By Adam Carroll
Whenever I speak to a group or on a podcast, one of the most common follow-up questions people ask is: What money books would you recommend?
So here are my top five, which I recommend both for personal learning and to give as gifts. They’re not the most famous, but each book will change how you think about money.
1. “A Happy Pocket Full of Money,” by David Cameron Ginandi
This is the book I hand out most. Gikandi argues that wealth is not a number you chase but a byproduct of how you perceive value, time and abundance. It’s part economics, part quantum physics, part philosophy and it will make you uncomfortable in the best way. The first two chapters are a slog, but the book is worth reading in its entirety and then re-revisiting often.
The takeaway: Fix your relationship with money before you try to fix your balance sheet.
- “The Psychology of Money,” by Morgan Housel
In its essence, this book is 19 short stories about why smart people do dumb things with money. Housel’s point is that financial outcomes are driven less by spreadsheets than by ego, patience and luck. In reading this book, you’ll begin to understand why you do certain things with money, and it’s often because of what you witnessed growing up.
The takeaway: Doing reasonably well for a long time beats doing brilliantly for a short time.
- “Die With Zero,” by Bill Perkins
For those who are saving and investing for a huge wealth transfer, this book is a direct challenge to the die-rich mentality. Perkins makes the case for spending deliberately on experiences while you are physically able to enjoy them, and for giving to your kids when the money actually matters to them. We’ve taken some extremely memorable vacations because of this book!
The takeaway: Money is a tool for making memories, not a scoreboard.
- “Becoming Your Own Banker,” by R. Nelson Nash
If anyone has approached you about using a life insurance policy as a retirement vehicle, this book is the original text on the infinite banking concept. It’s dense, occasionally cranky and worth the effort for one big idea: You pay interest to someone for nearly everything you buy. Nash argues that person should be you. Fair warning: This book will challenge you to think about money more like a banker would and it may cause some sleepless nights.
The takeaway: Control the banking function in your life and you’ll recapture money you are currently exporting.
- “The Millionaire Next Door,” by Thomas Stanley and William Danko
This is an older recommendation, but a powerful read nonetheless. It’s full of research rather than opinions, unlike so many current books written by “gurus.” The average millionaire drives a used car, lives in a modest house and looks nothing like the ones on Instagram. I always wanted an expensive watch until I read this book.
The takeaway: Wealth is what you don’t spend.
For what it’s worth, my go-to read multiple times a year is the first book on this list. It’s a staple on vacations, long work trips or sometimes just the front porch. Whichever title you choose, read it with a highlighter in hand before the end of the year. Your future self will thank you.
Contributor Adam Carroll of Des Moines is a financial educator, consultant, keynote speaker and the founder and CEO of The Shred Method, a fintech platform to help eliminate debt.
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