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Book Review: Stop Working

April 30th, 2005 · 10 Comments

I finally managed to borrow the book, Stop Working: Here’s How You Can!, from our local public library. It is self-published by Derek Foster, who retired at the ripe old age of 34 and promises to teach how anyone can do it.

The book reveals that Derek was able to retire early by saving regularly and diligently, and investing the proceeds in the stock market. Most of the book deals with his investment style, which he calls “Show me the money!” investing.

The author’s preferred investment vehicles are Canadian financials (banks, insurance, mutual funds), blue-chip American multi-national corporations, REITs and income trusts (power, pipeline and energy). I think the author’s strategy of investing in companies with a long history of dividend increases and his view of stocks as an investment in future cash flows are the secrets to his success.

There are no new “secrets to success” in the book (which is a good thing). I would definitely recommend the book to anyone who is just starting to invest in the market.

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10 responses so far ↓

  • 1 Big Cajun Man // May 1, 2005 at 8:49 am

    I put the book on hold at my library on line and I am number 57 on the list! Wow a popular book!

    c8j

  • 2 Canadian Capitalist // May 2, 2005 at 2:53 pm

    I put in a request as soon as I read a story in The Toronto Star. Now, I wish the library would order Jeremey Siegel’s The Future for Investors. Looks like I might have to buy it from the bookstore!

  • 3 Dave // Apr 13, 2007 at 1:17 am

    I bought this book a few months ago after reading about Derek in Money Sense magazine. He neglects the fact that he made an initial big gamble on Philip Morris, using borrowed money as well, and was able to build his grubstake from which he was able to then pad out his portfolio and supply his stream of income. It wasn’t solely from the $200 he socked away every month. He also calculates his income using government handouts like the GST rebate and CTC, which may seem a little dubious to those of us paying the taxes. Still the idea and theory seem sound. Though not written well (and his poetry is lousy), I still found it inspirational to a degree and motivating.

  • 4 Canadian Capitalist // Apr 13, 2007 at 10:05 am

    Dave: I agree with you and I made the point is a post when I first heard about Derek’s gamble in MO. Still, I have to concede that Derek is a very good investor, so I question whether his ideas are applicable to everyone.

  • 5 Randy Finley // Oct 7, 2007 at 11:37 am

    I have read both of Derek’s books but I seem to have missed
    a small part of the “drip plan.” I am 50 and I don’t have a lot of time left to get his dollars, but I thought I could maybe get a few bucks saved up. The question I have is; how long do you have to commit to the drip? Are you locked up for years, or can decide after a while you would like to just take the money you are earning on dividends and maybe stop buying shares? I’m not to sure how this part works. If you could answer this it would be appreciated much.
    Thankyou.

  • 6 The Lazy Investor Giveaway // Dec 4, 2007 at 6:01 am

    [...] “The Lazy Investor” which Mr. Cheap wrote a while back. As well here is a pretty good review of the Derek Foster’s first book “Stop [...]

  • 7 Book Review: The Lazy Investor // Feb 4, 2009 at 11:30 pm

    [...] finally managed to get Derek Foster’s follow-up to Stop Working: Here’s how you can! from the local library. I’m glad that I checked it out of the library instead of springing [...]

  • 8 The Danger in Chasing Yield // Feb 23, 2009 at 12:40 am

    [...] Stop Working: Here’s How You Can! and The Lazy Investor, Derek Foster advocates a strategy of putting a portion of a portfolio in [...]

  • 9 Book Review: Money for Nothing and Your Stocks for Free // Mar 25, 2009 at 6:01 pm

    [...] in Derek “Canada’s-Youngest-Retiree” Foster’s first two books (review of Stop Working and The Lazy Investor). With his new book though, the author is treading on dangerous ground with [...]

  • 10 Derek Foster Attempts a Comeback | Canadian Capitalist // Nov 15, 2009 at 11:18 pm

    [...] Millionaire Investor”. Which begs the question: Didn’t he claim in the first book that even young retirees don’t need anywhere near $1 million to [...]

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