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- Best for beginners: "The Financial Diet: A Total Beginner's Guide to Getting Good with Money" by Chelsea Fagan and Lauren Ver Hage
- Best for making a plan: "I Will Teach You To Be Rich, Second Edition: No Guilt. No Excuses. No BS. Just a 6-Week Program That Works," by Ramit Sethi
- Best for inspiration: "The Millionaire Next Door" by Thomas J. Stanley
- Best for millennials: "Broke Millennial: Stop Scraping By and Get Your Financial Life Together" by Erin Lowry
- Best for teens and Gen Z: "How to Money: Your Ultimate Visual Guide to the Basics of Finance" by Jean Chatzky
- Best for improving your mindset with money: "Simple Wealth: The Practical Guide to Transform Your Relationship with Money and Live in Abundance" by Holly Morphew
- Best for habit breaking: "But First, Save 10: The One Simple Money Move That Will Change Your Life" by Sarah Catherine-Gutierrez
If you're looking to save more money in 2023, these personal finance books should top your list.
While there are a lot of personal finance books out there, not everyone is a good fit for every financial situation or goal. To save more, you generally need to spend less and focus your attention on earning more. These books do cover that, but they also offer creative savings strategies and suggestions for ways to make the money you save work harder.
If you want strategies that will help you increase your cash reserves, these seven books about saving will help you find a way.
Best for Beginners: "The Financial Diet: A Total Beginner's Guide To Getting Good With Money" by Chelsea Fagan and Lauren Ver Hage
"The Financial Diet" takes a look at the areas in your life where you might be overspending and shows you how to fix it. Author Chelsea Fagan outlines a plan to get good with money in a year, from managing your grocery bill to building credit. The book isn't dense and offers helpful advice for anyone who's new to managing money.
It's a relatively quick read that will be helpful for many newcomers, especially for visual learners, since it includes a number of graphics and flowcharts.
Best for Making a Plan: "I Will Teach You To Be Rich, Second Edition: No Guilt. No Excuses. No BS. Just a 6-Week Program That Works," by Ramit Sethi
Equal parts inspirational and informational, "I Will Teach You to Be Rich" has become a mainstay in the personal finance community, especially for anyone who wants to build wealth.
Whether you want to save or invest the extra money you're keeping every month, this book is a primer on how to do it most efficiently. It has practical tips not only on how to save more money but also on how to save more efficiently (i.e., how to make it effortless) and where to put the money that you've saved to make it work harder.
Best for Inspiration: "The Millionaire Next Door" by Thomas J. Stanley
If you've been feeling uninspired about saving lately, this is the book to pick up. One of the major points of this book is that almost anyone at any income level can save and invest their way to wealth.
Based on interviews with hundreds of millionaires, author Thomas J. Stanley points out the commonalities between millionaires across the US. More often than not, the people featured in this book aren't millionaires from inheritances or family fortunes, they're millionaires from saving and investing earned wealth over time.
It's an easy read that focuses on stories and interviews, and you'll put it down with new and actionable advice you hadn't thought of before.
Best for Millennials: "Broke Millennial: Stop Scraping by and Get Your Financial Life Together" by Erin Lowry
Yes, a millennial is in the title. But "Broke Millennial: Stop Scraping By and Get Your Financial Life Together" by Erin Lowry is a great pick for people in their late 20s or early 30s because it tackles money topics in a non-judgmental and straightforward manner.
Author Erin Lowry covers essential topics to help you save, like finding a budgeting method that can work for you and picking the right type of savings account for your needs. This book also might be ideal if you're trying to figure out finances with your partner or what to do when you're out with friends and can't afford to split the bill evenly.
Best for Teens and Gen Z: "How to Money: Your Ultimate Visual Guide to the Basics of Finance" by Jean Chatzky
This book serves as a great guide for teens who are ready to establish some independence. Jean Chatzky, Kathryn Tuggle, and the HerMoney team cover the basics in this book, like how to ask for an allowance and set goals to save for what you want.
Sprinkled throughout the book are also cute illustrations about the topics covered and boxed areas that provide definitions of personal finance terms.
Best for Habit Breaking: "But First, Save 10: The One Simple Money Move That Will Change Your Life" by Sarah Catherine-Gutierrez
This book outlines the principle behind the "pay yourself first" strategy, where you save and invest a percentage of your income before doing anything else.
The book walks through saving an emergency fund, saving and investing for retirement, and saving for other future, fun purchases. The author is a financial planner, which gives this book extra credibility and perspective from a professional.
This book is great motivation for anyone who wants to lower their spending, start building up their savings, and reach their goals with simple strategies.
Best for Improving Your Mindset With Money: "Simple Wealth: The Practical Guide To Transform Your Relationship With Money and Live In Abundance" by Holly Morphew
Holly Morphew's book is worth considering if you want to book that explains different savings concepts and teaches how to become more confident with your finances.
The first part of the book focuses on improving your mindset and relationship with money. Then, in the second part, you'll learn about Morphew's pillars of wealth: maximizing cash flow, eliminating debt, saving, and creating wealth.
Ultimately, if you're hoping to change your mindset, this book can be a great read for becoming more motivated with handling your finances.
Other Books About Saving Money we Considered
We considered a dozen books about saving money before selecting our top picks. While the following books weren't chosen among our favorites, you still might consider one of the following books if you want to become motivated about saving money or learn more tips.
- "The Year Of Less" by Cait Flanders
- "Get Money," by Kristin Wong
- 'The 30-Day Money Cleanse," by Ashley Feinstein Gerstley
- "Your Money or Your Life: 9 Steps to Transforming Your Relationship with Money and Achieving Financial Independence," by Vicki Robin and Joe Dominguez
- "Get a Financial Life: Personal Finance in Your Twenties and Thirties" by Beth Kobliner
Books About Saving Money Frequently Asked Questions
Why should I read books about saving money?
If you are struggling to save money or want some inspiration to help keep you motivated about your finances, personal finance books can be a great resource.
Some personal finance books will cover specific savings strategies you can implement to improve your habit. Other books may focus more on your perspective on money and will address how you can take control of your finances by shifting your mindset.
Why is saving money important?
A study conducted by the Federal Reserve, found that about 35% adults would have some difficulty in covering a $400 emergency expense. The study also found that about 12% of adults said they wouldn't be able to cover the emergency expense at all.
Saving money can be important because you'll be able to cope with unexpected situations. Experts recommend keeping at least three to six months of expenses in an emergency fund.