The ideas in On My Own Two Feet seem too enticing to be real.

Through saving and budgeting, a woman could buy her own house and retire comfortably. She could afford emergencies without going into debt. Most importantly, she would be in control – not a significant other.

Women can do all of these things, and they don't need a financial adviser, says Manisha Thakor, 36, a Harvard Business School graduate who wrote On My Own Two Feet with fellow alum Sharon Kedar, 32.

"Personal finance does not have to complicated," Thakor said recently. "It's based on common sense. If someone's telling you something you don't understand, chances are they don't understand either."

The authors will discuss their new book tonight at the J. Erik Jonsson Central Library. Here's more from Thakor.

Lesley Téllez

Q: In the book's introduction, you write that women are getting shortchanged when it comes to personal finance. What do you mean?

A: Our point is that personal finance is important for everyone, but it's extra important for women, because we're the ones left holding the bag at the end of the day, statistically speaking. Eighty percent of men die married. Eighty percent of women die single. For two-thirds of women over the age of 65, meager Social Security payments are their primary source of income.

Q: You talk about the importance of saving. Should you set money aside even if you have a 401k? If so, where's the best place to put it?

A: You can never save too much, is our feeling. We recommend that you strive to save at least 15 percent of your growth income, with 10 percent of that going to your retirement and five percent earmarked for your emergency fund. Let's assume that you max out your 401k and you still have more to save. The next best place is to open a Roth IRA.

Q: Are the rules different for couples? Sometimes one person is more adept at handling money issues.

A: We think couples need to have minimum annual mutual financial checkups. They need to sit down and look over the household finances. How is the household spending done, compared to the budget? Where are you relative to your goals? Have any of your needs changed? How much, again, do you own and owe? Go over your credit reports.

Q: What about people who say, "I don't have any money to save?"

A: We know people who save money on salaries of $30,000 a year, and we know people who can't find a penny to save on $300,000 a year. It's a mind-set. If you want to, you can find it.

Authors Sharon Kedar and Manisha Thakor

Manisha Thakor and Sharon Kedar will discuss and sign copies of their new book, On My Own Two Feet: A Modern Girl's Guide to Personal Finance, today at the J. Erik Jonsson Central Library's first-floor auditorium. 6 to 8 p.m. 1515 Young St. 214-670-1608. onmyowntwofeet.com

Three things Manisha Thakor says a financially savvy woman should do now:

"If you start saving $2,000 when you're 18, and you save $2,000 every year until you retire, in retirement – if you've invested it wisely – you can have more than $2 million," Thakor says.

Unless you can pay off the balance at the end of the month, or unless it's a true emergency, don't use them. Paying the minimum balance each month ensures you'll end up spending nearly double what you charged in the first place.

Talk about money with your significant other. "You need to get financially naked," Thakor says. "Lay it all out there: Talk to each other about what you own, what you owe, and what your credit score is. Talk about your feelings toward budgeting."