11 books for getting smarter about money
Money. Finances. Investing. Taxes. Just reading these words can drive your heart rate up and spike your blood pressure. It doesn’t have to be that way.
The concepts underlying how money works are simple and comprehensible to anyone. But finding the right source for financial wisdom can turn into a whole new stressor on its own.
Since nobody has time to waste on get-rich-quick nonsense or to listen to yet another lecture on why you'd be rich if you just stopped doing anything enjoyable forever. That’s why we’ve pulled together this list of books to help you understand how finance works, what you can do about your own situation, how your brain naturally thinks about money, and opportunities to go deeper and make your money work harder.
This is your brain on money
Before you can set a budget or pay off your debt, it helps to understand how your brain handles information about an abstract resource like money, and what to do with the emotions that can get in the way of getting on top of financial issues.
Your Money or Your Life: 9 Steps to Transforming Your Relationship with Money and Achieving Financial Independence
This updated classic book aims to help readers change their relationship to money to reduce stress and produce better financial outcomes. And because few of us save or spend alone, the most helpful part of this book may be how it helps the reader connect financial literacy with techniques for having tough conversations about money.
View eBook View AudiobookThe Psychology of Money: Timeless lessons on wealth, greed, and happiness
Through 19 short stories, author Morgan Housel explores the many irrational ways people approach a field that's supposed to be all about numbers and logic (isn't it?).
View eBook View AudiobookI Don’t Want to Die Poor: Essays
Writer Michael Arceneaux gets up close with “economic anxiety” and reveals the extent to which it has an impact on every facet of his life. It's there in his dating life and how he seeks medical care (or not). And of course, it's there in how he thinks about his career as a writer. By getting into his head as he examines his own economic anxiety, you might gain some insight into what scares you most about money.
View Audiobook View eBookRich Dad Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money—That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not!
The #1 personal finance book of all time still has lessons, 20+ years after it was first published. Kiyosaki offers a sympathetic view of how most of us are raised to think about money, and he builds a bridge to how we can think about money differently—with less stress and more curiosity.
View Audiobook View eBookSorting out your situation
These books get down to the nitty-gritty of reading your bank and credit card statements, setting budgets, and making realistic plans for spending and saving.
Living Debt-Free: The no-shame, no-blame guide to getting rid of your debt
From the founder of the New School of Finance, this book shows you that it is possible to have a life and pay down debt at the same time. In fact, Simmons argues, that’s the only way your debt reduction plan will work. By learning to take control of your finances and pay down your debt in a realistic way you’ll stay motivated long enough to see it through to the end. No shame. No blame. No scare tactics.
View Audiobook View eBookThe 21-Day Financial Fast: Your Path to Financial Peace and Freedom
Washington Post columnist Michelle Singletary proposes a field-tested financial challenge. For twenty-one days, participants will put away their credit cards and buy only the barest essentials. Her goal for every reader: financial peace and prosperity.
The Wealthy Renter: How to Choose Housing That Will Make You Rich
With house prices soaring, a renter can’t help wondering, “Am I missing out?” Alex Avery lays out a path to building personal wealth that doesn’t require taking on the burden of home ownership.
View eBook View AudiobookWealthing like Rabbits: An Original and Occasionally Hilarious Introduction to the World of Personal Finance
Covering subjects ranging from retirement savings and mortgages to credit cards and debt—interspersed generously with jokes—this book will arm you with simple strategies to help you balance your life goals with your financial responsibilities.
View eBookInvestment advice that's stood the test of time
Learn why "time in the market" beats "timing the market" over the long term. These books will teach you what you need to know to see through the investment influencers on social media, or how to feel confident and content while ignoring them.
Millionaire Teacher: The Nine Rules of Wealth You Should Have Learned in School
Sometimes all we need is a good teacher to tell us what we don’t need to know. Following a handful of basic principles, a former schoolteacher shows how you can spend just an hour per year on your investments, never think about the stock market's direction—and still beat most professional investors.
The Intelligent Investor: The Definitive Book on Value Investing
While preserving the integrity of original, this revised edition of the grandfather of all investing books includes updated commentary by noted financial journalist Jason Zweig, whose perspective incorporates the realities of today’s interconnected global markets, giving readers a more thorough understanding of how to apply Graham’s principles.
View eBook View AudiobookA Random Walk Down Wall Street: The Best Investment Guide That Money Can Buy
In this 13th edition of Burton G. Malkiel’s investment classic, readers gain authoritative insights spanning the full range of investment opportunities. Malkiel explains investment fads including cryptocurrencies, NFTs, and meme stocks, while demystifying terms like "ESGs" and "risk factor investing." This time-tested book can help you chart a calm course through the turbulent waters of today’s (and tomorrow’s!) financial markets.