Are you struggling with your finances and don't see a way out? To help you solve your financial problems, we asked financial coaches and business leaders for their best recommendations for personal finance books for beginners. From Your Money Or Your Life to Surviving Debt to The Total Money Makeover, there are several financial books recommended to help beginners learn to manage their finances responsibly. This post may contain affiliate links, which means that I may receive a commission if you make a purchase using these links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Here are the 12 best financial books for beginners: Your Money Or Your Life by Vicki Robin Surviving Debt by National Consumer Law Center The Mountain is You by Brianna Wiest Nickel and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich The 80/20 Principle by Richard Koch I Will Teach You to Be Rich by Ramit Sethi Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert T. Kiyosaki The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel Money, A Love Story by Kate Northrup Broke Millennial by Erin Lowry You're So Money: Live Rich Even When You're Not by Farnoosh Torabi The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey 1. Your Money Or Your Life by Vicki Robin This is an oldie but goodie when it comes to evaluating the true "hourly rate" from your job and what additional costs you may incur from your work, such as commuting, health, de-stressing activities, etc. This helps to put your work into perspective, consider other jobs that may have a higher "hourly rate," and also use this hourly rate to reconsider the items you may want to buy (or not) given the true "cost." The end goal is to save for early retirement, in which you are able to stop working when you are healthy and happy and satisfied with what you have. - Kristine Thorndyke, Test Prep Nerds 2. Surviving Debt by National Consumer Law Center Surviving Debt was published by the National Consumer Law Center and provides helpful advice for various debt situations. You can find ways to establish a budget, prioritize debts, respond to debt collectors, and know how to avoid and identify scams. Surviving Debt also provides valuable tools and resources to help you get out of debt, including sample debt response letters, bankruptcy resources, and agencies you can contact to find additional help. - Annette Harris, Harris Financial Coaching 3. The Mountain is You by Brianna Wiest The Mountain is You, by Brianna Wiest, is a fantastic book that can help you look within to determine how you can deal with financial challenges in your life. Oftentimes, "the mountain" is a symbol of the big challenges we encounter in our lives, especially ones that seem insurmountable. Almost always, problems with finances seem impossible to figure out. To overcome these mountains, we actually have to do the deep internal work of understanding how we got ourselves into our current situation. Ultimately, it is not the mountain that we conquer but ourselves. - Jonathan Zacharias, GR0 4. Nickel and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich Nickel and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich is a great book for young people learning about finances and adults seeking better financial practices. It's a classic book that can help build a good foundation for monetary practices or lead to someone reassessing bad habits. While there are more specialized books for businesses, investments, and retirement packages, this book is a great place to start. - Rob Bartlett, WTFast 5. The 80/20 Principle by Richard Koch The 80/20 Principle: The Secret to Achieving More with Less by Richard Koch is a book I recommend to anyone who is facing financial problems on an ongoing basis. The premise is that 80% of all our results in business and life come from 20% of our efforts. Individuals who follow this principle tend to do well in their personal and professional lives. The key is to focus on factors in life that we can control and put our energy in the right places. - Jorge Vivar, Mode 6. I Will Teach You to Be Rich by Ramit Sethi "I Will Teach You to Be Rich" by Ramit Sethi is one of my go-to recommendations for financial health how-to. The book breaks down financial literacy into simple steps and best practices. It has an emphasis on aligning your priorities and financial means and designing a sustainable system rather than simply trying to abstain from spending. Rather than shame spenders, Sethi shames financial institutions that seek to fleece consumers and make the process confusing, outlines some more client-centric companies, and lays out simple strategies to be smarter about money, pay down debt, manage bills, and invest for the future. - Carly Hill, VirtualHolidayParty.com 7. Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert T. Kiyosaki "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" by Robert T. Kiyosaki. It is a great book on how to develop financial intelligence. What's more, it advocates the importance of financial literacy. What I really appreciate is that the book doesn't give you ready-made solutions. It rather provokes thought, encourages self-analysis, and guides you. Thanks to that, you can reshape your attitudes towards money. Very inspiring, insightful, and written in a "nice-to-read" manner. - Agata Szczepanek, MyPerfectResume 8. The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel is an excellent investigation into further understanding human behavior and money. The success of this book is the deep dive into the human psyche and gaining further insight. Into why your mood can increase and decrease spending habits. Lastly, if financial problems are a struggle, get to the root of why you spend and shift your thinking. An incredible book that opens opportunities for enlightenment and improving your financial state. - Yooseok gong, Ohora 9. Money, A Love Story by Kate Northrup Many good books are on the market, and those with practical advice are helpful. However, I think you must get to the root of the problem before you solve your financial woes. The root is your relationship with money. For that, a good place to start is reading "Money, A Love Story: Untangle Your Financial Woes and Create the Life You Really Want" by Kate Northrup. This is a great book because the author doesn't judge you. She paid off thousands in debt herself. Often, practical books leave you feeling like you can't get there from here, but this book leaves you with the feeling that the author understands you. She can guide you out of your financial mess with doable solutions you can implement now. - Steve Mascarin, Taunton Village Dental 10. Broke Millennial by Erin Lowry Millennials are often defamed for having poor financial habits. Therefore, the book Broke Millennial: Stop Scraping by and Get Your Financial Life Together is the best one to help you solve your financial riddles. This book was published in 2017, and it's about personal finance written by a millennial for millennials. It has been seen that people are saddled with student loan debt, and encountering an economy where gigs are in and lifetime employment is out; it's difficult to blame them. The author of this book, who kick-started as a financial professional, wrote a blog of the same name and made videos for a famous YouTube channel. - Shivanshi Srivastava, PaydayLoansUK 11. You're So Money: Live Rich Even When You're Not by Farnoosh Torabi This personal finance book by Farnoosh Torabi is written in humorous language that is easy to follow and ensures better comprehension of the different personal finance concepts the author introduces in the book. I love this book because it is practical and offers realistic steps to reducing your debt level, budgeting your income, saving, and investing. She captures the readers with her excellent narration and her experience as the best teacher. - Mehtab Ahmed, LoansJury 12. The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey The Total Money Makeover: Classic Edition: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness Financial problems can only be resolved when you have a blanket solution that works on every level. Unless you put such a comprehensive solution to work, there will always be leaks in your financial boat. This book from Dave Ramsey gives you the right plans, helps you unravel myths, and nudges you to take practical action to make your personal financial position stronger. From showing you how to work towards living a debt-free life to teaching you just how you can build a growth-oriented financial future with the resources you have at hand, this book does it all. - Riley Beam, Douglas R. Beam, P.A. Terkel creates community-driven content featuring expert insights. Sign up at terkel.io to answer questions and get published. Originally published at https://www.harriscashcoach.com on July 3, 2022.

