College is an exciting time, full of new experiences, friendships, and opportunities. However, for many students, learning about finance is non-existent.
The transition from high school to college means taking on new responsibilities, including managing your own finances. From paying for tuition and textbooks to covering living expenses, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and unsure of how to handle your finances.
That’s why it’s essential to learn the basics of personal finance and develop good money management habits early on.
Fortunately, there are many excellent personal finance books available that can help you do just that.
In this article, we’ll explore nine must-read personal finance books for college students and grads that can help you achieve financial success.
Why personal finance is important for college students
Personal finance is a crucial skill that everyone should learn, regardless of their age or income level.
However, it’s especially important for college students who are just starting out on their financial journey.
Learning how to manage your money effectively can help you avoid debt, build wealth, and achieve your financial goals.
It can also help you develop good habits that will serve you well throughout your life. By taking control of your finances and making smart money decisions, you can set yourself up for a bright financial future.
That’s why aside from the list of 9 books outlined in this article, we highly recommend getting a copy of Dump Your Degree: How to Repurpose Your Education, Control Your Career, and Gain Financial Freedom.
Dump Your Degree: How to Repurpose Your Education, Control Your Career, and Gain Financial Freedom
Whether you’re an emerging professional or parent, student or recent grad, Dump Your Degree is an invaluable resource for anyone seeking guidance on navigating higher education, developing their career, and having financial security.
Benefits of reading personal finance books
Reading personal finance books is an excellent way to learn about money management techniques, investing strategies, and more.
Whether you’re a complete beginner or have some experience with personal finance, there’s always something new to learn.
Personal finance books can also provide practical tips and advice that you can apply to your own life.
By reading about the experiences of others, you can gain valuable insights into how to manage your money effectively and achieve your financial goals.
1. Get Good with Money: Ten Simple Steps to Becoming Financially Whole By Tiffany “The Budgetnist” Aliche
Are you tired of feeling lost and overwhelmed when it comes to managing your money?
Look no further than Get Good with Money: Ten Simple Steps to Becoming Financially Whole by Tiffany Aliche, aka “The Budgetnista.”
In this practical and empowering personal finance book, Aliche outlines ten straightforward steps that will guide you towards financial wellness.
From creating a budget to building credit, this book covers all the essential topics.
It also includes quizzes, exercises, and personal anecdotes to help you understand and apply the concepts. Say goodbye to financial stress and hello to financial freedom with “Get Good with Money”!
Get Good with Money: Ten Simple Steps to Becoming Financially Whole
“Revealing this practical ten-step process for the first time in its entirety, Get Good with Money introduces the powerful concept of building wealth through financial wholeness: a realistic, achievable, and energizing alternative to get-rich-quick and over-complicated money management systems.”
2. You Are A Badass at Making Money by Jen Sincero
You Are A Badass at Making Money by Jen Sincero is a fun and engaging guide to mastering the skills necessary to achieve financial success.
Sincero’s humorous and irreverent writing style makes this book a joy to read.
Her practical advice can help you overcome limiting beliefs about money and build the confidence to create the life you want.
Whether you’re just starting out on your financial journey or looking to take your finances to the next level, “You Are A Badass at Making Money” is a must-read.
You are a badass at making money
“You Are a Badass at Making Money will launch you past the fears and stumbling blocks that have kept financial success beyond your reach. Drawing on her own transformation—over just a few years—from a woman living in a converted garage with tumbleweeds blowing through her bank account to a woman who travels the world in style, Jen Sincero channels the inimitable sass and practicality that made You Are a Badass an indomitable bestseller.”
3. The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey
The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey has helped millions of people get out of debt, build wealth, and achieve financial freedom.
Ramsey’s no-nonsense approach to money management is based on seven simple steps that anyone can follow, regardless of their income level or financial situation.
From creating a budget to paying off debt, The Total Money Makeover provides a step-by-step guide to achieving financial success.
The Total Money Makeover
“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.”
4. The Simple Path to Wealth by JL Collins
The Simple Path to Wealth by JL Collins is a straightforward guide to achieving financial independence through investing.
Collins’ approach to investing is based on simplicity and common sense, emphasizing low-cost index funds and a long-term perspective.
By following his advice, readers can build a solid foundation for their financial future and achieve financial freedom. “The Simple Path to Wealth” is an excellent book for anyone who wants to learn more about investing and build a strong portfolio.
