Let me warn my three faithful readers that I wrote about this subject earlier this year, with some of the same recommendations. For everybody else, let’s talk a little about personal finance books, especially those that might make a good Christmas gift.
After a January topic on money books that I like, both Fred Sirianni at Piper Jaffray &Co. in Everett and Donna Thompson, an economist for the state Employment Security Department, recommended that I add “The Richest Man in Babylon” by George Clason to the list.
I read it and I love it, primarily for its brevity and simplicity.
The book very clearly champions the importance of saving and investing, and it’s so easy to understand that I think it’s an especially good choice for younger people, or for anyone just starting to learn about handling money.
This is one I’m buying for my nephew Matt, who’s in his early 20s, for Christmas.
Also short and simple, but packed with an incredible amount of information, are The Wall Street Journal’s “Guide to Understanding Personal Finance” and “Guide to Understanding Money &Investing.”
These are not books you sit down to read from cover to cover. They’re better off as reference guides that provide a lot of quick information about the topics to make sure you understand them and their special terms and products. I use these books when I read a news story or magazine article and see something I don’t understand.
I also still like “7 Money Mantras for a Richer Life,” issued earlier this year and written by Michelle Singletary, a nationally syndicated columnist who appears in The Herald on Thursday and Sunday.
Singletary, an absolute tightwad, is full of common sense. She cuts through all the buzzwords and favors gradually building wealth through intelligent financial decisions. She’s definitely a person with no sympathy for those who have to keep up with the Joneses.
If you only read Chapter 2, “Is This a Need or Is It a Want,” you’ll immediately discover how to drastically reduce your spending and to focus on the things that are really important in your life.
This is the type of book you can leave by the easy chair and read in pieces. Or you can put it on the shelf and refer to it for specific advice. Instead of suggesting it will make you rich, Singletary characterizes the book as something that will show you “How to live well with the money you have.”
An oldie but a goodie that still makes my list is “The Only Investment Guide You’ll Ever Need,” which was first published in 1978 by Andrew Tobias, a financial writer who expresses himself with style and wit.
The book was last updated in 1996 and contains good personal finance information as well as a stock market section, which you won’t find in Singletary’s book.
I also like books by Jonathan Pond, a regular on PBS. His “Your Financial Future – 4 Easy Steps to Successful Investing” is good for people who don’t know a lot about investing and want to know how to start. It was published in 1997.
A more current and a very useful reference guide is “Personal Finance for Dummies,” which was updated last year. This one gets good ratings on Amazon.com.
Thompson also recommended “The Millionaire Next Door” by Thomas Stanley and William Danko. This is a fun read about how rich folks acquired their wealth, and offers some guidance for people who would like to follow the same path.
She also likes “Where are the Customer’s Yachts? Or a Good Hard Look at Wall Street,” by Fred Schwed, which she described as very funny. I haven’t read this one yet, but I intend to.
So we’ve listed some basic guides, some good reference books and a few good reads.
I hope this helps.
Mike Benbow: 425-339-3459; benbow@heraldnet.com.
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