When in the military, preserving and maintaining your credit can be difficult. It's even more challenging when you have predatory lenders who prey on military members. There are a few protections in place, like the Military Lending Act and the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA), that can help you take control of your finances and get out of extreme debt situations. Here are a few tips and options to help you and your family get credit card and debt relief. How Bad Credit Can Affect Your Security Clearance A bad credit score can affect your chance of obtaining a security clearance. The military wants to know that you can handle your finances carefully while operating in an advanced position. In addition, when receiving a security clearance, you have access to protected information. If you are having trouble with your credit, individuals who want to gain access to protected information could use your debt as an end to their means. How can this happen? The bad guy could offer you money to reduce your debt in exchange for information, putting national security in danger. What To Do If You Are In Debt The first step to take when you are in credit card debt is to pay your bills on time every time. It's also essential to create a budget that can help you reduce your debt. The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act protects military service members with this. The SCRA allows individuals in the military to reduce their credit card interest rate to 6%. Reducing your interest rate can be done by showing the credit card company a copy of your military orders, and they are required to adjust your interest rate. The protections of the SCRA extend to default judgments, foreclosures, and property repossessions and enable you to exit a lease for a home or automobile without a penalty. However, any debt must have been incurred before joining the military to take advantage of this rate reduction. How To Pay Off Debt Fast You can pay off credit card debt fast by paying more than the minimum. Paying more than the minimum payment amount allows you to pay a smaller amount of interest on your purchases. It's essential to eliminate the need to use your credit card for purchases to decrease your balance continually. See my feature in Veterans Build Debt-Free Life After the Military in Military Families Magazine. Resources To Help You Budget Financial Coaches are available to help you put a budget together that works. Many military bases employ financial coaches that help military veterans evaluate and control their finances. The AFCPE also provides free financial counseling and coaching sessions to military veterans. Some independent financial coaches and counselors can also help you build a tailored approach through one-on-one sessions. Finding And Eliminating Unnecessary Spending You can eliminate unnecessary spending by evaluating your income and expenses. Print out your monthly bank statement and assess your income and expenses. Highlight any expenses that are a necessity and those that are a luxury. If the expenses are necessary, continue with them in your budget. If they are a luxury, work to eliminate or reduce your spending in these areas. Evaluate your spending at least semi-annually to see where you can cut costs. In Too Deep? Help Is Available. Seek assistance. Financial coaches and counselors can help you understand your financial situation and guide you in setting achievable goals. They work with you to build your financial literacy and provide you with the tools and resources needed to manage your wealth. Originally published at https://www.harriscashcoach.com on June 4, 2022.

