Introduction: Avoiding Money
Have you ever been the kind of person who looks away whenever the topic of money or finance comes up? I was one of those people.
I’ve always believed we should strive to become better versions of ourselves—by learning from our experiences, from the people around us, and from everyday life. We willingly invest time in learning about health, relationships, mindset, and personal growth, yet when it comes to money, many of us instinctively look away. Why do we dismiss learning about finance or leave it for last? Why not treat it like any other subject of learning? Why does money still carry so much stereotype and discomfort around it?
Every day offers lessons if we’re willing to notice them.
A Lesson Beyond Money
I still remember a moment that taught me an important lesson. I was once treated rudely by a cashier in a store. Before that interaction, I was perfectly fine. After it, my mood completely changed—I felt hurt and angry.
Later, I asked myself: Why am I letting a stranger control my inner peace? It felt as though my happiness button was in someone else’s hands. That moment showed me something uncomfortable but valuable—I didn’t yet have full control over my own emotions.
It became a learning lesson. I needed to observe my reactions, understand my feelings, and learn how to regulate them better. Strangely enough, I felt grateful to that cashier for revealing an area of myself that needed work.
Why Books Became My Teachers
Books, for me, are one of the best places to learn. So many intelligent and experienced people share their knowledge through books, podcasts, and other mediums. Learning from books has always been one of my favourite things to do.
One day, while scrolling through Audible looking for my next listen, I came across a book titled I’ll Teach You to Be Rich. My instinct was to swipe past it—but the title stopped me. I thought, Why not just listen and see what he has to say?
At the time, I associated money with greed. I had grown up believing that you shouldn’t aspire for more when it comes to money and that you should simply be content with whatever you have. I lived with that belief for years, and because of it, I never learned about finance.
My Conflict With Work and Money
At the same time, I hated the idea of exchanging time for money. I didn’t like fixed schedules, limited days off, or having to ask permission to take a holiday. It felt robotic—like we were machines rather than human beings.
I grew up in a small farming village in India. My parents were farmers. We grew crops, raised cows and chickens, and grew our own vegetables. My grandparents lived with us, and everyone supported one another. My mother cooked for the entire family, my grandmother looked after the children, and my father and grandfather worked the fields.
Even though I appreciated that life, I didn’t want to become a farmer. I wanted more—I wanted to travel, explore, and see the world.
Discovering a New Way of Thinking
Eventually, I moved to the United States and realised something surprising: the life I had once aspired to wasn’t for me either. I didn’t want farm life, but I also didn’t want a life spent trading hours for a pay cheque.
That’s when I accidentally came across Rich Dad Poor Dad. I remember thinking, Oh my god—it’s not just me. There were others who felt the same way.
The book introduced ideas about businesses and investing, and I was instantly hooked. But I still felt lost. I didn’t know how to invest, what to invest in, or how investing even worked. I believed investing was only for rich people and that you needed a large amount of money before you could even start.
Life, Motherhood, and Learning in the Background
Life moved quickly. I met my husband, moved to London, got married, had two children, and suddenly my days were filled with childcare and household responsibilities while my husband worked.
I wanted to start a business, but without a support system nearby—being thousands of miles away from my family in India—it felt incredibly hard. It was isolating and often lonely.
To keep myself going, I listened to self-development and finance audiobooks while doing household chores. Since I didn’t have time to sit and read, Audible became my classroom. I listened while cooking, cleaning, driving the kids to school, and folding laundry.
Since I didn’t have much time to sit down and read, audiobooks became my way of learning. I used Audible constantly—while cooking, cleaning, driving, and doing everyday chores. If you’re in a similar season of life, listening instead of reading can make learning about money far more accessible.
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Finding a Clear Path
One day, while scrolling through Audible in search of my next listen, I once again came across I’ll Teach You to Be Rich by Ramit Sethi. I had seen the title before and ignored it, but this time something made me pause. Instead of swiping past it, I decided to listen with an open mind. That decision changed everything.
For the first time, I saw a clear, practical path showing how someone with a modest income could still build wealth—for themselves and their children.
After Rich Dad Poor Dad and I’ll Teach You to Be Rich, I became serious about learning finance and investing. I listened to many books to remove my fear of investing before taking my first step.
It has now been more than three years since I started investing. Looking back, I often think: I wish I had known this earlier.
What Investing Taught Me
If I had more money today, I would invest more aggressively in diversified, low-cost, broad-market equity index funds—not out of greed, but to achieve financial freedom.
Financial freedom looks different for everyone. It depends on how much you need each year to live comfortably without worrying about bills or unexpected expenses. Once you know that number, a commonly referenced framework is multiplying it by 25. This is based on the idea that you may be able to withdraw around 4% annually without running out of money.
The 4% rule, developed by William Bengen, is not a guarantee—it’s simply a starting framework, not a law.
Why Investing Matters to Me
Investing has given me hope that I can retire earlier than the traditional retirement age. It has also given me peace knowing that even those who choose to work until 65 can retire comfortably with a solid nest egg.
For me, financial freedom means time freedom. Time freedom allows me to focus on what truly matters—my family, learning, travelling, and living life on my own terms.
Affiliate Disclosure
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you choose to purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend books that genuinely helped me on my own journey.
Many of the books below are also available as audiobooks. If you’re short on time, Audible can be a great way to learn while going about your day.
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My 10 Favourite Beginner-Friendly Finance & Investing Books
📘 Rich Dad Poor Dad – Robert Kiyosaki
This book challenges the traditional idea of working for money and introduces the concept of making money work for you. It was the first book that helped me realise I wasn’t alone in questioning the “work until retirement” model.
📘 I’ll Teach You to Be Rich – Ramit Sethi
This book shows a clear, practical path to building wealth—even on a modest income. It replaces fear and confusion with simple systems you can actually follow. This was the book that truly made investing feel possible for me.
📘 The Simple Path to Wealth – JL Collins
A straightforward guide to investing without complexity or jargon. It explains why low-cost index funds work and how simplicity can outperform complicated strategies. Ideal if you want clarity before taking your first steps.
📘 The Psychology of Money – Morgan Housel
This book focuses on how our behaviour and emotions influence financial outcomes. It helped me understand that money isn’t just numbers—it’s deeply personal. A must-read for building a healthier relationship with money.
📘 The Art of Spending Money – Morgan Housel
This book explores spending intentionally without guilt or excess. It’s about aligning money with what truly matters to you, not about restriction. A great balance to investing-focused books.
📘 Quit Like a Millionaire – Kristy Shen & Bryce Leung
A real-life story of achieving financial independence without a high income. It proves that ordinary people can build wealth through discipline and investing. Especially inspiring for families and immigrants.
📘 How to Own the World – Andrew Craig
This book explains global investing in a clear and logical way. It helped me understand diversification beyond one country or market. Great for beginners seeking a broader perspective.
📘 Playing with FIRE – Scott Rieckens
An honest introduction to the FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) movement. It shows how lifestyle choices and investing work together without extreme sacrifice.
📘 The Compound Effect – Darren Hardy
This book explains how small, consistent actions compound over time into big results. It reinforced that wealth is built through habits, not quick wins.
📘 The Price of Money – Rob Dix
A UK-focused reflection on how money decisions shape our lives. It encourages thoughtful, intentional wealth building rather than mindless accumulation.
Final Thoughts
I didn’t start with a finance background or a large income. I was a stay-at-home mum, raised in a small farming village in India, with no formal education in money or investing.
What changed my life was learning—slowly, consistently, and without pressure. Our financial health influences almost every area of our lives. I hope these books help you begin your own journey towards confidence with money, clarity with investing, and ultimately more time freedom for you and your family.