The Best Personal Finance Books that Must Be on Your Bookshelf! (2024)

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Whether you are looking for a great present for a loved one this holiday season or just want to learn more about taking control of your finances, any of these ten personal finance books listed below are a great choice. In fact, they should already be on your bookshelf or nightstand. These are the top ten personal finance books that everyone should read.

The Best Personal Finance Books that Must Be on Your Bookshelf! (1)

The best personal finance books:

  1. The Total Money Makeover
  2. The Automatic Millionaire
  3. The Intelligent Investor
  4. The Millionaire Next Door
  5. The Other 8 Hours (TIPS)
  6. The Wealthy Barber
  7. Your Money or Your Life
  8. Crush It
  9. The Richest Man in Babylon
  10. Beating the Street

1. The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey

If you didn’t know that I absolutely love this book, then you don’t read Money Q&A very much. Maybe you are new. That’s okay. It is an incredible book. It is where everyone should start.

It walks you through saving for an emergency fund, getting out of debt, starting to invest, saving for college, paying off your mortgage, and reaching financial peace in your life. You need this book if you do not read any other on this list. Get this book!

In The Total Money Makeover, Dave Ramsey provides readers with his system for seven baby steps to financial freedom that includes paying off your debt, investing 15% of your income for retirement, saving for your children’s education, paying off your mortgage, and living like no other financial peace.

The Total Money Makeover: Classic Edition: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness Price: $17.93 The Best Personal Finance Books that Must Be on Your Bookshelf! (2) Full Disclosure: We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase, at no additional cost to you. Last Updated: 10/10/2018

2. The Automatic Millionaire by David Bach

I love David Bach’s book, The Automatic Millionaire! This book is one of the first personal finance books that I ever read. Now almost two decades later, David Bach’s Latte Factor is now a common phrase in our frugality vernacular.

The book shows how anyone can achieve financial success by cutting out unnecessary expenses, paying yourself first with your investments, and set up a simple plan of how you can retire a millionaire and live the life of your dreams.

The Automatic Millionaire is a bestselling classic that has spanned a whole genre of personal finance books that feed off his systems such as Smart Couples Finish Rich, The Automatic Millionaire Homeowner, Start Late Finish Rich, and many others.

What are your favorite personal finance books? Which one must everyone read?Click To Tweet

The Automatic Millionaire, Expanded and Updated: A Powerful One-Step Plan to Live and Finish Rich Price: $10.20 The Best Personal Finance Books that Must Be on Your Bookshelf! (3) Full Disclosure: We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase, at no additional cost to you. Last Updated: 10/24/2018

3. The Intelligent Investor by Benjamin Graham

Benjamin Graham is considered one of the greatest investment advisors of the twentieth century. Graham pioneered the philosophy of value investing which shields investors from substantial error and teaches them to develop long-term strategies and has madeThe Intelligent Investorthe stock market bible ever since its original publication in 1949. Over the years, market developments have proven the wisdom of Graham’s strategies and made his book one the best personal finance books on the market.

Price: The Best Personal Finance Books that Must Be on Your Bookshelf! (4) Full Disclosure: We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase, at no additional cost to you. Last Updated: 01/01/1970

4. The Millionaire Next Door by Thomas Stanley and William Danko

Millionaires have many of the same traits as each other. The bestselling book, The Millionaire Next Door, identifies seven key common traits that show up again and again among those who have accumulated wealth.

Most of the truly wealthy in this country don’t live in Beverly Hills or on Park Avenue. They live next door, right under your nose without you ever realizing it for the most part. What makes these neighbors so successful? Thomas Stanley and William Danko reveal those key traits in their best-selling book.

The Millionaire Next Door: The Surprising Secrets of America's Wealthy Price: $13.76 The Best Personal Finance Books that Must Be on Your Bookshelf! (5) Full Disclosure: We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase, at no additional cost to you. Last Updated: 10/24/2018

5. The Other 8 Hours by Robert Pagliarini

Your day does not start when you get out of bed. It actually begins when you get home from work. For a typical person, he or she spends approximately eight hours per day sleeping. Another eight hours of our day are lost to our job.

But, there are eight hours of our life that we control, and it is those eight hours that define us, define our financial freedom, and in many cases define our happiness in life. I absolutely love The Other 8 Hours! It really opened my eyes to the way that I was spending the time when I wasn’t working or sleeping.

6. The Wealthy Barber by David Chilton

David Chilton simplifies the complex puzzles of personal finance and helps you achieve financial independence. With the help of his fictional barber, Roy, and a large dose of humor, Chilton shows you how to take control of your financial future slowly, steadily, and with success.

