I like Andrew Tobias. Good advice, good attitude, written for real people. And he's funny.

Whatever you buy can usually be found used on Amazon for very low prices. Or try them at the library first.

I like Jane Bryant Quinn for overall budgeting stuff.

The Truth About Money - Edelman

You sound like you need help with the basics, so, preachy or not, The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey may be a good read. It's been a life changer for us, and I'm not overly-religious AT ALL.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Millionaire next door.

No way, that is exactly the type of hyped up crap we want to ignore

How so, it basically says don't act like you are rich if you aren't actually earning a ton in passive income. It is not a how too get rich book, its more of here are the characteristics of those who build wealth. The portion of it which detailed the food they brought to the interviews and what the wealthy interviewee's actually consumed was telling.

I hate to say it but if your incomes have stagnated you have two options on the offense: increase passive income via rental of a room in your house/dividend income, take side jobs/learn new skills or on the defense, downsize your life further and pick up additional skills to reduce your spending such as car/lawn/house maintenance.

I have read all of them.
Have to say that Millionaire next door did change my life, but then again, maybe it was my old age of 35 that had a bigger impact on how I continued to live it.
Read anything from Jean Chatzy.
Love the yellow book from Elizabeth Leamy. David Bach is good. Orman is too over the top, but better her than nothing.
Many of the books are available at thirft stores for $3 or less (Unique).
Other than house, what else do you spend money on? Wish I had discovered thrift stores in my 20s. They probably got popular after the recession. I can get almost all things for about 10-15% of their original cost.
Remember,things are not worth the price glued on them.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Millionaire next door.

No way, that is exactly the type of hyped up crap we want to ignore

+1 hated it, could not get through it.
Type a, type b housewife? Dr south, dr north? Mary's mother.
Ugh, though the book has few valid points like be frugal, save and focus on financial future, it is a pain to get through. And the examples and suggestions are not real world practical.

Anonymous wrote:Millionaire next door.

No way, that is exactly the type of hyped up crap we want to ignore

Millionaire next door.

you can read the reviews on amazon to see if they work for you. I thought they were so good, I bought them and sent them to a couple of people.

Thank you!!! Checking them out at our local library tomorrow!

13:40 here -- you can also find them on ebay.

"The Smartest Money Book You'll Ever Read" -- you can probably get it from your local library. I got it there.

And "Your Money Ratios." Also available at the local library.

Not preachy/lovey like Orman.

We need help. We have conquered a ton of educational debt, but our incomes have stagnated. We are spending too much, not managing to save. Old house that requires a lot of repairs, old car, two children. Need to shake things up somehow, but we both hate the preachy super self-helpy finance books, like Orman and Co. Please suggest level headed books that might help!