The Simple Path to Wealth
You’ll explore:
- What investment firm to use and why the one I recommend is so far superior to the competition.
- Why and how you can be conned, and how to avoid becoming prey.
- What financial independence looks like and how to have your money support you.
- What the 4% rule is and how to use it to safely spend your wealth.
5. Your Money or Your Life by Vicki Robin and Joe Dominguez
Your Money or Your Life by Vicki Robin and Joe Dominguez is a groundbreaking book that challenges readers to rethink their relationship with money and work.
The book’s nine-step program helps readers transform their relationship with money and achieve financial independence.
By focusing on the true value of money and aligning their spending with their values, readers can create a more fulfilling and meaningful life.
Your Money or Your Life is a book that has inspired countless people to take control of their finances and live the life they want.
Your Money or Your Life
“This fully revised and updated edition with a foreword by “the Frugal Guru” (New Yorker) Mr. Money Mustache is the ultimate makeover of this bestselling classic, ensuring that its time-tested wisdom applies to people of all ages and covers modern topics like investing in index funds, managing revenue streams like side hustles and freelancing, tracking your finances online, and having difficult conversations about money.”
6. Broke Millennial by Erin Lowry
Broke Millennial by Erin Lowry is a practical and relatable guide to managing your money when you’re just starting out. Lowry’s writing style is witty and engaging, making this book a pleasure to read.
She covers everything from creating a budget to negotiating a salary to investing in your future.
Broke Millennial is an excellent book for anyone who wants to learn the basics of personal finance in a fun and accessible way.
Broke Millennial
“Broke Millennial shows step-by-step how to go from flat-broke to financial badass. Unlike most personal finance books out there, it doesn’t just cover boring stuff like credit card debt, investing, and dealing with the dreaded “B” word (budgeting). Financial expert Erin Lowry goes beyond the basics to tackle tricky money matters and situations most of us face #IRL”
7. I Will Teach You to Be Rich by Ramit Sethi
I Will Teach You to Be Rich by Ramit Sethi is a comprehensive guide to personal finance that covers everything from saving to investing and entrepreneurship.
Also, Sethi’s approach to personal finance is based on psychology and human behavior, emphasizing the importance of automation and systems to achieve financial success.
By following his advice, readers can build a rich and fulfilling life without sacrificing their values or quality of life.
I Will Teach You to Be Rich
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.
Personal finance expert Ramit Sethi has been called a “wealth wizard” by Forbes and the “new guru on the block” by Fortune. Now he’s updated and expanded his modern money classic for a new age, delivering a simple, powerful, no-BS 6-week program that just works.
8. Money Master the Game by Tony Robbins
Money Master the Game by Tony Robbins covers everything you need to know about investing and building wealth. Robbins interviews dozens of the world’s top financial experts and distills their advice into a comprehensive guide to personal finance.
While the book can be dense at times, it’s an excellent resource for anyone who wants to take their finances to the next level.
Money Master the Game
“Tony Robbins has created a 7-step blueprint for securing financial freedom. With advice about taking control of your financial decisions, to setting up a savings and investing plan, to destroying myths about what it takes to save and invest, to setting up a “lifetime income plan,” the book brims with advice and practices for making the financial game not only winnable—but providing financial freedom for the rest of your life.”
9. The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel
The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel is a fascinating exploration of the behavioral and psychological factors that influence our relationship with money.
Housel’s writing is thought-provoking, making this book a must-read for anyone interested in the intersection of finance and human behavior.
Therefore, by understanding the ways in which our biases and emotions impact our financial decisions, readers can make better choices and achieve greater financial success.
The Psychology of Money
“Money―investing, personal finance, and business decisions―is typically taught as a math-based field, where data and formulas tell us exactly what to do. But in the real world people don’t make financial decisions on a spreadsheet. They make them at the dinner table, or in a meeting room, where personal history, your own unique view of the world, ego, pride, marketing, and odd incentives are scrambled together.”
Conclusion
Personal finance is a critical skill that everyone should learn, and college is an excellent time to start.
So, by reading personal finance books and developing good money management habits, you can set yourself up for a bright financial future.
Additionally, working on your personal growth overall can be financially beneficial. Check out 5 Personal Development Strategies for College Grads to get more insights.
Whether you’re just starting out or looking to take your finances to the next level, these nine personal finance books are an excellent place to start.
So why not pick up a few of these books and start investing in your financial future today?
