Best Books On Personal Finance For Beginners

First to a Million by Dan Sheeks. Even though it says “A teenagers guide” don’t think that only teenagers should read it.

I have given out this book several times to teenagers for them to learn how money actually works so they don’t get into the trouble I (and so many others) did with the money. Being a negative $105k net worth and only making $11k a year after graduating college showed me how much I didn’t know about money.

This book is a great start for those that are just starting out, but it has a ton of information on how to pursue financial independence at a young (or any) age.

Richest Man in Babylon by George Clason. This is a story that teaches one of the greatest lessons in finances.

Pay yourself first. No matter what you do.

The book shows you numerous reasons why you should pay yourself first and then pay your expenses after.

When we learn to live with less it is amazing how much we can save and invest without losing our quality of life.

The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey. If you are drowning in debt and don’t know what to do next, this IS the book to read first.

This is the only book to read on this list if you don’t have $1,000 in savings, credit card debt you don’t pay off every single month, and tens of thousands of dollars in car, and student loans.

I am not a huge fan of the just cash system personally, but if you have impulse control with credit cards it is worth it to switch to cash only for a time.

Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki. This is probably the best book to help you open up your brain to the possibilities of how money actually works.

Robert Kiyosaki grew up with two powerful male role models in his life. One was poor but did all the things that culture tells you to do. Get a safe job and save a little money.

The other was a dropout but owned numerous businesses and employed hundreds of people.

This book provides another way of thinking about how to make money. I highly recommend it if you aren’t up for just working and saving money for 40+ years.

I Will Teach You To Be Rich by Ramit Sethi. He lays out so much information about investments that it is a must-read if you don’t understand the stock market.

Frankly, it is a must-read if you think you do understand the stock market.

He covers all the different types of investments you can make and gives very practical advice that will get you set up financially if you keep working on the process. Which honestly almost runs on autopilot.

The Automatic Millionaire by David Bach. He is famous for his Latte Factor.

The Latte Factor is the practice of examining your daily / weekly small expenses to remove those and invest the difference.

Many people nickel and dime themselves to death. This is why I tell you to save and invest money first and live on the rest of what you make.

It will be the small expenses that you will automatically cut out. This is a good read to understand what a $3 – $6 coffee 5 times a week is actually costing you.

The Miracle Morning: The Not-So-Obvious Secret Guaranteed to Transform Your Life (Before 8 AM) by Hal Elrod. The book is a game changer in terms of changing your daily routines.

Hal Elrod has an amazing personal story that is worth a read.

The summary of the book is to wake up early and start your day doing what he calls Life S.A.V.E.R.S.

Silence, Affirmations, Visualizations, Exercise, Reading, Scribing (writing). Check out this book if you want to change your habits and really change your life.

The Insider’s Guide to Affiliate Marketing by David Sharpe. This e-book shows you how to use affiliate marketing to make money online.

If you don’t know what affiliate marketing is it is where you recommend a product that someone else has created and if they buy it you get a small commission for the recommendation.

You shouldn’t recommend anything you haven’t benefited from. All the books on this page I have personally used and have recommended to friends and family. This $1.99 book will help you learn how to make money recommending products you use.

Profit First by Mike Michalowicz. This book covers how to order your finances from a small business you own.

He uses the concept of paying yourself first but in business.

The best part about this book is it breaks down how much you should be spending in different categories for a healthy business and how those percentages change as your business grows.