Finance in general has always interested me, but not until I started to receive a regular paycheck. Caddying in high school and college brought in great cash flow, but the cash earned in the summer was always used to pay for the school year. Only once I had a job after college did I begin to look at how I spent those dollars.
So what did I do? What can you do?
READ! Read as much as you possibly can!
For indepth understanding and knowledge, there are numerous personal finance books that will give you a great foundation to take control of your own finances. We will look at some of these books and why they provide value in future articles… but before we get there, make sure you take advantage of the vast resources on the internet.
Investopedia: Type any financial term in here to receive not only a definition but an example of its use and similar concepts. This is a great site to keep open while you explore the rest.
Get Rich Slowly: Great blog by J.D. about personal finance and his family’s road out of debt. The mix of frugal living advice, self-help motivation, and personal finance wisdom that J.D. dispenses is charming and each article is thick with great ideas and sincere thought about how to improve one’s financial situation.
Marginal Revolution: Tyler Cowen’s insight into economics provides all of us with a better understanding and way to think about the world. While it is important to correct your own finances, it is also important to understand finance in general. Marginal Revolution will definitely start you on your way.
Money Ning: Hits upon all of the essentials of financial freedom: frugality, saving, and investing. This is one of those websites that will make you smarter just through osmosis. Browse the different sections to gain a better understanding of the different types of knowledge you will need to acquire to take control of your finances.
Think Your Way To Wealth: One of the best things about this blog is that there are weekly updates loaded with personal finance links. In case you missed something from one of your own blogs that you’ve been meticulously following… this should catch you up.
I Will Teach You To Be Rich: Not only does Ramit write extremely well about personal finance for recent grads, but he hangs out with fascinating people like Tim Ferriss… not too shabby. What Ramit does that really speaks to me is provide not just inspiration, but clear direction. You will not only gain an understanding of the large concepts in personal finance, you will also appreciate the concrete steps needed to reach your goals. And since Meg and I are both grads of Babson College (which focused on entrepreneurship), his focus on the entrepreneurial spirit is an added bonus.
Ramit also recently published a book (same name as his blog) that I purchased through a great deal offered by Tim Ferriss’ website. I will be posting my own review of his book in a future post, along with my own experience trying to follow his advice. Until then, use the links above along with ones you find on your own to enhance your knowledge and lay the foundation for personal financial success!
If you have any of your own links that you can’t live without, please share them with us. We’d love to see what you read to stay knowledgeable and inspired.
photo credit: » Zitona « [09]
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You should check out Walletpop too! We’d save you money in a flash