Best Personal Finance Books Of All Time

Introduction

My definitive guide to the best personal finance books that can help us all manage our money a little better.

I love to read, I always have done and seeing as I have a personal finance blog it made sense to get out there and read some of the best personal finance books available.

I have been reading since an early age when I used to read fantasy books by Ian Livingstone. These came with dice and you decided where in the book’s journey you would go next.

A lot of my early memories were of these books, So much so that I still have a couple of them now.

My love of reading then took me on to the horror genre and Stephen King and James Herbert.

These books only increased my love to read and I used to read for an hour before going to bed to help me sleep. Although after Stephen King’s books, this was sometimes difficult.

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My Experience With Finance Books

When I started this blog it didnt even occur to me to incorporate my love of reading into a post. But that changed when I was browsing through my Kindle one evening and saw on their promotions a personal finance book.

I read a snippet and was fascinated so decided to buy this personal finance book on the spot right there and then and that book was called Rich Dad Poor Dad. It was listed up there as one of the best books in personal finance so it needed looking into.

Out of all the personal finance books I have read, I have found the ones that have helped me the most have been budgeting books.

Budgeting books have given me a great insight into how to manage my money better.

1: RICH DAD POOR DAD

This is one of the oldest books in this list and was originally written in 1997. You can expect some of the writing to be a little dated but all the principles still apply.

The version I read was the 20th-anniversary edition which was released in 2017 and has been updated by the author. It includes different things we have seen over the last 20 years about money and investing etc.

The main feature of this financial book is around Robert growing up with his poor father and his father’s friend who was rich. It is also about the different contrasts between the two men and what he learnt from both men as he turned from child to adult.

I found it fascinating and there are some great insights in this book. It hasn’t got the greatest reviews I believe a lot of this is down to the fact that some of the stories need to be taken with a pinch of salt.

Remember the reason you are reading the book is because of the principles more than the stories. Although this financial book has received a few bad ratings I would still suggest you read it.

Is it one of the best personal finance books of all time? I wouldn’t say so but it is still a great book and one that should be on your list.

2: THE MILLIONAIRE NEXT DOOR

In my list of the best personal finance books of all time, this was the second personal finance book I ever read. Written by Thomas J Stanley and William D Danko I found it a very simple book to read.

The ideas are easy to follow and also lead to that light bulb moment of “Why haven’t I been doing this all along”

The book is quite Americanised but as a UK reader try not to let this put you off. The good thing is the book reaffirms the point that most millionaires are not making money on YouTube or are Instagram influencers. Probably a good thing in my eyes.

Overall the book has some great guidelines that can be used in everyday life. It’s certain to improve your finances and money management.

3: SECRETS OF SIX FIGURE WOMEN

Now although this financial book wouldn’t ordinarily of been on the top of my list It is still on the list of best personal finance books to read for me as it contains real facts which always keep me hooked.

The Author Barbara Stanny has gone out and interviewed lots of high-powered women in various job roles. She has then noted down a lot of the characteristics they bring to the table.

She then compiled all of these characteristics into this book to find out what they all had in common. How did their traits power them into positions that enabled them to be top earners in their field?

Although this book doesn’t apply to me directly as a male it is still a very fascinating read. Its the perfect finance book for women looking for some empowerment and motivation.

4: WHY DIDNT THEY TEACH ME THIS IN SCHOOL

This is on my list of best personal finance books because of this. As far as I can remember I’m sure it is still the same, Finance and how to manage money is not taught in the UK schools curriculum.

I do find it a little maddening that you can be taught how to bake a cupcake or play the recorder but not basic money skills which are essential to leading a happy fulfilling life. Madness.

Judging by the reviews I have seen it isnt taught to any kind of level in other countries either.

The book written by Cary Siegel is a list of 99 personal money management principles to live by.

Some of these you will know but some you won’t. It is a great example of one of the budgeting books I love to read as simple budgeting can be overlooked by so many.

This book is the type of book to enhance my love of reading as it just gets straight to the point with no messing about.

It is easy to read and has lots of valuable information for everyone.

Some will say that some of the principles are too simple and would just require common sense, however, I feel that common sense seems to be a bit lacking in the current time. This kind of book should be read in schools in my humble opinion.

5: I WILL TEACH YOU TO BE RICH

I Will Teach You to be Rich is on the list of best personal finance books because the author Ramit Sethi manages to help people master their money management and money habits to a point whereby they can make it earn for them.

He talks about crushing debt and loans to easy-to-follow investment tips that can help grow any savings you might have.

He will teach you how to save better and how to make the most of your bank accounts and more importantly what you have in them.

It is an easy-to-read and follow book with no technical jargon that isnt fully explained easily. This is the 6-week program your finances could very well need.

NB: The Author Ramit Sethi has a great series on Netflix called “How to Get Rich”. He takes people from across the US and helps them improve their finances, Really worth a watch.

6: THE TOTAL MONEY MAKEOVER

This book by Dave Ramsey is called The Total Money Makeover and is the perfect money management book with tips on how to save money and how to invest any spare money you have along with how to crush debt and student loans.

Dave Ramsey could easily have more than one book in the best personal finance books list but this is the one I chose.

He combines money management in this budgeting book with simple investments but it will go a long way in securing your financial future.

Although the book is primarily designed for a US audience it has all the principles that still work in the UK and Europe.

The book is filled with people who have tried his principles and the success stories that go with them. This does fill the book out somewhat but if there are some great money tips within.

Dave Ramsey can be a divisive figure but his money principles cannot be dismissed.

7: THE INVESTMENT ANSWER

The investment answer written by Gordon Murray and Daniel Goldie is a very short but interesting read and dive into investing for beginners.

My knowledge of investing is more than the average person but still not what I would call even full basic knowledge of investing so a book like this was a great eye-opening read for me.

This personal finance book provides us, the readers with the knowledge to make 5 key decisions when it comes to investment.

The book manages to teach you the fundamentals and steer you clear of any get-rich-quick nonsense while providing you with those 5 key facts.

Great for people with no clue as to how to start investing and is aimed at the younger generation.

8: THE MONEY BOOK FOR THE YOUNG

The Money Book for the Young, Fabulous and Broke by Suze Orman is usually on the list of best personal finance books mainly because it is aimed at young people who have loans and debts and no idea how to manage their money at all.

It is another book that is aimed at people living in the US but a lot of the simple principles can be applied by people living outside the US.

It is straight-talking, no-nonsense, direct advice for those people who have maxed out credit cards and no money management skills to get out of debt stay out of debt and make their money work for them.

One of the easiest-to-read and understand financial help books for people lacking the knowledge to help themselves.

9: SECRETS OF THE MILLIONAIRE MIND

Secrets of the Millionaire Mind By T. Harv. Eker. A good look at what makes rich people rich in terms of their behaviour and upbringing. It also explains how poor people can unknowingly teach poor financial mindsets to their children so that they also end up living on the breadline.

It is a fascinating look at the psyche of the human mind when it comes to money.

While the book would lead you to believe that anybody can become a millionaire if they have the right mindset, I’m not sure that is possible. The book does lay down some great practices that can really help you with your money management.

Conclusion Of The Best Personal Finance Books

So which ones on this list have you read? Are there any I may have missed out on which make your top books? I would love to hear your thoughts, drop a comment and let’s discuss.