5 Financial Books for Your 20s


Personal Finance in Your 20s For Dummies

Eric Tyson

The clearest and most extensive explanation of everything you need to know about personal finance. If you need to learn what a credit score is, when you should use a checking or savings account, or any other first step into the realm of finance then this is your go-to book. It is broken down into sections so you don't need to read it cover to cover. Use this as a guide and find the section you need in the table of contents and skip straight to it. Before getting any book that further explains the tips and tricks of finance make sure you have this book to explain the basics.

The Money Book for the Young, Fabulous & Broke

Suze Orman

A very pragmatic, organized, and colorful guide to being young and broke. There are sections geared at those fresh into the professional world featuring topics like surviving on low salaries, how to find jobs, paying off student loans and much more. It also features more adult topics concerning buying a home, buying your first car, and setting up retirement plans. There is a lot you can learn from the material in this book and it is a great early guide to personal finance.

The 4-Hour Work Week: Escape the 9-5, Live Anywhere and Join the New Rich

Timothy Ferriss

This book has been a mega success and can teach young people about the financial opportunities of life. As a combination of a lifestyle and a finance book, this can be an enlightening read. It isn't just about how to make money but the reasons why we want to make money and how to live life to the fullest. If you are just graduating university and are interested in traveling before you enter the workforce consider reading this book. There are ways to make money while still going out and exploring the world.

Financial Literacy for Millennials: A Practical Guide to Managing Your Financial Life for Teens, College Students, and Young Adults: A Practical Guide to Managing Your Financial Life for Teens, College Students, and Young Adults

Andrew O. Smith

Geared towards young people this is a great book to get an early start at learning finance. Use this book to learn about smart spending and prepare yourself for the real world. Parents, this is a great opportunity to educate your younger kids on smart financial decisions for the future. Aimed straight for the target audience of young adults this book is easy to read and incredibly helpful for early life financial learning. This book covers every element of finance from specific advice to a general overview of financial policies and shouldn't be missed.

Rich Dad Poor Dad

Robert Kiyosaki

Robert Kiyosaki is a firm believer that school systems don't provide people with the financial education that they really need and in this book he puts forth his take on how to achieve economic prosperity. A longtime best-seller this is a great book for looking ahead towards your financial future. Focusing on how to make the most out of your money; this provides insight into smart investing. This book is built around the idea that rich and poor parents teach different financial lessons to their children but you can prosper no matter where you come from.

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Tips for Selling a Home in the Winter

Spring may be the most popular time to list, but people need to buy homes in every season. Follow some simple steps to get your home sold in the winter.

Sometimes there is no choice—a home needs to be sold in the winter.

Spring may be the most popular time to put your house on the market, but homes do sell in the colder months. With fewer houses available, your home may be someone's only choice when house hunting in your neighborhood. As your neighbors hold out until spring, you'll already be done and ready to shop for your next house!

Here are a few tips for selling a home in the winter to get you on the right track.

Keep Paths Safe and Landscaping Fresh

Landscaping is the last thing on a homeowner's mind in the winter. Everything was cut back in the fall and may now be covered in snow. Still, take a walk around the house and yard to check everything out. Branches may have fallen from heavy snow, leaving a mess in the yard. Keep everything neat and tidy.

The last thing you need is a potential buyer slipping on the ice-covered walk in front of your house. Buyers often consider those moments bad omens, and this can affect their decisions. Shovel, snow blow, spread salt—do whatever you have to do to keep the driveway and walking paths clear, and don't forget the porch and deck.

Make the Inside Warm and Cozy

In cold weather, buyers won't spend a lot of time examining a home's exterior. Instead, impress them with the inside by creating an atmosphere which causes them to want to move in.

When there's time, leave wintery types of snacks and drinks, such as hot cocoa and cookies, available on a table during showings. This gives your home a welcoming feel to buyers.

Light the fireplace (if you have one) for a lovely ambience and set your thermostat to a comfortable setting. A warm home in the winter is much more appealing than a chilly one.

Make Your Home Less Personal

Understandably, this can be a tough thought for homeowners. After all, you've spent years creating memories in your home. To buyers, though, they need to picture it as their own. Too much personality makes that difficult.

It's always important to stage your home in a way that makes it look clean, comfortable, and move-in ready. Don't feel offended by the idea of taking family pictures down and replacing them with generic décor. This will help your home sell faster by helping buyers envision their own things there.

