Last updated: 20 December 2021. If you're looking for books about financial independence then you've reached the right place. Here is my guide to the best financial independence book available to buy online or in shops.
I list by 5 favourite financial independence books, alongside a whole array of other great titles, including classics, specialisms or books which might be perfect for financial independence seekers in special circumstances.
To keep the list inclusive, I've ensured that all these financial independence books are suited for beginners. You won't need to be an investing guru to understand the investment terminology used, as I only feature books with accessible writing.
With prices ranging from £5 - £25, stocking up on a few of the best financial independence books can deliver the same value as an expensive seminar for only a fraction of the cost. They can even be read for free with Amazon's Kindle Unlimited free trial.
Click on any title below to see the latest price from Amazon, and I can assure you; you'll be pleasantly surprised at how low the prices are for some of the most popular paperbacks. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases which helps to support this site. This does not impact how I compile the list. Happy reading!
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Download all these financial independence books for free with Kindle Unlimited
You DON'T even need a Kindle device to download booksHere's a useful tip that will save you £100+ on financial independence books. Sign-up to Amazon's Kindle Unlimited free trial, which offers access to all titles for free for 30 days.
- There's no obligation to continue with a paid subscription.
- You don't even need a Kindle to enjoy - any device will do.
If you're cost-savvy, you'll already be calculating the savings you could unlock and the knowledge you could gain by downloading 5 books over the next 30 days.
My Top 5 Financial Independence Books for 2022
Click covers to see latest reviews and prices1. Early Retirement Extreme - Jacob Lund Fisker
Financial Expert Rating:
Synopsis:
"A strategic combination of smart financial choices, simple living, and increased self-reliance brought me financial independence at 30 and allowed me to retire from my profession at 33. Early Retirement Extreme shows how I did it and how anyone can formulate their own plan for financial independence.
The book provides the principles and framework for a systems theoretical strategy for attaining that independence in 5-10 years. It teaches how a shift in focus from consuming to producing can help people out of the consumer trap, and offers a path to achieving the freedom necessary to pursue interests other than working for a living. The principles in Early Retirement Extreme show how to break the financial chains that hold people back from doing what they truly want to do. "
Who this book is for:
Where better to learn the art of financial independence than from one of its earliest and most hardcore proponents?
Jacob Fisker proves in his book Early Retirement Extreme that early retirement is only a handful of years away... if we're prepared to take big decisions and really push the boundaries of frugality and clever investment.
Whether you plan to go 110% like Jacob, or want to take a more moderate path, it makes perfect sense to learn the basics of financial independence from a purist. This will allow you to appreciate the full potential of what is possible, and inform your decision on how to change your own life.
Financial Expert Rating:
Synopsis:
“….in his patented no-frills and often humorous style, JL makes it both approachable and simple. And powerful.”
“…effective message told in a visual, funny style.”
“JL Collins has the gift of making boring financial concepts funny and interesting.”
“In the dark, bewildering, trap-infested jungle of misinformation and opaque riddles that is the world of investment, JL Collins is the fatherly wizard on the side of the path, offering a simple map, warm words of encouragement and the tools to forge your way through with confidence. You'll never find a wiser advisor with a bigger heart.” -- Malachi Rempen: Filmmaker, cartoonist, author and self-described ruffian."
Who this book is for:
JL Collins has recently released a new edition of his popular book The Simple Path to Wealth with a foreword from Mr Money Moustache - a profilic online blogger in the financial independence community.
This is indicative of the widespread appeal and respect that this classic title still holds within the financial independence online world.
Here's a sample of what to expect from this title:
- Where traditional investing advice goes wrong and what actually works.
- The Wealth Building and Wealth Preservation phases of your investing life and why they are not always tied to your age.
- What the 4% rule is and how to use it to safely spend your wealth.
Financial Expert Rating:
Synopsis:
"What if the one thing that could make you happy was a few simple choices away? A successful entrepreneur living in Southern California, Scott Rieckens felt like he had a dream life: A happy marriage, a two-year-old daughter, a membership to a boat club, and a BMW in the driveway. But underneath the surface, Scott was creatively stifled, depressed, and overworked trying to help pay for his family's beach-town lifestyle.
Then one day Scott listened to a podcast interview that changed everything. Three months later, he had quit his job, convinced his family to leave their home, and cut their expenses in half.
