​​Being able to manage your money is a critical life skill, one that no one really teaches you in school. It’s one of those things you often have to learn yourself, with a foundation built by your parents, usually on some old life principles.

But no matter where you are in life, this skill can always be worked on. It can be improved and polished, whether you've just landed your first job or you're close to retirement. To be honest, I always feel like there's something to learn, and I'm always happy to learn something new about money.

Now, when it comes to personal finance books, we all know the classic. If you’re into this type of self-help books on money, you might be familiar with names like Robert T. Kiyosaki, Joseph R. Dominguez or Rhonda Byrne.

They can and will help, but personally, I feel like times are changing. I think we need something more actual and straight to the point. With these thoughts in mind, here are the best budgeting books I’ve been through lately.

What Are the Best Personal Finance Budgeting Books?

Unlocking the Power of Numbers, by Finn Robertson (2023)

Unlocking the Power of Numbers is for everyone and not just for people good at math. It’s the type of book that will show you the direction to financial freedom by taking some classic principles everyone follows in terms of money.

From strategies and practical tools, you’ll be able to understand obvious things that were right under your nose, the type of things you won’t learn about in school. The purpose? Crystal clear, obtaining financial independence in the long run.

I’ll be honest with you, the book feels a bit sophisticated in the beginning. There are a few terms here, and there you won't understand, but everything is explained in the smallest details. This book will help you reorganize finances, plan for retirement and handle all kinds of unexpected obstacles.

There’s nothing to worry about if you fear math. It’s normal, a lot of us hate the topic. But this isn’t about theorems and integrals. Instead, complex principles are split into easy to understand concepts. You’ll find out how basic math can help you get out of debt and manage your finances like never before.

From strategies and ideas to case studies and exercises, this book will educate you and train you accordingly.

It makes no difference if you’re new to finances or you’ve tried different tools before. This type of education won’t promote anything special, but it will hone your math and financial skills to reach the freedom we all crave for.

Don’t get me wrong, it won’t happen overnight, but it builds a solid foundation for the future.

What They Don't Teach You About Money, by Claer Barrett (2023)

This is one of those budgeting books that bring in a more hands-on approach. It won’t dig too deep, but it will give you ideas and strategies that anyone can implement, regardless of your financial situation or debts.

Coming from someone with a reputation in terms of money and the modern living crisis, this book will teach you everything you need to know about money. And no, you won’t need any financial education whatsoever.

One of the top secrets lies in unpicking your emotional connection with money. It sounds difficult, I know, but it’s actually pretty simple. We all have some financial habits formed while we were young. Many of them are totally wrong, of course!

The overall idea of the book is to teach you how to make money work for you. There are no fancy terms or technical jargon, no worries. You’ll learn more about yourself and your habits, the secrets of proper budgeting and how to deal with different types of debt.

From small things like digital banking and setting goals to big things like pensions and investments, the author debunks a series of myths that inevitably keep you in financial paralysis.

Let me make it clear, the book won’t do it all for you. It will educate you and open your eyes, helping you make better and more informed decisions in the future.

The Price of Money, by Rob Dix (2023)

Fascinating, excellent, brilliant! That's how people describe this book, so I thought, why not? I've recently finished this one, and I must tell you, it’s a must-read, regardless of where you are in life with money, poor or rich.

The best part about this book is it’s actual. Somehow, everything’s more expensive, from tomatoes to your daily dose of caffeine. Somehow, the government keeps making money, while your savings shrink. When was the last time you sent some money to your savings account? Exactly!

We live by an old school principle. Save money to feel secure and retire comfortably. Well, bad news, this is no longer the case. Over the past half a century, it looks like we’re in a completely different financial environment.

Savings lose value, while debt keeps piling up.

Now, this book shows you why the principles we learned from our parents (who learned them from our grandparents) are no longer valid. You’ll find out what’s changed lately and why currencies are no longer what they used to be.

Some investments bring in more benefits than others. Exactly, that’s the thing today, you’ll have to make your money work for you, rather than let it build up in a savings account. Furthermore, the author also explains the trend and tries to determine what’s about to happen in the future.

You don’t have to be an analyst or economist to understand this book. It’s written for the average individual and has a ton of useful advice.

Money Games – Debt Freedom, by Heidi Ifland Nash (2023)

I’m not sure how to describe this book, it’s got a bit of everything related to money. It’s full of games, light educational tips and ideas that can change the way you see money. It sounds like a book for kids, but trust me, it will have an impact.