Cleanliness and Maintenance

Clean, clean, and clean some more. Make appliances, counters, and floors shine. No matter how old your home is, it needs to feel like new to potential buyers. If you aren't into dusting, now is the time to try. Don't forget window coverings that might need washing.

Be prepared ahead of time for home inspections by taking care of maintenance now. HVAC systems, plumbing, and electrical should all be up to code and running smoothly.

Use these tips for selling a home in the winter, exercise patience during the slower months, and your home will sell before you know it.

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Financial Decisions You’ll Need To Make in Your 20s

Entering your 20s means you'll quickly need to learn how to navigate the world of personal finances, much of which you probably didn't learn in college or high school courses.

Without any previous lessons on finances, it can be challenging to know where to start. Follow this guide as we outline the financial decisions you'll need to make in your 20s.

Setting a Budget

The first step to being a fiscally responsible young adult is setting a budget. Your budget will determine many future financial decisions, from where you can live to what splurges you can make. Look at the expenses you currently owe every month and your projected income to determine how much you should be spending on bills, daily expenses, etc.

Tackling Debt

Getting rid of your debt as early as possible is a critical step for newly independent 20-year-olds. However, some may not be able to get rid of debt as soon as they hope. Once again, look at your budget, then decide if you'd like to put more toward tackling debt now or pay your loans as they come.

Getting Coverage

While you may be able to hold onto your parents' insurance until 26, you'll have to choose your own plans sooner or later. From health insurance to renter's and car insurance, you shouldn't skip an opportunity to cover yourself in the case of an accident. Find a provider and plan you're comfortable with, and get your coverage as soon as possible.

Saving for a Rainy Day

Navigating how to save is another critical financial decision you'll have to make in your 20s. Living paycheck to paycheck is not a sustainable course of action. Even putting a small portion of your wages into a savings account can make a big difference—especially if an emergency you didn't prepare for occurs.

Starting To Invest

Investing is a scary topic for young adults, but it's a great way to build wealth. Starting to invest as a young adult will set you up for success on your long-term financial plan. However, be sure to conduct research before jumping into the market to decide when, where, and how much you'd like to invest.

Your 20s are an optimal time to learn and grow. One area of life you'll undoubtedly learn a lot about is managing finances. Use this guide to help you get started on the path to becoming a fiscally responsible adult.

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Tax Deductions That Are Commonly Overlooked

Tax deductions can be tricky to understand if you're new to the finance world.

One of the biggest sources of confusion is knowing what you can and can't deduct from your taxes. Deductions can be a massive financial boon for a lot of people, yet not everyone files for them correctly. This causes people to miss out on money that should be theirs. We'll go over some of the most common tax deductions that are overlooked, so you don't get shortchanged when Tax Day comes.

Charitable Contributions

When you start regularly giving to charity, even if the donations are small, you'll want to start getting itemized receipts for your donations. These receipts will help you write off these charitable contributions on your taxes. You can even write off supplies that you bought for use in a charitable cause or any miles you drove on your car while in service to a charity. Make those donations to the Purple Heart Pickup with an open heart, but make sure you get your deduction on top of that.

Student Loan Interest Payments

Student loans take up a significant amount of a lot of people's money. If you're one of these people, make sure that you get a deduction on the amount of interest you paid off in the last year. What's important to remember is that even if you aren't someone's dependent, you can write off the money someone else gave you to pay for said student loans. If someone else helped you pay off part of your loan, don't think that means you can't still get a deduction on that sum.

Child and Dependent Care Credit

If you have a reimbursement account through your job that pays for child or dependent care, you might be forgiven for forgetting about this particular tax credit. However, you can use these funds for a tax credit if you file for them correctly. This is hugely important because this is an opportunity to receive a full tax credit, not just a deduction. You're losing money you could be directly receiving if you don't file for this credit.

Jury Pay Given to Your Employer

A lesser-known tax deduction that often gets overlooked is the money you can deduct from jury pay you gave to your employer. It may not be the most exciting thing to come out of jury duty, especially after handing over any money you receive to your employer, but you do get to deduct however much money your employer made you hand over after you finished jury duty.

Credit for Saving

While this credit is more for people that are working part-time or for those that have a retired spouse, you can get a tax credit for contributing to a 401(k) or another retirement savings plan. This is also a great incentive for those that are just starting out in their careers and need another reason to start saving for the future.

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