Please enjoy these librarian recommended books, blogs, and podcasts on personal finance, investment, and retirement planning. Blurbs are taken from the publishers’ descriptions.
Read one book, listen to one podcast, watch one video, or enjoy them all. No matter what, you’re sure to learn something new. Extra points for checking out a book from the library rather than buying it!
Your Money or Your Life by Vicki Robin and Joe Dominguez. For more than twenty-five years, Your Money or Your Life has been considered the go-to book for taking back your life by changing your relationship with money. Hundreds of thousands of people have followed this nine-step program, learning to live more deliberately and meaningfully.
The Millionaire Next Door by Thomas Stanley. The bestselling The Millionaire Next Door identifies seven 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.
I Will Teach You to be Rich by Ramit Sethi. Buy as many lattes as you want. Choose the right accounts and investments so your money grows for you—automatically. Best of all, spend guilt-free on the things you love.
Get a Financial Life: Personal Finance in Your Twenties and Thirties by Beth Kobliner. For two decades, Beth Kobliner’s bestseller has been the financial bible for people in their twenties and thirties. With her down-to-earth style, she has taught them how to get out of debt, learn to save, and invest for their futures.
The Richest Man in Babylon by George Clason (Free Ebook Online Version The Richest Man in Babylon). The Richest Man in Babylon, based on “Babylonian parables”, has been hailed as the greatest of all inspirational works on the subject of thrift, financial planning, and personal wealth. In simple language, these fascinating and informative stories set you on a sure path to prosperity and its accompanying joys. A celebrated bestseller, it offers an understanding and a solution to your personal financial problem. Revealed inside are the secrets to acquiring money, keeping money, and making money earn more money.
Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki. Robert Kiyosaki has challenged and changed the way tens of millions of people around the world think about money. With perspectives that often contradict conventional wisdom, Robert has earned a reputation for straight talk, irreverence, and courage. He is regarded worldwide as a passionate advocate for financial education
The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey (EBOOK version). By now, you’ve heard all the nutty get-rich-quick schemes, the fiscal diet fads that leave you with a lot of kooky ideas but not a penny in your pocket. Hey, if you’re tired of the lies and sick of the false promises, take a look at this—it’s the simplest, most straightforward game plan for completely making over your money habits. And it’s based on results, not pie-in-the-sky fantasies.
The Bogleheads’ Guide to Investing by Taylor Larimore et al. Investing can be simple, but it’s certainly not simplistic. Over the course of twenty years, the followers of John C. Bogle have evolved from a loose association of investors to a major force with the largest and most active non-commercial financial forum on the Internet. The Boglehead’s Guide to Investing brings that communication to you with comprehensive guidance to the investment prowess on display at Bogleheads.org.
A Random Walk Down Wall Street by Burton Malkiel. Whether you’re considering your first 401k contribution, contemplating retirement, or anywhere in between, A Random Walk Down Wall Street is the best investment guide money can buy. In this new edition, Burton G. Malkiel shares authoritative insights spanning the full range of investment opportunities―including valuable new material on cryptocurrencies like bitcoin, and “tax-loss harvesting”―to help you chart a calm course through the turbulent waters of today’s financial markets.
The Simple Path to Wealth by JL Collins. This book grew out of a series of letters to my daughter concerning various things—mostly about money and investing—she was not yet quite ready to hear. Since money is the single most powerful tool we have for navigating this complex world we’ve created, understanding it is critical.
The Little Book of Common Sense Investing by John C. Bogle. Legendary mutual fund pioneer John C. Bogle reveals his key to getting more out of investing: low-cost index funds. Bogle describes the simplest and most effective investment strategy for building wealth over the long term: buy and hold, at very low cost, a mutual fund that tracks a broad stock market Index such as the S&P 500.
How to Make Your Money Last by Jane Bryant Quinn. Jane Bryant Quinn tells you how to squeeze a higher income from all your assets and how to evaluate your real risks.
The Bogleheads’ Guide to Retirement Planning by Taylor Larimore et al. Whatever your current financial situation, you must continue to strive for a viable retirement plan by finding the most effective ways to save, the best accounts to save in, and the right amount to save, as well as understanding how to insure against setbacks and handle the uncertainties of a shaky economy,
Napkin Finance by Tina Hay. Also available as an ebook.The first illustrated guide that makes finance fun and accessible, Napkin Finance can help even the most numbers-phobic reader learn about complex financial topics without dying of boredom.
The infographic guide to personal finance : a visual reference for everything you need to know by Michele Cagan. Want to better manage your money? This book will show you how…It simply delivers a tough topic in graphically appealing, digestible bites.
The index card : why personal finance doesn’t have to be complicated by Helaine Olen. Inside is an easy-to-follow action plan that works in good times and bad, giving you the tools, knowledge, and confidence to seize control of your financial life.
Online videos about personal finance
The Bogleheads Investment Philosophy and Sound Financial Lifestyle videos by Rick Van Ness.
JL Collins: “The Simple Path to Wealth”
Clark Howard: Save More, Spend Less
Free E-Book
- If You Can: How Millenials Can Get Rich Slowly by William J. Bernstein
Personal Finance Blogs
Get Rich Slowly – I’ll share stories about debt elimination, saving money, and practical investing. I’ll post occasional reviews of books, magazines, and software. I’ll scour the web for the latest personal finance tools and articles. I’ll also post news on related topics like simplicity, frugality, and personal development.
The Simple Dollar – The Simple Dollar began as a community for people to learn and share real-life personal finance strategies. While the team continues to grow, our mission remains the same: providing well-researched, useful recommendations and advice that empowers our readers to make smart financial decisions. In addition to the finance blog that made us famous, we now offer comprehensive guides on credit cards, investing, banking, insurance, and more.
Mr. Money Mustache – Mr Money Mustache is a thirtysomething* retiree who now writes about how we can all live a frugal yet Bada** life of leisure
jlcollinsnh – Blog of JL Collins, author of The Simple Path to Wealth.
Podcasts
BiggerPockets Money Podcast – This show provides the education you didn’t get in school including tips for getting your financial house in order and actionable advice from guests who have been in your shoes – and found their way out.
So Money with Farnoosh Torabi – brings candid conversations about money with the world’s top business minds, authors and influencers. On Fridays, tune in as Farnoosh tackles your biggest money questions.
Stacking Benjamins Podcast – “the Stacking Benjamins Podcast Addresses Financial Literacy Through a Fun, Lighthearted, and Diverse Listening Experience.”
Mad Fientist Financial Independence Podcast – “On the Financial Independence Podcast, I dissect the brains of some of the most well-respected fientists in the field to discover their techniques and strategies for achieving financial independence.”
ChooseFI Podcast – Every podcast, video, and article is packed with content and actionable tips. It has been crowdsourced from the world’s largest FI community as they share their own life hacks, such as how to pay off debt, crush your grocery bill and living expenses, and travel the world for free.