I love to read, learn and grow. It’s been said that knowledge is power, but it’s actually the application of knowledge that’s power. You can read all you want, but nothing changes until you choose to apply it. Here are a few personal finance books that have changed my perspective -

  1. The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey - Dave Ramsey created the Baby Steps, a proven path to financial freedom. I think what Dave has done is amazing given all the people he has helped to get out of debt. The Total Money Makeover provided a lot of inspiration to me to manage our finances wisely and follow the practical guide Dave teaches.
  2. Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki - Robert Kiyosaki and Dave Ramsey don’t agree on everything but I like the principles Kiyosaki teaches about investing in assets that create an ongoing income. I also liked his follow book, Cash Flow Quadrant, where he discusses the different ways of making money and the mindset in each of the 4 quadrants.
  3. Your Money Counts by Howard Dayton - Howard Dayton presents both practical tips and biblical principles for managing money. Overall, my approach is to follow God’s plan for managing money, God as the owner and we are His faithful stewards.
  4. Debt Free Living by Larry Burkett - Another good book I would recommend is Debt Free Living. It’s been a long time since I read this book but I think it’s more important than ever with so many people finding themselves in debt these days and not sure how they got there. Larry Burkett addresses debt from a practical and biblical perspective.
  5. You Need a Budget by Jesse Mecham - I use YNAB software to manage our family budget and Jesse Mecham wrote about on the approach that underpins the software. It might differ somewhat from the Baby Steps, but still a good read nonetheless and YNAB is solid budgeting software.

Hope you find these books as a good starting point for your personal finance library. Have you read any of them? If so, let me know your thoughts!