Not Made Of Money

Let’s assume that you’ve decided to get your finances in order in 2009. However, you may need some guidance to decide exactly what that means. Where should you start? What do you need to accomplish before your finances are officially “in order?”

Reading personal finance books is a great way to educate yourself. Before long you can start developing your own budget, setting goals, and making the most out of your money. Although the list of good personal finance books is exhaustive, I’ve put together a list of five to get you started.

Miserly Moms by Jonni McCoy – I loved reading this book written by a stay-at-home mom. After the author and her husband decided that they wanted her to be at home with their kids, they devoted themselves to learning to live on one income. McCoy shares her guidelines of frugality, as well as offering some great money-saving tips.

Your Money or Your Life by Joe Dominguez and Vicki Robin – Although this book has been around for awhile, it still has as much to offer today as it did when it was first published. The premise of this book is reducing the clutter and unnecessary things in your life. By living simply you can enjoy life more and save money.

The Only Investment Guide You’ll Ever Need by Andrew Tobias – When you’re ready to starting building your own investment portfolio, this book provides the perfect starting point for your research. You’ll quickly learn to understand the key characteristics of mutual funds and bonds. You’ll even get advice on dealing with a sudden windfall of money. (We should all be so lucky!)

Living Simply with Children by Marie Sherlock – Now that you’re getting your finances in order, I know that you want to teach your kids to avoid the struggle you’re been facing. This book gives you advice on raising kids who aren’t attached to the idea of having “stuff.”

The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey – No list of good personal finance books could be complete without this book. If you haven’t read it yet, I would suggest checking it out of your local library in a hurry. Although I don’t agree with everything in the book, the no-nonsense approach to getting rid of debt can be really inspiring. The book gives you simple steps that will lead you down a path to a debt-free life.

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