Not everyone is ready, willing, or able to turn to a financial advisor for money advice. Sometimes, you want to begin to explore the topic on your own — and that’s where books can come in!
Some titles on money meet people at an introductory level, giving them step-by-step guidance on how to budget, invest, save, and spend more responsibly. Others offer higher-level advice once you have your finances on track and want to boost your incomes, or even take the entrepreneurship plunge.
Ahead, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite titles whatever level you might be.


Broke Millennial: Stop Scraping By And Get Your Financial Life Together

 


Erin Lowry’s Broke Millennial is a charismatic guide to personal finances for people seeking a modern, thorough introduction to the topic. While the book isn’t necessarily a guide to emerging from structural poverty, it does provide practical tips for crafting a budget.

One reviewer said: “While I am pretty savvy when it comes to budgeting, I only know the basics. It is important to know all you can with finances, but I admit it has always overwhelmed me, so I was looking forward to reading this and gaining more insight and knowledge. Broke Millennial is a good read for cash-strapped 20 or 30-somethings, ready to stop living paycheck-to-paycheck and tackle those financial difficulties and situations.

“Broken down into 18 chapters and an epilogue, Lowry offers practical input on everything from budgeting to getting out of debt, to investments and retirement. You can either read from front-to-back, or skip ahead to sections that are best suited for your current situation. Each chapter ended in a brief, bullet-point breakdown to make sure you read everything that was covered.”

Read the full review here.

 

The Index Card: Why Personal Finance Doesn’t Have To Be Complicated

 

 

Helaine Olen and Harold Pollack, the authors of The Index Card, have a no-nonsense, thoughtful approach to money. The idea behind their book is that personal finance is simpler than it seems — and that any individual rules can be boiled down to about 10 points that fit on a four-by-six index card. (As three women tried here.)

Here is what one reader said:

“I admit I breezed through the first few chapters. Yes, emergency fund. Of course pay your credit in full. Yep yep, maximize employer contribution… and then I hit the Rule #5: Buy Inexpensive, Well-Diversified Indexed Mutual Funds, and I thought, hang on. What are my investments? I dug the dusty paperwork off and my heart sank. All actively managed mutual funds. Crap. I need to call my financial guy.

“Then I hit #6: Make Your Financial Advisor Commit to the Fiduciary Standard, and I thought I was going to start crying on the train. I went to the free dinner. My financial advisor has sent me birthday and holiday cards. But he’s not my friend, and he sure isn’t working in my best interests. (He’s not a bad person, he’s just trying to do his job!)

“I took so many notes from this book! The original index card (which has been slightly modified) can be found on the NPR story that led me to this book. It does have very easy to understand and digestible information. The authors are quick to point out their own personal stories. It’s one of the best written and most relatable books on finances I’ve read, and I highly recommend it.”

Read the full review here.

 

Worth It: Your Life, Your Money, Your Terms

 

Amanda Steinberg, the founder and CEO of the personal finance site DailyWorth, provides methods for career-casting, investing in the stock market, owning property, entrepreneurship, and managing one’s daily finances, in an accessible but down to earth way for people who want to break out of paycheck-to-paycheck living or take their ambitions to the next level.

One reviewer said: “This is, hands down, the best book for women on money that I have read yet, and I have read most of them. Amanda’s down-to-earth style of talking to the reader as if we are a close friend with whom she openly shares all of her missteps and mistakes is at once endearing and refreshing.

“Her method of looking first at the big picture, net worth question, rather than focusing first on budgeting and income, feels like an intelligent woman talking to other intelligent women about the things we have all been missing out on all along, not because we are dumb or not good with money, but because financial advice has always been delivered to women in a way that is not particularly helpful to our bottom line and life goals.”

Read the full review here.

To know the full list, visit www.refinery29.com