Now that I’m no longer going to school for my English degree, I have time to read. Surprisingly, at the top of my list are personal finance books. If you would have told me when I was a teenager that I would develop a deep love for reading personal finance books, I would have told you that you were nuts. Fourteen-year-old me would have thought that twenty-eight-year-old me was boring. But I do indeed love reading up on personal finance. I just can’t get enough. It’s not nearly as dull as I would have imagined, but practical and inspiring. Here, in no particular order, are ten books that I’ve been seeing around the interwebs and dying to get my hands on.
1. Broke Millennial: Stop Scraping By and Get Your Financial Life Together by Erin Lowry
I already started this one but got distracted with other things, like finishing my degree and planning a wedding and visiting my long-distance fiance. I flipped through the book and it looks like it has some great information. Erin is incredibly relatable and she’s got an easy-to-read writing style. This is a great book if money totally intimidates you and you feel like you need to learn the basics but don’t know where to start.
2. Meet the Frugalwoods: Achieving Financial Independence Through Simple Living by Elizabeth Willard Thames
I put myself on the waiting list for this book at my local library weeks ago. There were 9 people in front of me before the book even came out! I just got the notification that it’s waiting for me at the library so I’m going to go pick it up today. Can’t wait to dive in! I’ve been reading Elizabeth’s blog for about a year now and love it. Her posts are super long and I still read the whole dang things, so I know I’m going to love her book. This book would be a great choice for you if you’re interested in how to really cut corners in your spending and how that can let you choose your own path in life.
3. Rich Dad Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not! by Robert T. Kiyosaki
I’ve heard about this book a lot but hadn’t looked past the title on account of the fact that I’m not a dad. My interest in reading this is mainly because it’s a classic personal finance book and I’ve seen the title everywhere. I think it would be useful to read to shape how I handle money myself, but also to start thinking about how I’ll teach my kids about money one day. (Sorry, Mom. This isn’t an announcement).
4. The Spender’s Guide to Debt-Free Living: How a Spending Fast Helped Me Get from Broke to Badass in Record Time by Anna Newell Jones
Confession: I’ve already read this book, but I’m planning on reading it again now that my life circumstances are a little different (ie: I have a full time job and a husband and more bills to pay). Anna has an amazing Facebook group that is really encouraging and supportive. I recommend the book and the community. It’s a particularly helpful book if spending is a struggle for you, but either way you’ll get a lot out of it.
5. The Simple Path to Wealth: Your road map to financial independence and a rich, free life by JL Collins
I have two reasons for wanting to read this. First of all, it was highly recommended by Elizabeth Willard Thames (see above), whose opinion on personal finance I highly trust. Secondly, the investment world scares me, and the best way to get over that fear is exposure (link to post). This book is supposed to have lots of great information on that.
6. Why Didn’t They Teach Me This in School? by Cary Siegel
I’ve been seeing this a lot of places and I’m curious to know what the author thinks people most need to know about money. I mean, what if there’s something that I don’t know yet? There probably is, and that thought is scary for an Enneagram 5 like myself. Also, if I like it, I’ll totally become one of those people who gift books about personal finance for someone’s graduation. You’re welcome.
7. The Millionaire Next Door: The Surprising Secrets of America’s Wealthy by Thomas J. Stanley
I’ll be honest, the main title doesn’t really intrigue me much. But the subtitle? I want to know the secrets. There’s a millionaire living next door to me? Who? I want to spot them. Not so that I can ask them for money. I’m just curious about people.
8. I Will Teach You to Be Rich by Ramit Sethi
I’ve heard great things about this book, too. It’s supposed to be funny and easy to read. Most relevantly, Ramit tells you what to do with your money and why.
9. The Year of Less: How I Stopped Shopping, Gave Away My Belongings, and Discovered Life Is Worth More Than Anything You Can Buy in a Store by Cait Flanders
An entire year of no shopping? HOW? I’m dying to know more. Our culture has this mentality that we have to spend money, have to buy new clothes every season, have to browse the sales. Even though I know I don’t have to, I find myself buying things more often than I wish, which hurts my wallet and causes clutter. I’m looking forward to learning how Cait dealt with these issues and how exactly not spending affected her life.
10. Secrets of the Millionaire Mind: Mastering the Inner Game of Wealth by T. Harv Eker
This one is also on my list because of its status as a personal finance classic. I know a lot of people have found it helpful and I’m curious to see if it delivers on all it promises. The main premise of the book is that everyone has a money “blueprint.” The way you think about money can either make you wealthy or keep you poor, depending on what your blueprint is.
