Books

What follows is a list of books which heavily shaped my views on personal finance. While I’ve tried to distill the ideas from these books into this course, reading these classics first hand would be an investment that pays off time and time again.

In the spirit of good money management, I’d encourage you to borrow these books from your local library. If you’d like to purchase a copy instead, I’ve included links from Indigo (for Canadians) and Amazon where you can do so.
 

Your Money or Your Life – Vicki Robin and Joe Dominguez

Vicki Robin and Joe Dominguez were the originators of the Financial Independence movement.

This groundbreaking book is guaranteed to change your stance on all things money. It’s a marvelous testament to frugality and aligning your spending to your life’s values.

If you want to spend less money, spend more time with friends & family, diminish your reliance on your day job, and get off the treadmill that always leaves us wanting more — this is the book for you.

There’s more to life than “nine to five till you’re sixty-five”.

Your Money or Your Life – Indigo (Canada)

Your Money or Your Life – Amazon
 

The Little Book of Common Sense Investing – John Bogle

A guide to everything you need to know about investing. A short, sweet, and impactful read.

The book’s author John Bogle – the founder of Vanguard and creator of the first index fund – is considered to be one of the most important contributors to modern finance. In 2017, Warren Buffett wrote:

If you’re currently invested in actively-managed mutual funds, or are considering doing so, please read this book. The case for investing in low-cost index funds cannot be made better.

The Little Book of Common Sense Investing – Indigo (Canada)

The Little Book of Common Sense Investing – Amazon
 

The Millionaire Next Door – Thomas Stanley & William Danko

The authors of this book interviewed and studied over 1,000 millionaires in order to find out what it takes to become wealthy. The big takeaway? The popular perception of millionaires doesn’t match the actual behaviours of typical millionaires.

This book shatters the urban myth that millionaires live flashy lifestyles (high fashion, luxury cars, mansions, etc.). In fact, the typical millionaire is more likely to resemble your next door neighbour.

Wealth isn’t driven by how much money you make or how much you spend. Wealth comes from the amount of money that you accumulate (i.e., save).

This book will give you a “light bulb” moment on the mindset side of building wealth. You don’t need to spend money to make money. You don’t need to flaunt your money by buying high-priced status symbols. The more you earn, the more you should save each year.

The Millionaire Next Door – Indigo (Canada)

The Millionaire Next Door – Amazon