If common sense is common no one will be deep in debt. Personal finance is one of the most essential skills we need to learn to understand how to handle money. Sometimes managing our personal finances can be helped by reading a great book written by true financial experts. If we only invest a few hours each week reading and applying the principles; we will be better equipped and in control of our money. There are plenty of guides in the form of finance books that gives good advice on saving, budgeting and investing. But we need easy-to-read books that will explain the basics of money management, the best way to earn and how to pay off our debts. To help narrow down your choices, we have selected the ten best personal finance books ever to help you earn, spend, save, grow and keep your hard earn money.
1. The Richest Man in Babylon by George S. Clason
This great book was hailed as the greatest of all inspirational books written on financial management that have inspired investors since its first publication in 1926. If you’re looking for a fun easy to follow non-fiction book that teaches the basics of personal finance, this book is for you. It is written for any age group who love to read relatable stories. This book teaches personal finance through short stories set in ancient Babylon. Each story tackles financial topic such as household budgeting, business finance and general money management. It emphasises saving over spending to let you have money left for things that makes you happy. This is the best advice of George S. Clason: “Budget thy expenses that thou mayest have coins to pay for thy necessities, to pay for thy enjoyments and to gratify thy worthwhile desires without spending more than nine-tenths of thy earnings.”
2. The Total Money Makeover – Dave Ramsey
Dave Ramsey offers solid basic advice on personal finance that is doable and can help you get out of debt. This complete guide spent over two years on the New York Times’ Best Seller list. This book is a collection of Ramsey’s financial advice on saving, starting to invest, paying off your debt, getting out of mortgage, increasing cashflow and reaching financial goals. His advice was put together into seven easy steps to financial freedom. By offering debt consolidation information and how to pay down credit cards he inspires people to manage their debt while creating a lasting lifestyle change to improve their situation.
3. The Millionaire Next Door – Thomas J. Stanley and William D. Danko
Real millionaires live next door without you realizing it. They have the same habits and traits, the book identifies the seven key common traits of truly wealthy people. Learning the seven key common traits will help readers develop good financial habits that will make them rich. This book is great for people in their 20s because it explained the fundamentals of personal finance in simple, easy to understand instructions.
4. Your Money or Your Life – Vicki Robin & Joe Dominguez
This personal finance book doesn’t just give financial advice but the psychology of money. The book offers a nine-step program for getting out of debt, saving money and living meaningful lives. It teaches how people should deal and talk about money, and how to put more value on experiences and less on material stuff. This book will make you reprioritise your goal into becoming financially independent and happy with the way you manage and spend your money.
5. I Will Teach You To Be Rich by Ramit Sethi
Sethi offers six-week personal finance program for beginners who want to master finance program with less effort. It breaks down complicated financial principles into simple, manageable and doable tips that anybody can follow. Sethi gives suggestion on how to save, how to automate your finances and how to increase your cash flow from doing passion projects. The easy to follow finance program is more flexible and workable you will likely do his suggestions to improve your financial situation.
6. The Automatic Millionaire by David Bach
David Bach teaches how people can achieve financial success by understanding their values and cutting out unnecessary expenses. The Latte Factor will make you realise that your little expenses can be redirected to help you save or get you out of debt. He emphasises about the benefits of using automated payroll deductions to pay bills and retirement fund. Pay yourself first with your investment. This technique can simplify your finances and let you retire a millionaire living the life of your dreams.
7. You’re So Money: Live Rich Even When You’re Not by Farnoosh Torabi
You’re so Money is a realistic personal finance book written for people in their 20s. This book tackles the issue of people making entry-level pay who love to splurge and spend nights out with friends. Torabi teaches college students how best to handle their finances in their first few years. This funny book explains how to survive without going broke and where to find fun places that will help you save money.
8. Get a Financial Life by Beth Kobliner
Get a Financial life is a great guide to people younger than middle-age who are interested in personal finance management. This book is written for young people with purchasing power who have no idea what they should do now that they are in their own. This book will let you understand the basic financial topics like health insurance, mortgage, car loan, retirement fund, and how to get out of debt. If you are burdened with student loan and want to learn ways how be debt-free this book is for you.
9. The Money Book for the Young, Fabulous & Broke – Suze Orman
While many books on finance were written for people about to retire mind set, The Money Book is written for millennials. TV star Suze Orman will help you navigate the basics of personal finance management. She teaches people how to cope with student loans, credit card debt and insurance. If you are young, fabulous and broke, keep reading and you will learn everything you need to know to never be broke forever.
10. Rich Dad, Poor Dad – Robert Kiyosaki
Personal finance author and lecturer Robert Kiyosaki tells the story of two fathers. His own father who was educated but never made a lot of money and his father’s friend who left school in eight grade but became a millionaire. This book teaches about the idea that financial success is not about what you know but how you apply it.