Follow Scott as he devotes everything to F.I.R.E., a sub-culture obsessed with maximizing wealth and happiness. In a time when rates of both consumerism and depression are skyrocketing, Playing with FIRE is one family's journey to acquire the one thing that money can't buy: a simpler -- and happier -- life.."
Who this book is for:
Playing With Fire is an exciting and very readable entry in my list at #3.
A book which blends autobiography with practical tips, I found Playing With Fire a book which motivated and inspired me.
As I eagerly read more and more into Scotts own experiences, I begin to better visualise my own financially free future with much better clarity, which made this a very engaging experience.
The book has even spawned its own documentary which follows Scott's life, (as captured in more detail in this title.)
Financial Expert Rating:
Synopsis:
"In 2010, 24-year old Grant Sabatier woke up to find he had $2.26 in his bank account. Five years later, he had a net worth of over $1.25 million, and CNBC began calling him the Millennial Millionaire.
By age 30, he had reached financial independence. Along the way he uncovered that most of the accepted wisdom about money, work, and retirement is either incorrect, incomplete, or so old-school it's obsolete.
Financial Freedom is a step-by-step path to make more money in less time, so you have more time for the things you love. It challenges the accepted narrative of spending decades working a traditional 9 to 5 job, pinching pennies, and finally earning the right to retirement at age 65, and instead offers readers an alternative: forget everything you've ever learned about money so that you can actually live the life you want."
Who this book is for:
A book from the man who literally did it and now wants to share his story.
Grant Sabatier's personal back story has inspired thousands of readers to begin to emulate the success he had in turning a small cash balance ultimately into an epic retirement war chest.
How did he achieve this? Well, that would be spoiling... you'll have to pick-up this affordable title and read the facts for yourself!
Financial Expert Rating:
Synopsis:
"For more than twenty-five years, Your Money or Your Life has been considered the go-to book for taking back your life by changing your relationship with money. Hundreds of thousands of people have followed this nine-step program, learning to live more deliberately and meaningfully with Vicki Robin’s guidance.
This fully revised and updated edition with a foreword by "the Frugal Guru" (New Yorker) Mr. Money Mustache is the ultimate makeover of this bestselling classic, ensuring that its time-tested wisdom applies to people of all ages and covers modern topics like investing in index funds, managing revenue streams like side hustles and freelancing, tracking your finances online, and having difficult conversations about money."
Who this book is for:
Your Money or Your Life is regarded as one of the founding books which underpinned the financial independence movement.
You could call it the FI guide which came before the FI acronym even existed.
With over 1,000 five star ratings on Amazon, this book has already proven itself many times over, and needs no further introduction!
Download all these financial independence books for free with Kindle Unlimited
You DON'T even need a Kindle device to download booksHere's a useful tip that will save you £100+ on financial independence books. Sign-up to Amazon's Kindle Unlimited free trial, which offers access to all titles for free for 30 days.
- There's no obligation to continue with a paid subscription.
- You don't even need a Kindle to enjoy - any device will do.
If you're cost-savvy, you'll already be calculating the savings you could unlock and the knowledge you could gain by downloading 5 books over the next 30 days.
The Financial Expert™ Best Financial Independence Books Challenge
I challenge you to read one financial independence book per month and see if it revolutionises your plan!
The Financial Expert™ Best Financial Independence Book Challenge is my way of inspiring you to pick up more books and find a new favourite among the huge range of options in book shops.
Here's how the challenge works:
To successfully complete the challenge, you need to begin and complete one financial independence book each month for the next year.
The purpose of the challenge is to wider your perspectives on financial independence by widening your reader list.
As you'll find from any search for financial independence books on Amazon, there's a huge list of authors to choose from.
There's almost too much choice - it can be paralysing. The Best Financial Independence Book Challenge will help free you from this dillemna by presenting you with an easy solution to 'which book shall I buy?'.
The answer is: grab loads of them. Three... five... ten!
Read short books, read long books. Read books you know you'll love, and occassionally a book you don't think you'll agree with.
This is a form of intellectual challenge and will give rise to new insights.
Where to begin?
My list of the 5 best financial independence books above is as good as any place to start, as I have consciously included a mix of different writing styles and FI methods to ensure that it caters to a wide audience.
Good luck!
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