Money, money, money. It dictates so much of our lives, and yet so many of us continue to stick our head in the sand when it comes to discussing personal finances. It’s perhaps down to the fact that so many of us aren’t taught about the fundamentals of budgeting, tax returns and credit scores. There’s also the fact that conversations around money are often shrouded in shame – we’re in a debt crisis, yet barely anyone talks honestly about it. 

If you’ve decided to get to know and take control of your finances better in 2021, reading a book by a money expert who gets what you’re going through is a great place to start. And, luckily, there are plenty of female experts on hand with their own guides. We’ve rounded up five of the freshest books about money to help get you started…

Black Girl Finance: Let’s Talk Money, Selina Flavius

Selina Flavius created Black Girl Finance to address the unique difficulties Black women face due to the gender and ethnicity pay gaps. From challenging money mindsets to teaching key skills, the platform provides a safe space for a community of unapologetic, ambitious, money-minded women to get real about their finances.

Black Girl Finance: Let’s Talk Money is the first financial guide of its kind, packed with tips, tricks and tools, as well as statistics, personal stories, goal-setting exercises and straight-talking advice.

Buy Black Girl Finance: Let’s Talk Money, Selina Flavius at Bookshop.org, £12.08

Real Life Money, Clare Seal

Clare Seal is the woman behind My Frugal Year and The Financial Wellbeing Forum. After finding herself in £27,000 debt with no savings, Seal began to document her journey to financial recovery. The advice she gives is the very same that she lived by. In her book, Real Life Money – which is part memoir, part guide  –  Seal takes the reader on a journey that can be adapted to their own pace and circumstances. 

It covers everything from how to negotiate repayment terms with creditors to dealing with money anxiety. The goal is not to get rich overnight, or to pay off debt at the expense of all of life’s pleasures, but rather to gain an understanding of why we feel the way we do about money, and how we can use that to change our mindset and our finances for good.

Buy Real Life Money: An Honest Guide to Taking Control of Your Finances by Clare Seal at Bookshop.org, £13.94

How To Save It: Fix Your Finances, Bola Sol

Part of the How To… series from Penguin’s Merky Books imprint, How To Save It: Fix Your Finances by personal financial wellness coach Bola Sol focuses on money in this practical pocket-sized guide.

In seven accessible and straightforward chapters, Sol guides you through all your money essentials: from saving, to budgeting, dealing with your debt, building your credit, and taking your first steps to investing. Her aim is to help you confront the awkwardness of having conversations about your money and what to do with it.

It will change your relationship with money for the better.

Buy How To Save It: Fix Your Finances by Bola Sol at Bookshop.org, £6.50

Kakeibo: The Japanese Art of Budgeting & Saving Money, Fumiko Chiba

The Japanese tradition of using a kakeibo, which translates to “household finance ledger,” offers an easy solution to mindless spending habits. Think Marie Kondo for your finances. 

Use Fumiko Chiba’s Kakeibo: The Japanese Art of Budgeting & Saving Money as a journal to set saving goals and spend wisely. At the beginning of each month, you sit down with your kakeibo and think about how much you would like to save and what you will need to do in order to reach your goal. There is space to jot down your weekly spending and reflect on the month just gone.

Buy Kakeibo: The Japanese Art of Budgeting & Saving Money by Fumiko Chib at Bookshop.org, £9.28

Money Lessons: How To Manage Your Finances To Get The Life You Want, Lisa Conway-Hughes

Building on her 15 years of experience helping people to make smart financial decisions, Lisa Conway-Hughes tackles money topics in a short guide to being “finance savvy” and getting what you want in every stage of your life. 

Money Lessons: How To Manage Your Finances To Get The Life You Want includes chapters on asking for a pay rise, financing a career move, budgeting for a wedding, getting out of debt and retiring comfortably. Full of dependable expert knowledge and success stories, it’s essential reading for anyone who wants greater control over making their day-to-day financial goals a reality.

Buy Money Lessons: How To Manage Your Finances To Get The Life You Want by Lisa Conway-Hughes at Bookshop.org, £12.08

Images: various publishers