You'll have a bunch of saving challenges, as well as money related games, goals, trackers, and pretty much anything you can think of when it comes to money. It's not just an educational tool, but also a way to make budgeting more fun than ever.

If you’re always avoiding budget planning because you’re worried about what you might find out, this book will help out.

Many of the games bring back childhood memories. You’ll face some challenges, find out how to set goals, do a bit of coloring, plenty of variety and all sorts of ideas that will help you build a financial purpose.

The best part about this book is it works for everyone. It makes no difference what your income is, whether or not you have an emergency fund, how many credit cards you have and so on. If you’re worried about money, this is your first step in getting back on track.

Budget Happy, by Lisa Woodley (2023)

To most people, including me, the idea of budgeting is associated with cutting down on everything. No more takeaway coffee, no more nights out, it’s basically all about restrictions. However, this isn’t always the case. In fact, this book defines budgeting as planning.

Planning for smart decisions to have enough leftovers for all kinds of treats.

Now, as we all grow up, we borrow some of our parents' ideas, but they've grown up in different times. Life is more complicated these ways, and what worked before is useless now. No matter what you do, you end up dealing with a paycheck to paycheck lifestyle.

This isn’t one of those budgeting books written by a self-made millionaire, but by someone who found a trend on TikTok, followed it and gathered a whole community behind her. You’ll learn more about this journey, understand money, adopt some healthy habits and explore what a realistic budget means.

It’s simple and straightforward. All you need is an income and a binder. Without revealing too much, rest assured, it’s one of the best ways to save money in a fun and effective manner.

Pathfinders, by JL Collins (2023)

This book is part of a bigger series coming from the same author. While I recommend most books in the series, this is the most recent one and up to date with the latest developments in terms of finances, so it’s definitely one of the top personal finance books these days.

I find it a bit difficult to describe it. It’s a money book, yes, but it’s also an inspirational book. It brings in the stories of different people, as well as their struggles to reach financial independence. And somehow, they do it, and you're likely to be the next one.

It’s a book full of surprising and inspirational tales. Sure, it means nothing if you read it without thinking about it, but pause for a moment and try to understand what it means. Each story offers a few valuable lessons that lots of people simply overlook.

It’s a book about struggles and rewards, problems and solutions, kindness and sacrifice and the simple steps to go through all these. I’m telling you, you’ll definitely find yourself in some of these stories.

Your Journey to Financial Freedom, by Jamila Souffrant (2023)

You might be familiar with Jamila Souffrant if you’re into podcasts and budgeting books. Either way, this book is a must-read for those who can’t figure out where they stand with finances.

I’ll keep it simple. The author teaches you how to boost savings, dive through debt and accelerate your journey to financial independence, simple as that. There’s no fluff and random stuff that everyone knows about, but straight-to-the-point advice at a fast-paced rhythm.

And it all comes from someone who has been through all these. Coming from a Jamaican immigrant family and struggling with three kids, the author has been through pretty much every challenge you can think of in terms of money.

If she has made it, I believe we can follow up. At times, the book feels like a memoir. But that’s because it’s written from a personal point of view. You’ll go through all kinds of stories, learn new lessons and find out what to do in certain situations.

Rich AF, by Vivian Tu (2023)

Vivian Tu didn’t struggle much in life. She jumped onto Wall Street as soon as she graduated and made more money than she could ever imagine. However, it wasn’t enough. She soon realized that it’s not about how much money you make, but about how you use it.

And that’s when she found a mentor and started understanding how wealthy people think.

This is one of the best personal finance books because it’s simply about money, their role, what they mean and how they influence markets. It offers a deep insight into investments, trading and money making industries.

You’ll discover valuable advice about how to get rich. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not one of those books promising you the world overnight. It takes work, hard work, but education is just as important in the process.

In Rich AF, Vivian Tu aims to be your mentor. You’ll understand how to make as much as possible from your 9-to-5 job, how to understand different types of banking accounts, identify loopholes in terms of tax and retire young, simple as that.

It’s a book that suits anyone with an income. You don’t need to be rich to start investing. Instead, you can start low and build up from there.

Rich AF will equip you with the education and tools to understand the financial environment you’re part of and how to build a strategy that suits your unique circumstances from scratch.

Bottom line

These are by far the best budgeting books I’ve been through this year. They’re actual, straight to the point and crystal-clear.

I believe they’ll work wonders for everyone out there, whether you’re trying to get out of debt, start investing or build a future for an early retirement. They have nothing to do with how much money you have or owe, but with your mindset.​

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