With so many valuable resources online, it can be easy to overlook picking up a financial literacy book, but there are some compelling reasons for grabbing a paperback (hint: your brain really likes it!)
It can also be easy to go down the rabbit hole and get lost in the abundance of books out there. With so many to chose from, how do you know where to begin?
Here is your starting point, with my top 6 personal financial books I suggest to my clients:
(Note: I’ve linked these books on Bookshop.org, a website that supports local booksellers in your community).
Your Money or Your Life by Vicki Robins
Vicki Robin’s book is a New York Times Bestseller and once you crack it open, you’ll understand why.
It teaches you to have agency over how you feel about and deal with money throughout a nine-step program. She touches on everything from mindfulness and decluttering to side hustles and money conversations.
Vicki focuses on intentionality in your spending and investing. She explains how to make your money work for you and the world around us.
The book for those who want to live with intention:
Top read for the don’t-want-to-be-broke millennial:
Broke Millennial by Erin Lowry
Erin Lowry shows that being young doesn’t have to be synonymous with being broke.
One of my biggest complaints I hear about personal finance tips and books about money is that they really aren’t written for a millennial audience. And thanks to student loans and the financial climate we’ve started our careers in, millennials face different financial challenges than previous generations.
Erin writes in a relatable style that encourages action in readers and her philosophy is “Get Your Financial Life Together” (#GYFLT).
This book is for 20-30-year-old millennials looking for a financial plan that is not the typical personal finance book. This book will help those in their 20s and 30s navigate life with student loan debt, build friendships, and romantic relationships while being open about your finances.
The Millionaire Next Door by Thomas Stanley
Guys, I can’t help myself; I love this book. I love the foundation it teaches and I genuinely believe this is a must-read for everyone, no matter where you are at within your financial journey.
This book was first to discredit the common notion that millionaires always have luxury cars, designer clothes and giant mansions.
Stanley and Danko analyzed millionaires’ behavior and habits to show how they save, spend, and invest money. The findings were surprising. It turns out that people with a net worth of $1 million or more tend to live in middle-class neighborhoods, not in gated communities.
I love this book because rather than telling you what you should be doing with your finances, the authors share the seven common traits they find across most (or all) millionaires.
For those who want to learn from self-made millionaires:
For those interested in how to use money as a tool for wealth development:
Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki and Sharon Lechter
Robert Kiyosaki’s book has been around for a hot minute — *cough* 20 years! *cough*. So chances are, you might’ve already heard of this title, but let’s break it down anyway. Kiyosaki describes his own personal experience of how his father and his best friend’s father (aka, the rich dad) shaped his money perspective.
It doesn’t tell you how to build wealth while avoiding coffee and fast food, but how to build successful businesses that will create passive income for you. It’s not about asking for a 5% raise at your job; it’s about creating income streams that will work for you.
FYI, the book has been updated throughout the years, but if there’s one moral that has withstood the test of an evolving society, it’s that you don’t need to have a high salary to be rich.
Smart Couples Finish Rich by David Bach
Getting your own finances in order is sometimes hard enough. Add another person to the mix and it may feel even more stressful and almost impossible. Or, maybe you each have your own way of dealing with money, but you disagree with the other’s approach.
Sorting out your finances as a couple is no walk in the park. That’s why David Bach put together this holy grail of tips and strategies to make your money decisions as a couple feels easier.
The best book for couples:
For those who want to whip their finances into shape:
I Will Teach You to Be Rich by Ramit Sethi
Don’t be fooled by the name of this book. It’s not a “how to get rich quick” book. A key component of what Ramit teaches (which I also fully agree with) is putting systems in place to manage your money as streamlined as possible.
What I love most about this book is how specific Ramit gets. The book itself is digestible, his action steps doable, but most importantly, actually understanding why you’re doing what you’re doing!
Get ready to furiously taking notes while you read because Ramit’s points and strategies are practical enough to implement right freakin now!
Final Thoughts
Books are a fantastic tool to help you grow your financial knowledge and empower you to finally take action. There are so many more personal finance books I could recommend to you, but these six are an excellent starting point.
Have you read any of these? Let me know what you think in the comments below.
Happy Reading!
– Coach MicKallyn
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Meet MicKallyn
Hi, I’m MicKallyn, a Mortgage Lender/Banker turned Financial Coach. When student loans put me in debt, I knew I didn’t want to live the rest of my life paying them off, so I figured out how to pay them all off in just a year. Now I have zero debt, 3 homes, 4 college degrees and raising two little boys. I’ve traveled to over 22 countries and live a debt-free life. I’m committed to helping others do the same through 1 on 1 coaching and a personalized plan that actually works.
