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Was There A Particular Book That Motivated You
Old 07-21-2014, 09:08 AM   #1
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Was There A Particular Book That Motivated You

I've became interested in planning for retirement when I was 25. My boss encouraged me to sign up for the new 401k being offered (1983).

However the book that really got my attention and changed my lifestyle choices was "The Millionaire Next Door". It was a lightbulb moment for me. A second good read was "The Number".

Was there a particular book that really resonated with you....got you on track?


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Old 07-21-2014, 09:29 AM   #2
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"Your money or your life" was the one for me.
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Old 07-21-2014, 10:14 AM   #3
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"Your money or your life" was the one for me.
Yep. I only read it once (and really only half, since much of the advice has been overtaken by events), but the idea of considering the "true cost to own" in terms of life on this earth resonated with me.

I've always had the mindset - from my parents - that if something won't enhance your life or make it easier, then you don't "need" it. This is why I don't bother with having the latest gadget, smart phone, new car, etc.... Everything I have works just fine. I repair things until they can't be repaired anymore, then I replace them at what I consider to be a fair price.
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Old 07-21-2014, 10:20 AM   #4
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The Bible
The Millionaire Next Door
Automatic Millionaire
Stop Acting Rich
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Old 07-21-2014, 10:30 AM   #5
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I've ready many, but one of my first was also the Millionaire Next Door, and it also had a big impact on me. Understanding that rich people can be frugal and practice LBYM (which is what allowed them to build wealth) really helped me to tone down my desires for accumulating material possessions and simply be happy with what I have.
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Old 07-21-2014, 10:53 AM   #6
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The Millionaire Next Door is surely a winner but for me it mainly just reinforced teaching from parents and recession era grandparents of Scottish descent (need I say more?).

I know that is fairly recent but I think the William Bernstein's 'Four Pillars of Investing' really got me interested in taking responsibility for managing our money.

Daniel Solin's 'Smartest Investment Book You'll Ever Read' was fun and I thought that Phil DeMuth's 'The Affluent Investor' was also a good read.
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Old 07-21-2014, 12:14 PM   #7
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How I Found Freedom in an Unfree World got me thinking.

Your Money or Your Life showed me it was possible.

A Random Walk Down Wall St showed me how to get there.
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Old 07-21-2014, 12:29 PM   #8
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The Millionaire Next Door opened my eyes about FI. Work Less Live More made me consider early retirement possibilities.
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Old 07-21-2014, 12:30 PM   #9
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Another early reader of Your Money or Your Life.
Changed the way I thought about the actual cost of things in terms of life energy.
I've read a million (it would seem) books on finance and retirement and money since that one, but none had the impact of that simple little book.
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Old 07-21-2014, 12:46 PM   #10
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From a philosophical point I too was motivated by Your Money or Your Life although it lacked practical means. After reading The Ultimate Dividend Playbook among many other investment strategy books, I was convinced this could be done.
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Old 07-21-2014, 12:56 PM   #11
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Not a book, but Money magazine resonated with me, particularly articles encouraging consistent saving and investing in no-load, low-cost index funds.

I concede that you need to be selective in ignoring some article they publish (they still need to sell magazines you know) but if you can separate the wheat from the chaff there is a lot of good information in their pages.
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Old 07-21-2014, 12:58 PM   #12
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The single book that most impacted me was Cashing in on the American Dream, How to Retire at 35...from 1988. You can still find occasional updates on the author's life here: https://sites.google.com/site/paulvicgroup/Home

I do hope to share a meal with this couple at some point to thank them in person for making me believe ER was a real possibility for me.
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Old 07-21-2014, 01:04 PM   #13
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Originally Posted by pb4uski View Post
Not a book, but Money magazine resonated with me, particularly articles encouraging consistent saving and investing in no-load, low-cost index funds.

I concede that you need to be selective in ignoring some article they publish (they still need to sell magazines you know) but if you can separate the wheat from the chaff there is a lot of good information in their pages.
That's my experience, too. When I first started working, I subscribed to Money magazine and read it cover to cover. Learned a lot.
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Old 07-21-2014, 01:05 PM   #14
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There are many - a few notables:
Worry Free Investing
The Millionaire Mind
The Two Income Trap
Retire on Less Than You Think

My light bulb moment came reading Country Side magazine. It made me realize how little money it took to cover all the basic necessities of life with a mortgage free house in a low cost of living area, solar power / low energy consumption, no commute costs, outdoor hobbies and time to make healthy food from scratch.
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Was There A Particular Book That Motivated You
Old 07-21-2014, 01:08 PM   #15
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Was There A Particular Book That Motivated You

Money got me interested in funds. I didn't know how to get started, so I picked three (all small cap) from their list and sent identical amounts to each and decided to let them "duke it out" for 5 years.

I was busy working/living, so didn't know how it went till much later.

But A Random Walk kicked it in.
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Old 07-21-2014, 01:08 PM   #16
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A Canadian beginner finance book called 'The Wealthy Barber' started my journey in the mid 1990's. The book follows a 'couple' on their road to FI. Great primer that my wife to this day has not read, but fortunately for me (us) she is more frugal than I.
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Old 07-21-2014, 01:22 PM   #17
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Die Broke is the book title.
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Old 07-21-2014, 01:23 PM   #18
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Originally Posted by Asher Aion View Post
A Canadian beginner finance book called 'The Wealthy Barber' started my journey in the mid 1990's. The book follows a 'couple' on their road to FI. Great primer that my wife to this day has not read, but fortunately for me (us) she is more frugal than I.
Some people are born with the LBYM gene.
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Old 07-21-2014, 02:07 PM   #19
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Millionaire next door was probably the first mind blowing financial book I read.
Jeff Yeager's the ultimate cheapskates road map to true riches got me on the early retirement kick
Little book of common sense investing by Jack Bogle

I think I have read just about every book that's been listed so far but these three stand out.
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Old 07-21-2014, 02:18 PM   #20
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My dad had a copy of Securities Analysis by Graham and Dodd on the bookshelf in the den. I read it in junior high and decided that I would make money the easy way: Investing. I've been investing ever since.
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