Personal finance is, well, very personal. We are at different points and circumstances in our financial lives. We face different financial struggles and cope with them differently.
But I know one thing for sure: we all desire financial success and freedom. We want to make more than enough money so we can live our lives on our own terms while being able to secure our financial future.
I understand that financial management can be a little overwhelming for some people. You want to be rich, but you’re unsure about how to make money. And the money-making part is just one part of the equation. You also need to learn about saving money, investing, and budgeting to control your cash flow, create wealth, and improve your financial life!
One of the best ways to equip yourself to make money is to read books by experts. These books won’t just tell you how to make money, per se, but also give practical advice and crucial lessons on how to go about your financial journey. So if you’re ready to grow your personal wealth, these are my recommendations for books on making money that are worth your time.

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1. Rich Dad Poor Dad
Table of Contents
Author Robert Kiyosaki wrote the timeless classic Rich Dad Poor Dad. For me, this is hands down, one of the best books on how to make money. This book teaches the importance of making money work for you.
The basic premise of this book revolves around how the different upbringings of his two fathers, a rich dad and a poor dad, shaped his financial perspectives in life. This book teaches us that proper financial planning doesn’t just revolve around acquiring assets but ultimately making those assets help you build wealth.
In this book, Kiyosaki demonstrates how rich people reach financial freedom by mobilizing their assets, while poor people acquire liabilities that only hinder them from attaining financial goals. Young people can learn basic knowledge of personal finance from this book. No wonder it has remained such a massive bestseller, even two decades after its publication.
2. The Richest Man in Babylon
Another fantastic book to read for making money is The Richest Man in Babylon by George Samuel Clason.
The Richest Man in Babylon is a collection of short stories set in Babylon (which is now Iraq), 4000 years ago. I find this book very striking as it explains how important it is to save money for your personal growth. The book also dwells on matters of investing and how it can help you achieve financial security.
I love how this timeless classic offered so much practical and realistic advice on money management, and most of this still rings true today. For instance, it teaches the virtue of paying yourself first, the importance of being debt-free and protecting your finances with good money habits.
3. Think And Grow Rich
One of the best books on how to make money is Think And Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill. Interestingly, this book was written during the Great Depression, a time when financial resources were scarce, so it sheds light on several financial concepts that can help you move toward financial independence.
This book explains the strategies that successful people use to amass wealth. Napoleon Hill said that it all starts with desire. If you desire to be rich, then you become rich. Additionally, it’s worth noting how the author emphasizes having a purpose and having a strong conviction for it.
Napoleon Hill breaks down his financial advice into 13 steps that anyone who desires to be rich must follow. The author also said that whatever success or fortune you achieve in life starts with an idea. Thus, Think and Grow Rich is precisely what this book tells us. If you want to grow rich, you must have conviction and stand by it with all your might.
4. Secrets of the Millionaire Mind
Secrets of the Millionaire Mind is one of my personal favorites. It is a bestselling book written by T. Harv Eker. This book deals with the concept that wealth is not defined by education, skills, or luck. Instead, each one of us has a unique and personal blueprint that defines our financial success. This blueprint determines the reasons for your financial struggles (and success.).
But Eker explains that this blueprint is not set in stone. You just need to identify what’s holding you back from making money so you can revise it. In the book’s second part, he shares the mindset of the rich that keeps them going in building wealth. So, if you want to be headed in the right direction and start making money, you must be open to revising your money blueprint. You can get rich if you make it and embed it into your mindset.
5. The Millionaire Next Door
The Millionaire Next Door is another interesting book on making money. The authors of this book, Thomas J. Stanley and William D. Danko, emphasize the importance of saving money, no matter how much your income is.
What I find most interesting about this book is how the authors illustrate the rich and wealthy. These are not the people who drive flashy cars or buy expensive things but those who run their households efficiently and practically. For instance, the authors say that true wealth is not about extravagance and luxury but the opposite of it. Instead, you can save money and increase your net worth by living a simple, frugal life.
Also, this book explains that it is important to earn passive income. The authors hint that most of the millionaires in the country are passive investors rather than active investors. They know where to put their money so that it brings back maximum value to them.
Overall, this book is a must-read, whether you’re just starting to get serious about your financial freedom or journey or are looking for sound and practical knowledge on building wealth.
