Personal Finance Books for Millennials by Millennials

What was the first personal finance book you ever picked up? For me, like many Canadians, it was The Wealthy Barber by David Chilton. From that point on, I became obsessed with learning everything there was about personal finance.

But in my early 20s, I also read a ton of books that went over my head or just didn’t resonate with me because I couldn’t relate. And a lot of that had to do with being a millennial who experienced The Great Recession right as I entered adulthood. So even though many of the books I picked up still had some valuable information, much of it was also either outdated or completely irrelevant.

So, in case you’re a millennial like me and are looking for a few personal finance books from a perspective you can actually relate to, below are some of my top picks of personal finance books for millennials by millennial authors.

But first, make sure to check out the replay of my first ever book club with the wonderful Erin Lowry, author of Broke Millennial. If you want to learn more about my book club and how you can get involved, click here.

Missed My First Book Club? Check Out the Replay!

Broke Millennial by Erin Lowry

If you’re looking for a book to give to a recent grad, your friend who has no idea what a budget is, or just want to read a personal finance book from someone like you who’s been there, learned from her mistakes and successes, and basically wrote the book on how to stop being a broke millennial, then you absolutely need to grab a copy of Erin Lowry’s first book Broke Millennial.

I not only had the pleasure of interviewing her on my podcast, she was also gracious enough to kick off my first ever book club with me in my private Facebook group. It was my first time hosting an online event like this, and it was so much fun. It was great to be able to read a book alongside a group of people from all over the world and then come together online for a special Facebook Live AMA and book club chat.

My first book club was such a success, that I’m already making plans to host my second one in the fall. To sign up so you stay in the loop, click here.

Dear Debt by Melanie Lockert

It’s no easy feat to pay off $80,000 in debt! But with the insane cost of post-secondary education these days, sadly it’s almost the norm to graduate from university and be drowning in 5-figures of debt as a new grad. But, that doesn’t mean you should throw in the towel and just get used to living in the red.

In Melanie Lockert’s book Dear Debt, she shares her story of crushing her seemingly insurmountable debt burden, while offering helpful tips and advice on how she did it, and how you can too.

If the debt is one of your biggest money challenges, and you want to break up with your debt just like Melanie did, this book is just the thing that will get you motivated to start crushing it so you can live that financially free life you’ve always dreamed of.

You Only Live Once by Jason Vitug

You may scoff at another reference to #YOLO, but the truth is YOU DO only live once, so don’t settle for a life that’s less than you deserve. With a big focus on the “Why” before the “How,” You Only Live Once will help you find your deep-rooted purpose for going the distance and living your financial best life.

It’s something that sounds so simple, but goal setting sometimes gets put on the back burner in many financial books. Same with just straight-up financial awareness.

This book seeks to teach you how to be more mindful and purposeful with your money, and then how to put the wheels in motion so you can actually achieve the goals you set for yourself.

A great inspirational and motivational personal finance book!

The Broke and Beautiful Life by Stefanie O’Connell

From a broke actress trying to make it in NYC, to now a top millennial money expert making serious bank through her personal brand, public speaking tours, and more, her book The Broke and Beautiful Life is a great read for anyone who thinks they’re too broke to ever reach for the stars.

What I love about this book is it really drives home the power of personal finance. By educating yourself, learning the tools, and applying them (consistently), you’ll be shocked to find that with some determination and hard work, you can go from broke to financially free. Being financially secure isn’t just for those who were born rich. You can start from anywhere and go the distance, and Stefanie is proof of that.

What’s your favourite millennial-focused personal finance book? Share it in the comments!