by Edda Vogt and Fabienne Lindner is positioned as a practical financial guide that aims to accompany readers through various phases of their lives. The authors address people who are dealing with investments for the first time or who want to reflect on existing financial decisions. The focus is on systematic wealth accumulation, taking into account individual requirements, objectives and levels of knowledge.
The aim is to make the world of financial planning, which is often perceived as complex, understandable and accessible - without resorting to simplistic recipes or abbreviated success stories. The authors use a variety of formats: Case studies, expert contributions, checklists and further advice accompany the theoretical principles.
Structure and layout
The structure follows a linear structure along the typical stages of a personal financial biography. Starting with the question of the Why The book covers a wide range of topics, from investing and specific financial planning to the selection of asset classes and strategies.
Chapters such as "Why invest?" or "Financial planning for rookies" are explicitly aimed at beginners. Later sections, for example on strategy development or the selection of specific financial products, deepen the knowledge and build on the previously taught basics.
The book is not intended purely as a textbook, but as a practical companion that provides different entry points depending on the life situation. A clear division into subject areas and decision stages makes it easier to find your way around.
Topic focus and content
The focus is on classic topics of private wealth accumulation. These include, among others:
- The relevance of long-term financial planning in the context of demographic and economic developments.
- The systematic comparison of forms of investment, especially between savings products and capital market investments.
- The compound interest effect as a central principle of long-term investing.
- Dealing with psychological barriers and financial beliefs.
- The role of digital tools in planning and implementation.
- A differentiated view of advisory services and their conflicts of interest.
- The classification of risks, both at product level and in the behavior of investors.
- The interplay of asset classes, investment horizon and individual risk tolerance.
There is a particular focus on women as a target group. Gender-specific barriers to accessing financial topics are addressed several times in the book. The term "female finance" is not treated as an isolated special topic, but is integrated as a cross-sectional perspective in several chapters.
Guest contributions from experts such as Dr. Birgit Happel and Marile Glöcklhofer complement this focus on social and structural conditions, such as care work or the gender pension gap.
Didactic approach
The style is deliberately kept low-threshold. Technical terms are explained and contexts are illustrated with catchy metaphors. The recurring metaphor of the "financial journey" gives the book a narrative structure. It makes it possible to convey complex topics in stages - from planning the journey to the stages and evaluation.
Checklists, specific tool tips and everyday reader questions make the book accessible to a broad target group. At the same time, the book remains fact-oriented throughout. Numerous references to studies, return ratios and systemic correlations are integrated.
A recurring theme is reflecting on one's own financial behavior. It is made clear that financial decisions are not only based on information, but are also strongly influenced by experiences, values and individual influences.
Target groups and usability
Investing with foresight is primarily suitable for people who want a structured approach to wealth accumulation. It is aimed at young professionals as well as people starting a family or in later phases of life with existing assets.
The book is helpful for those who want to find their way between product diversity, a flood of information and gaps in advice. It does not offer specific product recommendations, but rather enables independent decision-making.
Reading it can also be useful for people with basic prior knowledge, for example to systematically review their own investment strategy. However, those looking for detailed market analyses or in-depth information on specific financial instruments are less likely to find what they are looking for here.
"Your financial biography describes your financial development over the years. It shows how attitudes and experiences over the course of your life shape the way you handle money and how you develop financially. When we look at our own financial biography, we gain a better understanding of how we handle money. This understanding is important for wealth accumulation and a financially self-determined life - a life we want to live."
Edda Vogt & Fabienne Lindner
Short portrait of the authors: Edda Vogt & Fabienne Lindner
Edda Vogt has been working as a financial editor for over 25 years. An economics graduate, she works at the interface between the capital market, investor communication and financial education. As a certified stock exchange trader and portfolio manager, she is responsible for communications at a stock exchange. In books, articles, podcasts, lectures and via social media, she empowers people to engage independently with financial investments. Her goal: to move as many people as possible from saving to investing. For Edda Vogt, financial knowledge is a key to greater social justice, and transparency in investing is an expression of democratic participation.
Fabienne Lindner is a humanities and cultural studies scholar with more than ten years of experience in the financial sector. As a certified stock market trader and portfolio manager, she combines analytical depth with didactic clarity. In seminars, lectures, webinars and podcasts, she helps people to make informed and confident financial decisions. A particular focus of her work is the promotion of women in the area of wealth accumulation and retirement planning. Her aim is to present complex financial topics in a way that is understandable, practical and practicable for everyone.
Together, Edda Vogt and Fabienne Lindner are committed to more financial education and independence - true to life, well-founded and with a clear stance.
"Compound interest is the eighth wonder of the world. Those who understand it earn it; those who don't understand it pay it. [...] Compound interest describes the additional return from profit already earned. It leads to exponential growth of wealth along the time line."
Edda Vogt & Fabienne Lindner
My opinion on the content, presentation and classification of the book
Quite frankly: When I first looked at the book, I was disappointed. I had expected more for 25 euros - especially from GABAL Verlag. The paperback is more reminiscent of a self-published product than a published work. Haptically and visually, it can hardly be distinguished from an Amazon print-on-demand title. A publisher in particular should set quality standards, not reduce them. I think the decision to sacrifice quality here is negligent.
A look inside shows: The continuous text is frequently interrupted. There are guest articles, video links and additional tips. Some of them are helpful and practical. Others seem irrelevant or poorly categorized. What particularly bothers me is that many of the contributions are purely opinion-based and lack any technical classification. In my opinion, this is not enough for a really good non-fiction book.
This is exactly what I have been criticizing in the financial literature for years. Voices like Gerd Kommer's stand next to do-it-yourself "experts" without comment. Biographical stories stand next to strategic recommendations - without context. Readers get the impression that everything is of equal value. But that is not the case. Readers are looking for clarity, guidance and sound recommendations. They want to understand what works - not just what someone has experienced. A collection of voices is no substitute for classification.
Linguistically, the book is solid. The authors write in an experienced and targeted manner. You can tell that they have experience with financial education. Their network in the industry is also evident in the literature recommendations. But here, too, there is an aftertaste: some of the recommendations seem more like favors than genuine tips. I would have liked a focused selection of really relevant specialist literature.
The content of the book varies greatly. Some chapters are inspiring and helpful. Others remain superficial or get lost in media breaks. I was particularly disturbed by the lack of categorization - both for guest contributions and methods. Once again, the shopping cart style dominates: a bit of everything, without a clear line.
This overwhelms many readers. Instead of orientation, the book offers a broad display - without sorting, without evaluation. But financial education needs structure. It thrives on classification, relevance and scientific foundation. What is missing here is precisely that: clarity and weighting.
In the end, we are left with a book that is well-intentioned - but not entirely convincing in its realization.
"Women's financial empowerment is much more than a personal choice - it is a key to social change. True equality becomes tangible when the barriers that prevent women from pursuing their personal and financial goals equally fall."
Dr. Birgit Happel - Guest article "Female Finance - More than just an investment"
Evaluation and classification
The book has a clear educational focus. It provides basic financial education with the aim of enabling responsible decisions. The authors combine specialist knowledge with a social perspective without being preachy.
Edda Vogt and Fabienne Lindner's readers do not receive ready-made answers, but rather structures for individual decision-making. This approach is consistent throughout the entire work. Overall Investing with foresight a solid introduction to the topic of long-term financial planning.