DIAMONDS, it would seem, have been replaced by diversified investment and long-term financial planning as a girl's best friend.
At least that is what author Neale Godfrey suggests in her latest book, Making Change: A Woman's Guide to Designing her Financial Future (Simon & Schuster, US$22).
Forget about relying on fathers, lovers and husbands for money management. Calculate what you need and want, and then decide how to get it. That is the central theme of Making Change.
It is worth wading through the hand-wringing jargon that United States self-help books deem necessary, for tucked inside this one are some practical nuggets of information on money management for the beginner anywhere.
The book is based on the premise that the financial world puts women at a disadvantage and money is the last taboo subject for women.
'Handling money is the last frontier for women in taking charge of their own lives,' Ms Godfrey says.
Women want to take care of themselves but run into stereotypes, fear and lack of knowledge. The book walks the novice through stocks, bonds, mutual funds and the wisdom of dollar-cost averaging - that is, investing small amounts at regular intervals over a long period.