Some people were born with a keen knack for money. If you’re like me, you need a bit of help. Maybe math isn’t your strong point. Maybe you tend to spend more than you should. Or maybe you can’t find any motivation to keep track of your money. Whatever it is, you can get a grip on your finances. So how do you change all that? Step 1: educate yourself.
Personal finance books can empower you to start budgeting, get out of debt, save for retirement, and tackle all sorts of other money issues with confidence. Instead of spending all day researching which books to read, I’ve done the work for you. Check out ten of my favorite personal finance books below.
Rich Dad Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not!
Robert Kiyosaki’s book is something of a memoir with lessons sprinkled throughout. The #1 bestselling personal finance book of all time contrasts the author’s not-so-rich father and his friend’s dad, who was one of the wealthiest in Hawaii. Not only does the comparison cover how to best manage your money (or lack of it), but also how to help your kids do the same.
Rich Dad Poor Dad shows that not all debt is bad. Rather, it’s the way you handle the money that you have which determines financial freedom.
>>Buy Here or find the audio version on Audible, Blinkist, or Scribd
The Total Money Makeover Classic Edition: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness
From the five-time New York Times bestselling author and personal finance guru Dave Ramsey, The Total Money Makeover gives you a solid foundation for saving money, enough for an emergency fund, your kid’s college, and a comfortable retirement. The book covers how to pay off your debt, budget-busters, and much more.
>>Buy Here or find the audio version on Audible, Blinkist, or Scribd
You Are a Badass at Making Money: Master the Mindset of Wealth
A sequel to the #1 New York Times bestseller, You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life, the second Badass book by Jen Sincero is a candid and laughable take on the author’s personal experiences as she goes from penny-pinching to living much more comfortably.
You Are a Badass #2 was written to help you recognize bad financial habits and adopt simple concepts to handle your money better.
>>Buy Here or find the audio version on Audible, Blinkist, or Scribd
The Richest Man in Babylon
This classic personal finance book reads like a fictional one, but don’t judge it by its tone. You’ll get a lot of money management lessons from it. Author George Samuel Clason offers an Aesop-fable-like collection of stories about financial successes and failures from ancient Babylon.
The principles that worked for people living in these ancient times also apply to the present day. Clason covers not only personal finance but also business considerations and dilemmas.
>>Buy Here or find the audio version on Audible, Blinkist, or Scribd
The Automatic Millionaire: A Powerful One-Step Plan to Live and Finish Rich
David Bach’s book opens with a success story of a couple who, despite earning a modest income, owns two mortgage-free homes with a big chunk of money stowed away for retirement. The author then goes on to explain a very simple process that takes only one step, which will put you in the same financial position as the couple. And no, it doesn’t involve earning six figures a year or budgeting.
>>Buy Here or find the audio version on Audible, Blinkist, or Scribd
Age-Proof: Living Longer Without Running Out of Money or Breaking a Hip
Written by financial expert Jean Chatzky, and wellness expert Dr. Michael F. Roizen, this book suggests you should take care of your finances in the same way you take care of your health. Don’t spend more money than you earn, and don’t eat more calories than you burn off. If you do both at the same time, you’ll be…well, age-proof. The book includes tips and tricks for changing your behavior so you can achieve both health and wealth.
>>Buy Here or find the audio version on Audible, Blinkist, or Scribd
The Millionaire Next Door: The Surprising Secrets of America’s Wealthy
Guess what? Most millionaires aren’t well-known celebrities. Many are quite ordinary like you and me. Authors Thomas J. Stanley and William D. Danko profile various people whose net worth is at least $1 million.
They cover how these millionaires get to where they are and how you can learn from their thriftiness and discipline. Most chose to live below their means and adopt low-key lifestyles that resulted in maintaining and expanding their wealth.
>>Buy Here or find the audio version on Audible, Blinkist, or Scribd
Your Money or Your Life: 9 Steps to Transforming Your Relationship with Money and Achieving Financial Independence
Authors Vicki Robin and Joe Dominguez pose the theory that cheap is better and that living frugally results in a happier state of mind. Instead of choosing the highest paying job, opt for the job that makes you happier, then trim your budget to fit your salary.
The book doesn’t so much cover budgeting as it does living within your means by adjusting your habits and letting you enjoy life every step of the way.
>>Buy Here or find the audio version on Audible, Blinkist, or Scribd
Why Didn’t They Teach Me This in School: 99 Personal Money Management Principles to Live By
Cary Siegel was motivated to write this book when he realized how inadequately schools had taught handling money to his own children. Although written with young adults in mind, his 99 principles apply to everyone of any age.
>>Buy Here or find the audio version on Audible, Blinkist, or Scribd
How to Retire Happy, Wild and Free: Retirement Wisdom That You Won’t Get from Your Financial Advisor
Instead of focusing on budgeting in preparation for retirement, this book covers retiring well on what you’ve managed to squirrel away.
Author Ernie J. Zelinski makes a strong case against needing $1 million-plus in savings to be “happy, wild, and free” in retirement. Instead, he’ll give you tips on how to enjoy the best years of your life with the money you have.
>>Buy Here or find the audio version on Audible, Blinkist, or Scribd
Personal finance apps can help you save money. Click here for our favorite ones.
READ MORE: SEE THE BEST BANK BONUSES HERE AND THE BEST INVESTING BONUSES HERE.
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