16 Money Books Every Millennial Needs To Read
Money: It's a touchy subject for some people, and it's just a game for others.
I've been on both ends of that spectrum: totally broke and busted on one end, and total financial freedom on the other.
The former is stressful beyond belief, while the latter is completely awesome.
Now, I'm no Warren Buffett, but I do know what it feels like to pull myself up from the brink of bankruptcy and learn how to finally get my financial sh*t together.
Most of my money management education came from two places: failing miserably in the real world (and eventually learning from those failures) and reading lots and lots of books. Today, I'll explore the second.
More specifically, I'll drop a list of the 16 most powerful money management books I've ever read.
Some of them are old-school classics and others are new-age money books, written to help us adapt to the evolving economic conditions of the modern world.
All of them will help you get a handle on getting your financial sh*t together. Let's dive in, shall we?
1. "Millennial Money" by Patrick O'Shaughnessy
The money game isn't anything like it used to be. For us Millennials, it's taken an unrecognizable form — one that is not like anything our parents experienced.
"Millennial Money" provides unconventional strategies modern Millennials can actually put to use.
2. "The Total Money Makeover" by Dave Ramsey
In this book, famed financial coach Dave Ramsey breaks down a battle-hardened playbook for building up your financial fitness.
Here's some of what's covered in the book: the 10 most dangerous money myths, a surefire plan for paying off all your debt and how to secure a huge money reserve for those unexpected moments that matter most.
3. "Bold" by Peter H. Diamandis, Steven Kotler
"Bold" is the modern money book we've all been waiting for.
You learn about using exponential technologies, moonshot thinking and crowd-powered tools to create extraordinary wealth while making a difference in the world by doing meaningful work that matters.
Expect to learn new and unfamiliar methods to leverage the web's infinite tools to raise money, make money and manage money.
4. "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" by Robert Kiyosaki
This is the granddaddy of money management books. It's been around for a while, but that doesn't mean Millennials can't learn a thing or two.
If you're looking to learn a balanced combination of money management techniques to help you pave your path to success and financial abundance, this is your book.
This classic is filled with stories, strategies and inspiring insights to help you achieve the financial fitness you deserve.
5. "Think and Grow Rich" by Napoleon Hill
This is a real book of wisdom that goes far beyond what its title entails.
Originally published back in 1937, "Think and Grow Rich" sheds light on the principles, habits and secrets of some of history's wealthiest people, including Andrew Carnegie, Thomas Edison, Henry Ford and many more.
"Think and Grow Rich" is a must-read money book for anyone and everyone.
6. "I Will Teach You To Be Rich" by Ramit Sethi
It has a cheesy title, but it's a great book. "I Will Teach You To Be Rich" is a practical money management book that's based on four simple pillars of personal finance: banking, saving, budgeting and investing.
It also includes wealth-building ideas of money management for financial success.
7. "Secrets of The Millionaire Mind" by T. Harv Eker
This is a book about how to develop a successful psychology and mindset for money.
I believe this is the most important aspect of not just managing money, but of building abundance and gaining the financial freedom you deserve.
This is the essential money book for learning how to develop a millionaire mind.
8. "Flash Boys" by Michael Lewis
I'll be straight with you: This book will piss you off, but that doesn't mean it's not good. It's actually an incredibly compelling read.
The reason it will infuriate you is because it exposes how Wall Street was previously rigged for the benefit of the insiders (and only the insiders).
9. "How Adam Smith Can Change Your Life" by Russ Roberts
What does it take to be happy? Money? Fame? Respect? The feeling we're doing something of worth with our lives? What does it take?
In "How Adam Smith Can Change Your Life," Russ Roberts takes the old-school money management principles and applies them in a more modern context, better suited for our financial climate.
More than just another money book, this best-seller doles out life lessons from one of history's greatest thinkers and shows how happiness, virtue, fame and fortune are all interconnected.
10. "The One-Page Financial Plan" by Carl Richards
Let's face it: Money management can be a daunting topic. In "The One-Page Financial Plan," Carl Richards simplifies complex money management concepts and distills them into actionable advice.
These are steps anyone can follow to get a handle on their finances.
11. "MONEY Master The Game" by Tony Robbins
Based on extensive research and detailed interviews with more than 50 of the world's most legendary financial experts, from Carl Icahn and Warren Buffett to Ray Dalio and Steve Forbes, Tony Robbins condensed the incredibly complex concepts of investing and financial lingo into a simple, seven-step money book.
Regardless of how much (or how little) you understand this subject, anyone can use this book to gain financial freedom.
Money plays such a crucial role in our lives, we might as well learn to “master the game," right?
12. "The Intelligent Investor" by Benjamin Graham, Jason Zweig
In "The Intelligent Investor," you'll learn money management lessons from the greatest investment advisor of the 20th century, Benjamin Graham.
This gem of a money management book contains an updated approach on Graham's original philosophies, allowing you to implement these time-tested principles in the modern market.
This is the perfect book for anyone who wants to combine old-school investing wisdom with the realities of today's financial environment.
13. "Get Rich Carefully" by Jim Cramer
"Get Rich Carefully" is the battle-hardened how-to guide for effectively managing your personal finances.
Jim Cramer teaches you his principles on turning your savings into real, lasting wealth in a practical and easy-to-follow format.
14. "The Money Book for the Young, Fabulous & Broke" by Suze Orman
You can learn the basic principles of money management from one of the world's most trusted financial experts.
In this money book, Suze Orman covers all the fundamentals: credit card debt, student loans, credit scores, home buying, insurance and even how to handle the financial conundrums that come with your first real job (or business).
15. "Why Didn't They Teach Me This in School?" By Cary Siegel
The lack of basic information taught in our public schools on the topic of money management (and life, in general) is a total embarrassment.
The very place we'd expect to be taught these critical skills is the last place any of us ever learned how to get a handle on it.
This book breaks down what we should've learned about managing our money growing up.
16. "Thinking, Fast and Slow" by Daniel Kahneman
Money management, in large part, is the process of smart, strategic decision-making.
In "Thinking, Fast and Slow," Nobel Prize-winning author Daniel Kahneman helps us understand the triggers that go into the decisions we make in life and business.
That was right on the money.
Now that you have this list of 16 money books, there's only one question left: Which one do you read first?
Should you go out and get all of them immediately? Should you read them all at once? Should you take a lifetime to read them? So many options, so little time.
Ultimately, it's totally your decision what you do with this list and how you apply it to your life and career.
If I may, here's what I would suggest you consider before you get started:
- Subscribe to a book summary site, like FlashBooks, to get the key takeaways from the books on this list.
- If you'd prefer to read an entire book, I highly suggest you read just one book at a time.
Sometimes, when we see something new and exciting, we tend to want to do, learn or read it all at once. And, as we all know, this is nearly impossible to do without stressing ourselves out.
So, choose a book and then commit to reading it from start to finish.