Yep, you read that right. All of my bills were paid, and my mortgage was paid off, so I thought about how I could treat myself with the pay increase I had just received. Typically, the only place I spend money is at the hair salon, so I decided to upgrade my towels. Now, these aren't your regular towels. They are soft and plush luxury towels from Frontgate, and I love them! I Saved and Invested Some Too Now, I'm not going to lie. I did save and invest a considerable part of my increase. I increased my retirement contribution percentage to the maximum allowed and called my financial advisor to see how I could invest a little more of my income. That may sound a little scary in today's market, but I think it's the perfect time to invest. I'm just going to sit back and wait for the market to rebound. A portion of the money I saved also went towards future unexpected expenses and the oh-so-fun travel trip with my husband. We love to travel and have visited Antigua, the Bahamas, Puerto Rico, Turks & Caicos, and Jamaica. Living in Florida and Georgia, we've visited all the hotspots like Savannah, Atlanta, Orlando, Tallahassee, and more. Next up is Los Cabos, Mexico, this summer and Curaçao in December. Through sheer diligence with our savings and paying off our bills and loans far in advance, we can pay cash for our vacations and any other significant purchases we may have. See my feature in: Gen Z: Here's How You Can Save For Travel On a Tight Budget My Husband Encourage Me to Buy A New Purse I wanted to buy a summer purse for our upcoming summer trip to Mexico. I was debating between two different purses on the Michael Kors website. So, I asked my husband for his advice. He said since you only bought towels when you got promoted, why don't you buy both purses. This was in celebration of my 10-year anniversary at work as well. In the end, I only bought one purse because that was what I initially sought to do. Living Within My Needs and Treating Myself Every Now & Then I tend to live within my needs. I know the normal term is living with your means. However, living within my needs helps me continue saving and investing for my retirement future. It's a few years away, so living life based on the current needs that I have allows me to double down on my retirement savings for my future. My goal is to continue to tick off travel places on my bucket list and bring my husband along with me. Happy travels! Originally published at https://www.harriscashcoach.com on June 1, 2022.

Free Consultation Are you feeling stuck? At a crossroads in your career or emotional life? Are you transitioning out of the military? Even the strongest among us can feel lost, unsure, ambivalent, or unhappy at times. As a certified Financial Coach, I can help you understand and manage whatever life throws at you and how to do it successfully. I believe that you have the strength not just to survive but to truly thrive. Let's face it. You deserve financial empowerment, freedom, and independence. Let's Chat! My Services Debt Management Debt hurts. It can really hurt. Let's put a plan together to reduce the pain of debt so you can sleep better at night. Retirement How will you spend your retirement? Do you value tranquility, adventure, culture, or community? Let's envision your retirement together. Budgeting Family budgeting can cause you to feel exhausted, angry, or distracted. Find ways to cope with money stress and ease your family's money fears. Credit Management Let's talk about how to reduce your credit card spending. If you're constantly maxed out and using credit to pay for groceries, it's time to take control of the situation. Wealth Building Focus on what's positive in your life and your future goals. Do you know where your money goes from month to month? Do you have a plan for your future? Let's envision what a future of financial independence looks like for you. Career Coaching Are you trying to advance in your career but don't know the steps to take? Is it more education, interview preparation, a resume update, or are you transitioning out of the military? Take charge of your career and your salary today! Learn More As Seen In

Pick My Brain Coaching Session How does this session work? You'll have one hour to ask specific financial or employment questions relating to any of the topics listed. ​ Let's get those unanswered questions resolved so that you can get unstuck and reach your goals. ​ Ask all of your questions and receive actionable advice. Once your request, is received we'll connect to set up a date & time. ​ 1 hour | Phone Call | $100 USD Topics Include: Retirement Planning Debt Management Credit Building and Maintenance Wealth Building Budgeting Career Guidance Employment Benefit Evaluation Military Benefits Let's Work Together It's time to get your questions answered today! After your purchase, you will receive additional information on scheduling your "Pick My Brain" Session.

Services Getting to the Heart of Your Financial Goal At Harris Financial Coaching, we can reduce the confusion, pressure, and worries about you or your family's financial future to one of empowerment and independence. You landed on this page for a reason. Control your money, don't let it control you. Let's Chat! Mothers & Daughters Your daughter will thank you for teaching her about finances. If you have a daughter you want to teach about money as she grows, this program is perfect for both of you. Find ways to teach her about money as she grows, so she can be confident and responsible with money even after she leaves your arms. Resources For Children Women Talking about money with other women can make it easier to solve your money troubles. Through individual or group sessions, you can learn tricks and gain resources other women have used to manage their finances. If you've had problems in your relationship or your spouse just doesn't want to talk about money. Help is here. Fathers & Daughters You can teach your daughter how to wash a car, change the oil, or even play football. Have you thought about teaching her how to manage her money? Challenge her to set money goals and get comfortable talking to you about money. When it's time for her to leave the nest, she will control her finances, education, and career. Let's Chat! Wealth Building Course Are you ready to get your finances in shape but not sure where to start? Well, this is it! In under an hour, find out how to save, budget, and invest your money. It's time to make real progress toward the financial goals and future you want.