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6. Awaken the Giant Within
Good habits can help you immensely improve your financial situation, which is one of the key takeaways when reading Awaken the Giant Within by Anthony Robbins. Our bad habits bring us pain, while good habits provide happiness and pleasure.
While this book does not explicitly deal with making money, it teaches us valuable lessons on money mindset instead. It encourages people to make a change by first bringing up their standards. For instance, if you are tired of living paycheck to paycheck, then you must upgrade your standard by learning new skills that pay more, networking with others, and looking for higher-paying opportunities. If you don’t try to get out of the rut that you’re in, then you’re stuck.
Our mindset and belief system are two of the most powerful tools in taking control of our finances. We must first believe that we can do whatever we set our hearts and minds to, with confidence and conviction. Finally, consistency is important in personal finance. Once you’ve found a proven system that can elevate your financial circumstances, you must take it up consistently. You must save money, earn money, and invest money consistently.
7. I Will Teach You To Be Rich
Written by bestselling author Remit Sethi, I Will Teach You To Be Rich is one of the best books to read about making money. Remit Sethi is a personal finance expert, and he’s been teaching people how to be rich through this book since 2009.
This book breaks down the six steps on how one could become rich. It sheds light on the six basic money management principles that a lot of people tend to neglect, such as proper budgeting and spending, saving, and investing. If you can follow these steps, you can tackle financial problems head-on and be on your way toward financial freedom.
The part of the book that I love the most talks about conscious spending. It is where you learn how to manage your income and allocate it to things that matter to you the most. You can spend on things that bring the most value to your life, and you cut down on things that don’t. I believe there is so much wisdom in this concept.
This book is a good read for young people who don’t know how to make money work for them, but it’s also perfect for anyone looking to enrich their lives with more financial knowledge.
8. The Automatic Millionaire
The Automatic Millionaire is a fantastic book written by financial expert David Bach. This book is one of the best books on making money and investing, as it breaks down concepts into nine steps that anyone can follow.
In The Automatic Millionaire, David Bach tells us some of the most important ways to secure our financial life, some of which are not that difficult. For example, the first step is called the Latte Factor, wherein you are encouraged to save little by little. Over time, those small amounts grow into something big, allowing you to acquire wealth.
David Bach also emphasized investing, a method allowing people to reach their ultra-wealthy status. With investing, you are making money work for you instead of you working for money.
It’s also worth noting that David Bach is a huge fan of “paying yourself first”, which means you put away money for savings, first and foremost, before you spend the rest on anything else. He also tackled automated savings so that you are always saving on autopilot, even when you forget to save. Given our modern technology, automated savings has become easier than ever.
9. The Compound Effect
The Compound Effect is another amazing book on making money. Written by Darren Hardy, it laid down a simple, straightforward formula for financial success: small actions + consistency + time.
This book does not just focus on the compound effect of money but also on life in general. The formula can also be applied in our personal relationships with the people that matter to us.
When it comes to money-making, this book teaches us that even the smallest decisions we make in our daily lives can profoundly impact our success (or failure). It says that we must acquire new habits that bring us toward success. These habits aren’t exactly sexy, stunning, or exciting, but they instill discipline in you that compounds over time.
For instance, you must have the discipline to save money. Start with one dollar this week, two dollars next, and then three… and so on. Saving money might seem boring as it disciplines you from impulse spending, but it works on your subconscious mind that you must always save money.
Over time, your savings grow, and the habit of saving stays with you and becomes even more powerful. In this example, the small action of saving, being consistent at it, and doing it over time is what propels you towards a healthier financial life.
10. Millionaire Success Habits
If you want to get rich and achieve your first million, you must read the Millionaire Success Habits by Dean Graziosi, a well-known entrepreneur and investor.
Dean Graziosi said in this book that it’s important to have a clear vision and strong conviction to move from where you are today to where you want to go. You must acquire critical habits to get to your desired destination.
One of the most striking concepts that the author introduced in this book is investing in yourself. He suggests that the best way to get the most return on investment is to do something that you’re already very good at and work on it (in contrast to attempting to rectify your weaknesses).
So, what do you do about areas you’re less talented at? Graziosi says to outsource them to people who are already good at it. That way, you are working on your unique ability while letting others attend to the more trivial tasks. This setup makes the entire system more efficient.
