We're at the end of the week, and as such, I'm going to be finishing up my lists of six things. I figured that it would be appropriate to cover one of my favorite subjects, good personal finance books. I've managed to review quite a few in my time, but it's been quite a while since I listed some of my favorite personal finance books. Since then, I've read a lot of great books and reviewed almost as many of them. Given that, I can probably make a great deal of new recommendations, as well as having a greater appreciation of some of the books I've reviewed already, such as…
1. The Money Book for the Young, Fabulous, and Broke – It was my very first personal finance book review, and it still stands out in my mind as one of the best personal finance books for young people that I've read. While I don't agree with everything that Suze Orman writes (and as a general rule, would recommend against following the advice of any one person exclusively), it's a pretty decent starting point for late teens and twenty-somethings.
2. The 4-Hour Workweek – This one is definitely a different take on personal finance, one that certainly has more than a little appeal; who wouldn't want to earn thousands of dollars each week while putting in only a few hours each week? But what really makes the book stand out is the large number of links and tips that are provided. Tim Ferriss doesn't simply tell you to make money, he gives all the tools you'll need, and then a few more to boot. It's quite the resource for the would-be internet entrepreneur.
3. The Simple Dollar – It was a pretty recent entry in my book reading list (only reviewed last week, for that matter), but it's hard to argue with a book written by one of the masters of the personal finance blogosphere. Trent Hamm shares a complete guide to changing your perspective, taking control of your money, and building the life that you want. If you need a tome to help you break out of a financial rut and start a new life, it's hard to find a better one than this.
4. Investing for Dummies – I've said it before, and will likely say it again (and again, and again), I'm a fan of the ‘Dummies' books, for the way they break down sometimes complex subjects into simple to understand language. This book from Eric Tyson covers three possible areas you could invest, paper investments (stocks, bonds, and mutual funds), real estate, and small businesses. If you are thinking about getting into any of those fields, it makes a good introduction.
5. Rich Dad's Cashflow Quadrant – Robert Kiyosaki's books always seem to be a mixed bag, and this second volume is no exception. While it provides a different way of looking at the world (and is much easier to put into practice than the philosophically interesting, but not very detailed, Rich Dad, Poor Dad), it isn't the book for everyone. Still, because it always good to expand your money reading horizons, I'd recommend reading through a few Rich Dad books, if only so you know what so many other personal finance writers vehemently oppose.
6. Dave Barry's Money Secrets – Alright, this isn't any more of a REAL personal finance book now than it was when I first reviewed it. But Dave Barry remains one of the funniest writers in the English-speaking world, and this book is not only hilarious, but it gets more hilarious the more you learn about common personal finance tropes. The guide to tipping alone is worth the price of the book.
There you have it, half a dozen personal finance books (well, five personal finance books and one humorous take on personal finance books) that should help you to better understand the personal finance world. It's hard to narrow it down to a mere six (and will only get harder in the future, as I'm already reading through a few books that could end up being in a future version of a list like this), but this should help you to dip your toes in the personal pool.