Chilton’s plan in The Wealthy Barber that is detailed in an entertaining story is no get-rich-quick scheme, but it does make financial independence possible on nothing more than an average salary.

The Wealthy Barber, Updated 3rd Edition: Everyone's Commonsense Guide to Becoming Financially Independent Price: $11.97 The Best Personal Finance Books that Must Be on Your Bookshelf! (6) Full Disclosure: We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase, at no additional cost to you. Last Updated: 10/24/2018

7. Your Money Or Your Lifeby Joe Dominguez and Vicki Robin

In an age of great economic uncertainty when everyone is concerned about money and how they spend what they have, this new edition of the bestselling Your Money or Your Life is an essential read.

With updated resources, an easy-to-use index, and anecdotes and examples particularly relevant today, it tells you how to get out of debt and develop savings, reorder material priorities and live well for less, resolve inner conflicts between values and lifestyle, save the planet while saving money, and much more.

In Your Money or Your Life, Vicki Robin shows readers how to gain control of their money and finally begin to make a life, rather than just make a living. Your Money Or Your Lifeoffers a nine-step program for living more meaningful lives, showing readers how to get out of debt, save money, reorder priorities, and convert problems into opportunities.

Your Money or Your Life: 9 Steps to Transforming Your Relationship with Money and Achieving Financial Independence: Fully Revised and Updated for 2018 Price: $15.30 The Best Personal Finance Books that Must Be on Your Bookshelf! (7) Full Disclosure: We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase, at no additional cost to you. Last Updated: 10/24/2018

8. Crush It by Gary Vaynerchuk

Do you have a hobby you wish you could do all day? An obsession that keeps you up at night? Now is the perfect time to take those passions and make a living doing what you love.

In CRUSH IT! Why NOW Is The Time To Cash In On Your Passion, Gary Vaynerchuk shows you how to use the power of the Internet to turn your real interests into a real business. Gary spent years building his family business from a local wine shop into a national industry leader.

I have always loved this book! This is a book that every budding entrepreneur needs on his or her nightstand.

Crush It!: Why NOW Is the Time to Cash In on Your Passion Price: $15.15 The Best Personal Finance Books that Must Be on Your Bookshelf! (8) Full Disclosure: We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase, at no additional cost to you. Last Updated: 10/24/2018

9. The Richest Man In Babylon by George S. Clason

Read by millions, this timeless book holds the key to success in the secrets of the ancients. Based on the famous “Babylonian principles”, it has been hailed as the greatest of all inspirational works on the subject of thrift and financial planning.

This celebrated bestseller, The Richest Man In Babylon, offers an understanding of and a solution to personal money problems, revealing the secrets to acquiring money, keeping moremoney, and making money earn more money.

The Richest Man in Babylon Price: $8.99 The Best Personal Finance Books that Must Be on Your Bookshelf! (9) Full Disclosure: We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase, at no additional cost to you. Last Updated: 10/24/2018

10. Beating The Street by Peter Lynch

Peter Lynch’s “invest in what you know” strategy has made him a household name with investors both big and small. An important key to investing, Lynch says, is to remember that stocks are not lottery tickets.

There is a company behind every stock and reason companies and their stocks perform the way they do. In Beating The Street, Peter Lynch shows you how you can become an expert in a company and how you can build a profitable investment portfolio based on your own experience and insights and on straightforward do-it-yourself research.

Beating the Street Price: $10.98 The Best Personal Finance Books that Must Be on Your Bookshelf! (10) Full Disclosure: We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase, at no additional cost to you. Last Updated: 10/24/2018

Here is a list of the top 7 personal finance books that Money Q&A readers are buying on Amazon.

Did I miss one of your favorite personal finance books? I’d love to hear what you keep on your nightstand and refer back to often. I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comment section.

The Best Personal Finance Books that Must Be on Your Bookshelf! (2024)

FAQs

What is the #1 finance book? ›

I Will Teach You to Be Rich” by Ramit Sethi

Our top pick in finance books is the acclaimed “I Will Teach You to Be Rich,” a New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller now in its second edition.

What is the best book for financial literacy? ›

10 Financial Literacy Books to Learn From
  • Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey.
  • Rich Dad Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money – That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not! ...
  • How to Retire Early: Your Guide to Getting Rich Slowly and Retiring on Less by Robert and Robin Charlton.
Nov 3, 2023

Who is the best selling personal finance guru? ›

Dave Ramsey is the founder and CEO of the company Ramsey Solutions, where he's helped people take control of their money and their lives since 1992. He's also an eight-time national bestselling author, personal finance expert and host of The Ramsey Show.

