Hands up if you remember that wholesome personal finance class you took in uni. You know, that one that taught you how to budget, manage your meager salary (after campus), and invest like Oprah and Elon?
Nope, nothing? Same, girl, same.
And while we all know how crucial it is to have your finances sorted by your 30s (easier said than done), trying to understand the basic principles of personal finance can sometimes feel inundating.
Which pension plan should I start working with? Which investment plan is best? Will I really retire by 50 with the way things are going? It’s a total mind f**k!
And yes, there are thousands of personal finance books to help cut through the chaff, but not many specifically focus on personal finance in your 20s and 30s. In fact, very few are realistic about making money in the 21st century and how to effectively manage that money without overworking or killing yourself with debt.
Lucky for you, I am a 20-something going into my 30s, and I found these eight books, written by women, to be extremely helpful in teaching you how to change your mindset about money, how to prioritize saving in the current economic mess, and work a lucrative retirement investment for yourself in the process.
Because you, too, deserve to live a happy, debt-free, and financially fulfilling life!
Prince Charming Isn’t Coming: How Women Get Smart About Money By Barbara Stanny
This book might be less tactical than most personal finance books, but as a 20- or 30-year-old, it’ll help you deal with the emotional side of money. Specifically, it talks about women’s resistance to managing their cash.
Author Barbara Stanny takes you through her journey, where she inherited a fortune and was mindlessly mishandled by her no ex-husband because she chose to remain in the dark about finances.
While you might not be able to relate to this situation, the book teaches you why it’s vital to remain in control of your financial destiny. It is the best read for anyone needing a little financial coaching.
The Frugal Feminista: Unveiling The Strong Black Woman By Kara Stephens
Ready to tap into your bad bitch era? Ready to stop being a chronic people-pleaser and lead an unapologetic life? Then, you need to start with your finances.
As Kara Stephens puts it in this for Black women read, the key to financial freedom (and overall personal happiness) is to take a deep breath and immerse yourself in self-care.
Get this personal finance book if you’re sick and tired of minimizing yourself, playing small to please others, and are ready to bust through fear, mediocrity, and depression to claim that wholesome life you deserve!
Overcoming Underearning: A Simple Guide to A Richer Life By Barbara Stanny
Another Barbara Stanny read this personal finance book helps you understand and break through your money plateaus and start earning more.
With techniques and expert-approved exercises that have helped millions, Stanny teaches you how to reach the pinnacle of your career, achieve financial independence, and lead a more prosperous life!
On My Own Two Feet: A Modern Girl’s Guide to Personal Finance’ By Manisha Thakor and Sharon Kedar
It doesn’t matter if you’ve been living from paycheck to paycheck or are currently trying to save for a down payment on your first house, On My Own Two Feet will help you grasp the basic principles of financial management.
Authored by two Harvard Business School Graduates, Manisha and Sharon, this personal finance read offers information about credit card debt, creating budgets, and how to come up with a simple, easy-to-execute plan to help ease your money stresses.
Heart & Hustle: Use Your Passion. Build Your Brand. Achieve Your Dreams By Patricia Bright
From the early lessons she learned while growing up in South London to the moment she gave the 9-5 job a kick to the curb to pursue what she loved, Patricia’s Bright Heart & Hustle will revolutionize how you perceive work, life and what success means to you.
Loaded with Bright’s trademark attitude, sass, and sense of humor, this read is an inspirational guide that’ll give you tips on taking control of your future like the baddie you are/are meant to be!
The One Week Budget By Tiffany The Budgetnista Aliche
Hate paying bills? So does Tiffany. That’s why she stopped!
And by reading this book, which is riddled with knowledge on how to cut through your budget, track expenses, increase income, and protect your finances, you can understand how she hasn’t paid a bill in over a decade, and her credit score is over 800!!!
The One Week Budget also includes helpful budgeting exercises, tips, and resources to help you learn how to manage your day-to-day financials without a hassle.
You’re A Badass At Making Money: Master The Mindset Of Wealth By Jen Sincero
If you’re looking for a personal finance book that combines fun and wittiness with realism, practical, and aha concepts, this is it. Jen Sincero draws on her experience from living in a garage with tumbleweeds blowing through her account to traveling and living her best life.
And her take on finances will have you laughing out loud but also learning how to uncover what’s been holding you back from making doh, give doubts, fears, and excuses the heave-ho, tap into your ability to grow rich, and stop playing victim to circumstance.
It’s the most relatable and exciting finance book you’ll ever read! Trust!
Clever Girl Finance: Ditch Debt, Save Money, And Build Wealth By Bola Sokunbi
This personal finance book comes from the perspective of a Black woman. It is divided into three sections that are bound to help any 20 or 30-year-old struggling to straighten out their finances:
Money Mindset: Bola Sokunbi teaches you to develop a positive mindset about money and identify and change negative money thoughts, behaviors, and values.
Get Control Of Your Finances: Sokunbi focuses on financial management, from proper budgeting and tracking expenses to setting realistic financial goals and creating an emergency fund.
Get Rich: Here, the financial guru covers effective strategies to build wealth, such as investing, starting side hustles, and building passive income streams.
Money Talks: The Ultimate Couple’s Guide to Communicating About Money By Talaat And Tai McNeely
If you’re boo’d up and are trying to open the lines of financial communication with your beau, add this personal finance book to your arsenal ASAP.
Financial gurus and long-time couple Talaat and Tai McNeely offer you actional steps to take towards financial freedom as a couple and give you specific talking points for you to discuss with your partner.
Unlike most financial literature, the McNeely’s know firsthand how tense money conversations are amongst couples. That’s why they take a more realistic, common-sense approach than even the most “unagreeable” couple can use.
