A new age in personal investment has been forced on to an unsuspecting, unwilling public in the 1990s. Negative equity, privatization and the rise of a new wave of investment instruments (PEPs, TESSAs etc) has led to an increasing demand for information and guidance in personal finance affairs. This work offers no-nonsense advice to the bewildered investor, covering a vast range of topics relevant to the ordinary man on the street. It is full of forthright advice, colloquialisms and quotes that encourages the reader to take action. In addition, it includes some advanced material for the more experienced investor which is always flagged with advice. More than other personal finance books, How To Fix Your Finances looks at the fundamentals of investing. Challenging commonly-held beliefs about financial planning advisors, the author reaches conclusions, often uncomfortable for these providers, that are surprising but logical. He shows that, once the product providers' hype is removed, financial products all boil down to combinations of cash, bonds, shares, and maybe property. This book proves that it is easier to plan personal finances when in possession of a sound understanding of the characteristics of these basic assets, their risks and returns.