When we made the decision to get our financial lives in order, the first thing we did was spend hundreds of dollars on money guides. Sound crazy? It was. So to save you from this mistake, we’ve compiled a list of our favourites. Now of course, the No. 1 must-have is Smart Cookies’ Guide to Making More Dough (wink, wink), but here are our top picks.
Andrea’s Pick:
Suze Orman’s 2009 Action Plan, by Suze Orman
Suze Orman is known for her no-nonsense smackdown style, and this book is no exception. 2009 Action Plan, is a simple, step-by-step guide on how to get back on track and into financial shape if you’ve fallen off the wagon due to the present economic disaster. Plus, it’s half the price of a regular financial book in book stores.
Sandra’s Pick:
Make Money Not Excuses, by Jean Chatzky
Prior to becoming Smart Cookies, we had excuse after excuse as to why we just couldn’t save, invest, or make more dough. After reading this book we realized that a: we weren’t alone (the author even shares her own money mistakes!), and that b: confronting our money mishaps was the first step in reaching financial freedom. Plus, you’ll love the simple solutions to your everyday money concerns.
Angela’s Pick:
Smart Women Finish Rich, by David Bach
In the early days of our money group this was our guide (we even took part of the title to create our name!) When reading this book, I started to think about my money not as a number in the bank or a source of stress but as a means to living my richest life (in all senses of the word.) It’s a step-by-step guide to becoming a financially savvy and self-sufficient woman and every Smart Cookie should read Smart Women Finish Rich!
Katie’s Pick:
Freakonomics, by Stephen Dubner and Steven Levitt
I am a sucker for a good storyteller. And a book that can analyze different socio-economic phenomena in a humorous and engaging way will definitely earn my respect. Freakonomics examines what people will do to get what they want. And while it’s not your typical financial how-to book, it does offer some great lessons on questioning the different financial incentives we encounter.
Robyn’s Pick:
The Wealthy Barber, by David Chilton
Although it’s been 20 years since this book was first published, the core concepts continue to ring true. Chilton was certainly not the first to introduce the idea, however he certainly made it clear that paying yourself first is one of the fundamentals in living your richest life. As a book that has sold nearly three million copies, and is the best-selling Canadian book of all time, Chilton’s concepts are definitely well respected within the financial field.
– Tune in Monday nights at 10:30 p.m. EST/PST on the W Network and be sure to visit
www.smartcookies.com for more tips.