Apart from this, Graziosi dives deeper into the successful habits of millionaires, which are surprisingly not complicated. You begin by narrowing down your “why”, nurturing your confidence, bouncing back from setbacks, learning how to market yourself, and keeping the habit of continuous learning.
11. 6 Months to 6 Figures
The book 6 Months to 6 Figures by Peter Voogd might just be what you need if you need the inspiration to earn more money.
Peter Voogd learned to make money online at quite a young age, which taught him the art of selling. Now this book reflects valuable lessons about how you can make money quickly in a short period of time. Peter outlines these strategies, which he calls six meta-skills.
First, you must be clear about your goals. You must know what you want to do and where you want to go. You must also be confident, network with people who inspire you, stay consistent, and never tire of learning. When you consistently apply these actionable steps in your life and your business, it is easier for you to make money.
The key takeaways of this book are that you need positive, successful habits to create the life that you want. Although many personal finance experts say this repeatedly, it is true for many millionaires. For instance, why does Mark Zuckerberg always stick to the same T-shirt every day? It’s because he does not have to spend time making decisions over the little things. Wearing that same T-shirt is probably one of the habits that make him successful!
If you want to get rich, you have to devote your energy to things that matter and make it a habit! Don’t let the small things steal your time. This book tells us that we can make money and live successful lives by adopting positive habits.
12. The Total Money Makeover
The Total Money Makeover is one of the best books on personal finance. Written by personal finance coach Dave Ramsey, this is the book you must read if you want to overhaul your financial life.
There are plenty of insightful things that this book teaches us. First, you need proper financial planning. The Total Money Makeover presents a simple and easy-to-follow game plan so you can take control of your money.
In this book, you’ll learn how to manage your finances with Ramsey’s seven-step strategy. You start by setting up an emergency fund, paying down debt, and saving extra money. Ramsey calls them baby steps and following them can immensely impact your finances. These steps help you tackle financial problems and issues, one by one. For instance, Dave Ramsey’s snowball method of paying down debt could help you gain the momentum you need to tackle debt without losing motivation.
13. Retire Before Mom and Dad
If you don’t want to wait until your golden years before you retire, then this book should give you the aspiration and motivation you need. Retire Before Mom and Dad is a book by Rob Berger that teaches us how to build wealth so we can retire early.
This book dispels the myth that early retirement is reserved for the elite and wealthy. Ordinary people can attain financial independence early too. First, Berger presents the five most common myths that stop you from achieving financial freedom.
Once you’re free of these myths, you develop a better understanding and healthier perspective toward money. You don’t have to give up on the things you want just to make room for extra money. It tells us that financial freedom can be achieved with any income, but you need the right strategy to manage your finances properly.
Apart from this, the book also presents simple math so you know how much to save and how soon you can reach financial freedom. Plus, you learn much more about investing and creating multiple streams of passive income. You also learn how to do the 21-day life experiments where you test-drive new habits for 21 days.
All in all, this book can nurture your financial intelligence, helping you to steer towards the path of financial freedom.
14. The Greatest Salesman in The World
Written by Og Mandino, The Greatest Salesman in the World is a classic that offers timeless financial advice.
According to the author, making money is not just about aspiring to be rich. Instead, you should strive to achieve peace, happiness, and contentment.
The book breaks down its key takeaways into ten valuable habits taken from the ten ancient scrolls. The book’s main character, a poor camel boy, applied those strategies and built a huge empire. It earned him the title of the Greatest Salesman in the World.
In our modern world, we can apply the concepts in this book to our daily lives. It tells us that failures are not setbacks but opportunities to learn. Forming good habits is also emphasized in the book, and we must replace bad habits with positive ones. We must consistently think, speak, and practice good habits so they become second nature.
Finally, stay positive in life. We all face problems and hurdles, but keeping a positive mindset will help us push through them. A portion of the book also tells us that we must make ourselves a hundred times more valuable to achieve our utmost potential.
Conclusion
Whether you’re looking for inspiring stories or want to learn more about money-making opportunities and how to use them to build wealth, these books are always worth reading (and re-reading). It pays to learn old and new wisdom in personal finance as these could change your relationship with money.
What personal finance book changed your life? Do share your recommended money-making books in the comments.