I was fortunate to grow up in a family that discussed money openly.
My father shared his wage, investments, budget, all of it.
Other family members who owned businesses let me ask anything and were more than happy to tell of the business life, ups and downs.
This knowledge was a fantastic base, however, there is so much more to learn.
Here are the 10 books I found most useful on my financial journey.
1. The Psychology of Money
Knowing why you do what you do, how you view money, opportunities and life is extremely valuable.
Using 19 short stories to illustrate each point, The Psychology of Money is an easy yet profound read.
Our behaviour and habits will dictate how we manage our finances more than what we know.
It is interesting to read how your personal experiences, views of the world, beliefs and ego impact how you manage your money.
Reading The Psychology of Money will not only teach you about yourself but also provide valuable advice to change the behaviours that are holding you back.
2. We Should All Be Millionaires
When I read We Should All Be Millionaires, it quickly became one of my favourites and I have recommended it or shared it with so many others.
Not only are there loads of practical advice, motivation and inspiration, the real-life statistics are fascinating.
Rachel Rogers is a Black mother of four and a self-made millionaire.
She is definitely someone you want to learn from and is generous with her knowledge.
We Should All Be Millionaires covers why earning more money is a revolutionary act that creates a better world for all. It’s not selfish or greedy or “the root of all evil”.
You learn why the money tips you’ve heard for years and probably roll your eyes at now such as skipping your daily coffee are patriarchal nonsense.
The history of wealth when it comes to women, people of colour and how we can build wealth now.
If you feel like you are always making bad decisions, there is a section on how to stop making broke-ass decisions and start making million-dollar decisions.
Why you need to set your goals higher is detailed and it might surprise you.
Plus lots of strategies to build wealth including a $10k in 10 days challenge which I personally did with great results.
Take back your power, educate yourself and know what action to take to improve your life and finances.
3. The Richest Man in Babylon
My parents had a selection of self-help, business and finance books when I was growing up and we were encouraged to read them.
Around the age of 12 or 13, I picked up The Richest Man in Babylon and it made so much sense.
It was easy to read as it’s based on a story with lessons throughout.
If you apply the basic principles from the book, you will have success.
One of the simplest ones many forget, is to pay yourself first.
Too often we pay all the other bills, leaving nothing for ourselves to save or incest.
If you treat your savings as a bill and pay it first, your wealth will grow.
There is so much more than that in the book and it’s a small book so you can easily read it and apply what you learn.
4. Chill and Prosper
I’ve followed the author of Chill and Prosper, Denise Duffield-Thomas for years and love her work.
The first book of hers I read was Lucky B*tch which was eye-opening for me.
When she released Chill and Propser I knew it would be a fantastic read for me and my finances.
It teaches women how to achieve financial freedom and success with expert advice, exercises, and real-life stories.
Denise’s work deals with money blocks, manifestation, clearing what is holding you back from making more money and the energy of money.
It’s not everyone’s cup of tea but personally, when I focus on abundance and the teachings in these books, instead of living in a scarcity mindset, money flows easily.
My kids can attest to this too and many others in my life often comment they don’t know how I manage to do all I do.
To be frank, despite tracking my money, I sometimes can’t work out how I made something work financially.
For example, in 2024, my eldest had international robotics competitions which included a trip to the USA.
My second child became a wrestling champion, representing Australia so we had multiple championships to attend including one in Thailand where she represented Australia.
I took all 4 of my kids, we did a stopover in Singapore then went to Perth for another wrestling championship.
On top of that, we had the usual living expenses and a road trip from Sydney to Melbourne to Adelaide and back for another championship and to see family.
It was expensive, a huge time commitment and stressful with 4 kids but it worked.
5. Profit First
Every business owner needs to read and apply Profit First.
I have owned various businesses over the years from a mobile hair and beauty business in Sydney to an international marketing company.
This gave me a good background regarding business finance but reading Profit First made everything much easier.
It’s the system I recommend to everyone if they are starting a business or thinking about it.
Much of the system can be applied to personal finance too.
The general idea is that you pay yourself profit first into one account, have other accounts for expenses, taxes etc.
Doing it this way you will see actual profit at the end of the year instead of profit on paper but not in your account.
Starting with even 1% being diverted to your profit account will help you build your profit and be smarter with your business finances.
6. Atomic Habits
Learning to create systems, optimise your environment and improve even 1% a day is how you will achieve more than the average person.
Atomic Habits is not specifically a finance book but it certainly shows you how to have a better relationship with money and improve every aspect of your life.
Throughout my life I have set and achieved incredible goals but I failed to implement good systems or stick to habits in a way I would have liked.
Reading Atomic Habits was useful because it has simple advice that is easy to follow and aligned with the way I do things but with extra advice.
The power of showing up, doing even 1% a day was fascinating. Especially because if you don’t do anything, the reverse is also true.
Meaning, if you want to have a healthy life but keep eating junk, you’ll continue to have poor heath.
If you change your habits, even by reducing takeaway by 1 meal a week and build on that, you are stepping in the right direction.
After 12 months, if you continued with the unhealthy habits, your health would be worse but if you switched to improving in small increments, your health will improve.
The compound effect of showing up, following systems, being consistent even if it is not at your highest capacity, makes a difference.
7. Quit Like A Millionaire
Growing up in Tasmania in a heavily religious family with a stay at home mum and government worker dad, I feel my upbringing was fairly standard for Aussies.
The father of my children grew up in poverty in Vanuatu, which was one of the least developed countries in the world at the time.
In Quit Like A Millionaire, the authors have similar experiences and comparisons between growing up in poverty (in China) vs the wealth of America.
That deeply resonated with our family due to our personal circumstances.
On top of that, they provide great advice, interesting personal anecdotes and a path to financial freedom.
8. The Power of One More
Such a simple concept but when applied to each area of your life, as outlined in The Power of One More by Ed Mylett, it can truly change everything.
We give up too easily or focus on the massive distance between where we are and where we want to be which can result in overwhelm.
Instead, use the power of one more to keep going for one more day or to do one more rep at the gym or drink one more glass of water or save one more dollar.
Whatever goal you have, whatever ways you want to change your life, you can apply the power of one more to help you get a little closer every day.
9. Never Split The Difference
Learning the power of negotiation and applying it where needed in your life can make a significant difference.
Whether you want to get a raise, ask for more perks in your job, are negotiating a house or other deal, the tips in Never Split The Difference make it easy.
Chris Voss was an FBI negotiator who dealt with kidnappers, terrorists, gang leaders and all sorts of criminals.
If anyone can advise how to negotiate, keep your cool and get the result you want, it’s him.
10. The Big Leap
I resisted reading The Big Leap for years because of the cover but it had a profound impact on my mindset, business and therefore, finances.
It had been recommended for years before I finally picked it up and once I did, I wished I had read it sooner.
Gay Hendricks reveals a simple yet comprehensive program for overcoming our one barrier to happiness and fulfilment, providing a clear path for achieving our true potential and attaining not only financial success but also success in love and life.
If you have read mindset, manifestation or similar books, some of the concepts will feel familiar.
I liked the style and personal stories contained in The Big Leap along with how easy it was to implement the advice.
Bonus Books
Over the years I have read numerous finance books and while the above are my top 10, others I enjoyed or found useful include:
Think and Grow Rich
The One Minute Millionaire
Not Just Lucky
Outwitting The Devil is a book I almost skipped but it has solid advice for a successful life.
Nomad Capitalist (about minimising tax, tax havens etc which Vanuatu happens to be and where our family are/my son will be chief one day so this was extremely relevant to us).
What books helped you improve your finances?
