Best books for improving your finances

Started by Kieran88, Jan 26, 2026, 09:26 AM

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Topic: Best books for improving your finances   Views(Read 78 times)

Kieran88


SGHolly

A lot of "make money" books are recycled ideas but a couple are still worth reading.

The Millionaire Fastlane is more about changing how you think about earning rather than step by step methods.

The Millionaire Fastlane by MJ DeMarco

4 Hour Workweek is older now but still useful for ideas around automation and remote income.

The 4 Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss

More about perspective than tactics

MiniElliot


NeonPilot

Same here tbh. The games that get talked about the most are rarely the ones I end up spending the most time on.

Might go back to it.

A cashback card you pay off every month is one of the easiest wins
Measure twice, post once

Maxximus

Feels like the right read on it. Interesting to see where it goes

Midnight Wolf

That is the sensible approach. Good to know about.

Bank switching bonuses are basically free money for about an hour of admin

DQ Eric

QuoteThat is the sensible approach. Good to know about. Bank switching bonuses are basically free money for about an hour of admin.

That works if you are disciplined about it, most people are not. The comparison sites are fine as a starting point but always go direct to confirm the terms.

Worth doing even if the saving is small
git commit -m "fixed everything"

Glenn_44

A lot depends on who is making the claim and what they are trying to sell. Worth keeping an eye on

Sophie83

Same here really. Same here really.

Cheers.

The difference between the best and average savings rate adds up significantly over a year

Demi-Q

QuoteA lot of "make money" books are recycled ideas but a couple are still worth reading. The Millionaire Fastlane is more about changing how you

I would push back on that hard. Injuries change everything and people forget to factor that in.

Ask me again in six weeks
Measure twice, post once

Ruby92

That is the honest assessment and people do not want to hear it. Time will tell on this one
Not financial advice. Not medical advice. Just vibes.

GlassKnight89

Good point. Good to hear other people's experience.

A cashback card you pay off every month is one of the easiest wins

Q

If you're just getting into personal finance, I'd start with mindset before tactics. That's where a lot of people mess up. Books like The Psychology of Money: Timeless Lessons on Wealth, Greed, and Happiness really hit hard because they explain why people make bad financial decisions in the first place. It's less about spreadsheets and more about behaviour.

Then you've got the classic Rich Dad Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money, which is still everywhere for a reason. It simplifies the idea of assets vs liabilities in a way that sticks. Even critics admit the mindset lessons are valuable, like "pay yourself first" and making money work for you .

If you combine those two, you get a strong foundation. One fixes how you think, the other pushes you to act differently

Arty Scout

For beginners, even something like The Index Card is useful because it forces simplicity. A lot of people overthink investing when they do not need to.

Simple rules executed consistently beat complex strategies most of the time
ISA maxed. Costs minimised.

Jacob_69

Finance YouTube culture has kind of replaced books for a lot of people, but books still go deeper. A video might explain investing, but a book changes how you think long term.

That difference matters more than people realize
Works on my machine :D

Aura49

Hot take: most people do not need more finance books, they need to actually follow what they already know. Budget, invest consistently, avoid debt traps.

But if you insist on reading, at least pick one and apply it instead of collecting them like trophies

Taker04

Rich Dad Poor Dad gets a lot of hate online, but I still think it is a decent starter book if you are totally new. It is less about technical finance and more about mindset shifts.

That said, you have to be careful not to take every example too literally. Some parts age better than others
It's not a bug, it's a feature

CMPunk_Fan

A lot of finance books repeat the same core idea: spend less than you earn, invest the difference, stay consistent. The packaging changes more than the message.

The real challenge is not finding the book, it is following through for 20 years

Taker00

If I had to give a starter stack it would be The Psychology of Money, The Simple Path to Wealth, and then something like A Random Walk Down Wall Street.

After that, you probably do not need much more unless you are going deep into investing

Slay

If you are UK based, anything that explains ISAs properly is worth reading. So many people leave tax advantages unused because they do not understand them.

Even a basic guide can save you years of mistakes

Mike80

One book I do not see mentioned enough is Quit Like a Millionaire. It is very focused on financial independence and early retirement concepts.

Even if you do not plan to retire early, the principles about saving rate are useful
Lurker since the beginning

AEWCallum93

I always recommend The Simple Path to Wealth by JL Collins. It cuts through a lot of noise and basically says "stop overcomplicating it" in a very readable way.

If you are someone who gets overwhelmed by finance jargon, this book is a lifesaver

Oscar_57

The Millionaire Next Door is another classic that still holds up. It basically destroys the myth that wealthy people always look wealthy.

It is very eye opening if you assume wealth equals lifestyle
rm -rf /bad-ideas

SuperPosition

If you want something more practical, I found I Will Teach You to Be Rich surprisingly useful despite the clickbaity title. It is very actionable and structured.

It is not perfect, but it helps you actually set up systems instead of just thinking about money
Football is life. Everything else is just details.

Calm Paige

For UK readers specifically, Smarter Investing by Tim Hale is underrated. It is not hyped on social media but it is very grounded and realistic.

It focuses a lot on long term investing discipline, which is where most people go wrong

Woven Sasha

Honestly the boring answer is usually the best one: The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel. It is not flashy, but it completely changes how you think about wealth and behavior. Most finance problems are behavior problems anyway.

If you only read one book, that would be a solid pick because it actually sticks with you

Dom9

I think people underestimate how useful Your Money or Your Life still is. It is older, but the core idea of linking money to life energy is powerful.

It makes you rethink spending in a way spreadsheets never do

ShawnMichaels_99

A Random Walk Down Wall Street is still one of the most important finance books ever written in my opinion. It is dense in places but the core message about index investing holds up.

It is basically the antidote to get rich quick thinking
All original content unless stated

SpinState52

The Psychology of Money again because it deserves repeating. The chapter on "enough" hits a lot harder than people expect.

Finance is mostly emotional discipline disguised as math
COYB — you know who you are

VidiTechnica

I will probably get flak for this, but I think Rich Dad Poor Dad is overrated if you already understand basic finance. It repeats a lot of ideas without much depth.

Still, I cannot deny it motivates people to start thinking differently about money
Be excellent to each other

NightHarbour

If you are into mindset shifts, Think and Grow Rich is still referenced a lot, but honestly it feels dated now. Some ideas are interesting, but it is very era specific.

I would treat it more as historical curiosity than a guide
Football is life. Everything else is just details.

ProperJobs98

I think people should mix one mindset book and one technical investing book. Otherwise you either get motivated but confused or informed but unmotivated.

Balance matters more than chasing the perfect title