial picture. Mostly, he presents the Cashflow Quadrant to you, and reinforces previous ideas.
On the negative side: Mr. Kiyosaki seems to feel that repeating himself over-and-over will make a better book.
This book should not have been made. The ideas in it are new ways of looking at and presenting ideas that others would simply present with text; however, the additional information provided over Rich Dad, Poor Dad should be in a phamplet, not a book.
I think it's a definite read for those who like Mr. Kiyosaki... but get it from the library.
96 Essential reading to those seeking Financial Success
Book #3 by Robert Kiyosaki, and #2 in the now exceptionally popular Rich Dad series.
Cashflow Quadrant was a fascinating book for me, because it explained the differences between how people make money, including their all-important mindset, and how to move from one side of the quadrant (the Employer/Self-Employed) to the other (Business Owner/Investor).
One of the things I liked about it was that it has been written for those people looking to make a change in the way they earn their money, from Reciprocal earning (selling your time for $) to Passive income (making money with your money, regardless of your time input). The vast majority of people get caught up in the never-ending rat race of earning money by selling their time for it, yet the passive income earners of our world have the best deal of all - if they want to work, they can; if they don't, they don't "need" to do it for the money. It comes in whether they're "puttin' in the hours or not!"
Sounds like a great deal to me, if you can get one.
Like most people, I started out as an employee, working for a none-too-impressive hourly rate (doing a job I hated), and eventually progressed to being self employed, doing something I thought I'd love. I thought I had "arrived" by that stage, but little did I realise just how tough being self employed is. In between trying to get new customers, and keep them happy, as well as actually making a decent living, I also had to contend with other issues that distracted me from earning more and working less (the ultimate goal) :-)
In the end, it was nearly as much of a hassle as being an employee was, so I began to seek alternative options.
Luckily Cash Flow Quadrant came into my life just in time to allow me to gain a new understanding of the process of earning income. While I already understood Passive Income, and wanted to have it in my life, Cash Flow Quadrant really explained it much better so that I could now see what changes in mindset and activities I needed to make to achieve my goals.
In short, Kiyosaki explains that the better (in his and my opinions) side of the quadrant is the B/I half (B=Business Owner, I=Investor), and why, and gives some good ideas about how to get started in moving across the "great divide".
Most of his subsequent books (especially his Rich Dad Advisors series) covers more specifics on how to achieve this, but this book is the grounding you NEED to understand why and where to head, in the pursuit of TRUE financial security (passive income). For every one who's occasionally (or regularly) sick of commuting to and from work 5, 6 and even 7 days a week, and just wants to be able to roll over instead of rolling out when the electronic rooster (the alarm clock) goes off, this book if for you.
If you are not satisfied with your work, or have grown bored or even hate it, buy this book, read it, and begin implementing the lessons Robert teaches. Now you can NEVER say you don't have a way out!
The Profit Coach loves this book and gives it (yes, you guessed it) 5 stars! (...)
97 If you enjoyed the first, then purchase...
I enjoyed the first Rich Dad, Poor Dad book. Although it would be nice to have more specifics, I found the ideas contained in Kiyosaki's philosophy to be helpful. If you enjoyed the first book, then you will want to purchase this book. But if the first book did nothing for you, then stay away. I found the most helpful idea in the book to be the idea that to become rich, you must first BE rich. You must first live--or be--a rich person (not a person with an expensive house, expensive car, and expensive lifestyle). To do that is is to do--to do the things that rich people do. To do like the rich is only a show, it is only on the surface. You must first be rich in a Zen like way. You must not be afaird and let your emotions and the emotions and ignorance of others guide your financial decisions. Be rich, be unemotional about money, be sure of your decisions.
98 Interesting Points, but long repetitive
I really found the ideas behind the cashflow quadrant interesting. However, I think it could have been done in half the pages or less. The book spent a lot of time re-explaining the same ideas that were in Rich Dad, Poor Dad (build assets and lower liabilities) over and over again. After about 70 pages of it, I got tired and started to skim the rest of the book. I felt really bad about that because I occasionally found some really interesting points interlaced between the repetitive stuff. I really enjoyed "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" and was looking for some hard lined advice about how to begin my quest for financial independance. Instead, the book was still largely a rehash of the same info. I'm going to return it... Unfortunate... :( It's worth noting, however, that Kiyosaki does mention several other books to read about becoming financially independant. I think I will check those out...
99 Double thumbs up!
It serves as an eye opener to those who are still caught in the rat race yet struggling to get out , to wake up and start to discover within themselves their core values, personal beliefs and future dreams. Robert is indeed a guru in this field!Well done, Robert! Keep it up!
100 Cash flow assets will make you rich.
Robert Kiyosaki is a master teacher on how do get rich. This book changes your mindset so that you know how to buy "assets" and minimize "liabilities". Robert explains in detail what cashflowing assets are. I recommend all of his books for your library so that you will escape the rat race.
