Personal finance can be a complex subject to bring up in real life. As much as I enjoy writing about personal finance in this blog and on social media, I often find myself not getting involved in similar conversations in person. Money is tough to talk about without sounding preachy. People must want to hear the message honestly, or it will likely fall on deaf ears. Personal finance books have an opportunity to bridge that gap. That’s if you can get a person to read them, of course. This post includes eight of the best favorite personal finance book wedding gift ideas for newlyweds.
Personal Finance Book Wedding Gift Ideas for Newlyweds
During the past few months, I’ve heard several people mention how a book they received as a wedding gift changed their life. The examples were not unique to personal finance but also included topics such as faith, raising children, and other family situations.
A person’s wedding day usually results in significant lifestyle changes that only occur during specific points in their lives. Many newly married couples are combining finances, moving in together, and discussing the potential of having children. Their wedding day may be one of the rare times in their lives when they are more open to advise. Who knows, maybe they’ll take the book on the plane ride for their honeymoon?
My commitment from now on is to start giving personal finance books, along with some cash, as a wedding gift. I’d also include a personal note saying, “This book made a significant impact on my life, and I hope it does for you as well.” These books would provide a strong financial education foundation for any young family. I hope you enjoy this list of personal finance book wedding gift ideas!
A couple of months ago, I posted the following question on Twitter.
And let me tell you, the personal finance community delivered. I only included books on the list below that I have personally read and can vouch for having a life-changing impact on my family. If you’re interested in seeing many other great suggestions, you can view the original Twitter thread. Regardless, I’m excited to share this list of books below!
Rich Dad, Poor Dad – Robert Kiyosaki
Rich Dad, Poor Dad is Robert Kiyosaki’s story about growing up with two “dads” who had different approaches to money. This book challenges cultural norms such as the definition of an asset and liability and how to teach your children about money. Kiyosaki claims wealth comes from purchasing stocks, real estate, and businesses. This book is one of the most frequently recommended on the BiggerPockets real estate podcast and shifted how I thought about wealth building.
Recommended by:Mike Beatty @ Make Time Online
The Total Money Makeover – Dave Ramsey
Dave Ramsey is a polarizing figure in the personal finance world. Many love him, while others aren’t as fond. Regardless, Dave and his team have helped rescue hundreds of thousands of people from debt. His one-size-fits-all approach encourages people to follow his baby steps to pay down debt, save an emergency fund, and eventually pay down the mortgage on their home. The Total Money Makeover lays out a framework allowing nearly anyone to win with money.
Recommended by: That Frugal Pharmacist
The Broke Millennial Series – Erin Lowry
The Broke Millennial series by Erin Lowry is a refreshingly honest and relevant take on steps you need to take to get your financial life together (GYFLT). As a side note, it took me a while to realize that the “F” in this acronym stood for “financial” and not some other four-letter word despite being right on the book cover. Anyway, last year, I read Lowry’s first book, Broke Millennial: Stop Scraping By and Get Your Financial Life Together and was impressed with the step-by-step approach to go from financially broke to financially badass. Lowry’s second book, Broke Millennial Takes on Investing: A Beginner’s Guide to Leveling Up Your Money, would be great for anyone looking to start investing but unsure how or when to start.
Recommended by: J @ Millennial Boss
Set For Life – Scott Trench
Set for Life by Scott Trench gives young professionals the fiscal confidence they need to conquer financial goals early in life. Trench uses real-life examples of how he went from spreadsheet junky to a young real estate investor, which has led to his current role as the CEO of BiggerPockets.com. Trench’s book teaches young professionals to increase income, increase savings rates, and focus on building assets. Accumulating a lifetime of wealth in a short time requires working smarter and harder than the average person, and this book shows you how to do that. I distinctly remember reading this book on a flight several years ago, and it significantly impacted how I think about wealth building.
Recommended by: Lisa Duke @ Lisa Duke Financial Coaching
Your Money or Your Life – Vicki Robbin and Joe Dominguez
The idea of financial independence isn’t exactly a new concept. It’s been around for decades, although it was framed differently in the past. With that being said, Your Money or Your Life may have been the book that reframed the concept of financial independence that connected with people differently. Many financial independence bloggers today can trace their roots back to this book. For nearly 25 years, this has been the go-to book for taking back your life by changing your relationship with money. This book was fully revised and updated in 2018 with a forward from Mr. Money Mustache.
Recommended by: Sam @ A Simple Life with Sam & Jennifer @ Compounding Joy
The Simple Path to Wealth – JL Collins
The Simple Path to Wealth is the book I recommend most to anyone looking to start investing but unsure where to begin. This book is written with JL Collins’s advice to his daughter about investing. The overall premise is that complex investments only benefit those who create and sell them. The average investor would benefit from a more straightforward approach focused on investments with low fees and a diversified portfolio. This book is perfect for anyone who knows they should invest but doesn’t want to spend much time and energy thinking about it.
Recommended by: MrsMula
The Millionaire Next Door – Thomas Stanley
Of all the books on this list, The Millionaire Next Door may have been the most mind-shifting for me. I read this book as we began to turn our financial situation around. Before reading, I thought being rich meant a big house, a nice car, and expensive private schools. This book helped me realize that most millionaires are ordinary people who make intentional decisions about their money. This book highlights seven common traits repeatedly among those who accumulate wealth, several of which will surprise you.
Recommended by:Matthew Lee @ USAF DDS
Lifeonaire – Steve Cook
Whenever anyone asks which book I’d recommend that you don’t hear about often, I always go with Lifeonaire. I read this book for the first time a little over five years ago in the hospital after our son was born. Since then, I’ve read it almost every year. It’s a realistic fiction book that tells the story of a burned-out dad who, like many Americans, is blindly pursuing financial wealth in all the wrong ways. This book connected with me and is what I aim for my life to be more like in the future.
Recommended by: ME!
Wedding Gift Ideas for Newlyweds
I hope you enjoyed this list of books for newlyweds. The personal finance community came through with a list of great recommendations. These are all books I’ve read before, given my obsession with personal finance and financial independence. I’ll let you know how it goes when I have the opportunity to gift one of these books at future weddings. I wish someone had slipped me any of these books when we married.
If it were up to you, which of these personal finance book wedding gift ideas would you give at your next wedding?
Financial Pilgrimage
Mark is the founder of Financial Pilgrimage, a blog dedicated to helping young families pay down debt and live financially free. Mark has a Bachelor’s degree in financial management and a Master’s degree in economics and finance. He is a husband of one and father of two and calls St. Louis, MO, home. He also loves playing in old man baseball leagues, working out, and being anywhere near the water. Mark has been featured in Yahoo! Finance, NerdWallet, and the Plutus Awards Showcase.