What is a personal finance book? ›

Personal finance, as a term, covers the concepts of managing your money, saving, and investing. It also includes banking, budgeting, mortgages, investments, insurance, retirement planning, and tax planning.

What is the most sold financial book in the world? ›

Which is the most sold finance book in the world? Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert T. Kiyosaki is the best-selling finance book in the world. It has been translated into several languages and sold in many countries.

How much is Dave Ramsey worth? ›

At the age of 26, Dave Ramsey's real estate portfolio was worth $4 million, and his net worth was just over $1 million. 6As of 2021, his net worth is around $200 million.

How to increase your financial knowledge? ›

6 ways to improve your financial literacy
  1. Subscribe to financial newsletters. For free financial news in your inbox, try subscribing to financial newsletters from trusted sources. ...
  2. Listen to financial podcasts. ...
  3. Read personal finance books. ...
  4. Use social media. ...
  5. Keep a budget. ...
  6. Talk to a financial professional.

What are the 4 main financial literacy? ›

Financial literacy is having a basic grasp of money matters and its four fundamental pillars: debt, budgeting, saving, and investing. It's understanding how to build wealth throughout one's life by leveraging the power of these pillars.

How to master the power of money? ›

Nine Ways to Master Your Money
  1. Set S.M.A.R.T. Goals. ...
  2. Pay Yourself First. ...
  3. Maintain an Emergency Fund. ...
  4. Pay off Your Credit Card Debt. ...
  5. Insure Your Family Adequately. ...
  6. Buy a Home. ...
  7. Take Advantage of Tax-deferred Investments. ...
  8. Diversify Your Investments.

What is the #1 rule of personal finance? ›

#1 Don't Spend More Than You Make

When your bank balance is looking healthy after payday, it's easy to overspend and not be as careful. However, there are several issues at play that result in people relying on borrowing money, racking up debt and living way beyond their means.

Who is the famous personal finance guy? ›

Famous financial advisors became household names for a variety of reasons. Benjamin Graham and Warren Buffet are among the most common traditional financial advisors that relied heavily on value investing. Several financial advisors such as Dave Ramsey and Robert Kiyosaki are most known for their print publications.

Do finance guys make a lot of money? ›

Salaries in the finance industry

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statics (BLS), careers in finance pay a median salary of $76,850 — 66% higher than the median salary for all occupations in the nation ($46,310).

What are the 5 basics of personal finance? ›

There's plenty to learn about personal financial topics, but breaking them down can help simplify things. To start expanding your financial literacy, consider these five areas: budgeting, building and improving credit, saving, borrowing and repaying debt, and investing.

How to master personal finance? ›

Here are seven to get you started.
  1. Track your spending to improve your finances. ...
  2. Create a realistic monthly budget. ...
  3. Build up your savings—even if it takes time. ...
  4. Pay your bills on time every month. ...
  5. Cut back on recurring charges. ...
  6. Save up cash to afford big purchases. ...
  7. Start an investment strategy.
Jun 27, 2023

What to read after The Simple Path to Wealth? ›

Advertiser Disclosure
  • “The Simple Path to Wealth” by J.L. Collins.
  • “The Millionaire Fastlane” by M.J. DeMarco.
  • “The Bogleheads' Guide to Investing” by Taylor Larimore, Michael LeBoeuf and Mel Lindauer.
  • “The Richest Man in Babylon” by George S. ...
  • “The Intelligent Investor” by Benjamin Graham.
Feb 25, 2024

Is finance 1 hard? ›

Finance degrees are generally considered to be challenging. In a program like this, students gain exposure to new concepts, from financial lingo to mathematical problems, so there can be a learning curve.

Is Financial Accounting 1 a hard class? ›

The very first classes you take in accounting should provide a challenge but shouldn't be anything to lose any sleep over. In your very first accounting classes, you're likely to learn about some simple accounting concepts, but if these are all entirely new to you, then there'll be a lot to learn.

How hard is financial accounting 1? ›

Generally speaking, accounting is overall a difficult major, but financial accounting is a very straightforward class in the beginning. Financial accounting class teaches you the fundamentals of accounting. It's the ground-up class where you learn balance sheets, income statements, and cash flow.

What is the best business finance book for beginners? ›

The best business finance books for beginners include How to Read a Financial Report by Tage C. Tracy and John A. Tracy, How Finance Works: The HBR Guide to Thinking Smart About the Numbers by Mihir Desai, and The Personal MBA: Master the Art of Business by Josh Kaufman.

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