Reader Mail - I want more!

I've been getting a lot of positive feedback and a lot of questions recently through this site. Fan mail is great! I've decided to reply to them publicly if I find they could help others or if the review is so positive I'll put them up here for you to debate whether I actually made them up.

First up:

Awesome awesome book. I am stunned that I have found a book that represents what I am about to go through once I graduate this may.

I would like to know if you could recommend any books that can help me learn more? Maybe a few books that you found were useful when you first started learning about finance.

Thanks,
BKarp

Good question, and first congrats on being on top of your finances at such a young age. You are well ahead of your buddies, believe me. But luckily you have more options these days than just books. Blogs and websites are great resources too and even better, they're free!

Some blogs I really like about frugal living include GetRichSlowly.org, FiveCentNickel.com, ThickenMyWallet.com, and Queercents.com. (You don't have to be gay to appreciate the financial advice on the last one.)

More stocks, mutual funds, and 401k type questions I would recommend the websites of The Motley Fool and CNN/Money.

But if books are must haves, I would recommend "Rich Dad, Poor Dad", "Building Wealth: From Rags to Riches in Real Estate", and "Millioniare Next Door". They are all good reads on 3 different and smart approaches to investing over the long haul. Albeit, none are stock related. And I know people love to hate Rich Dad, but I do think it's something everyone should read just to figure out what kind of investing is or is not for them.

I got more excited about real estate than stocks when I first started out (I think because I understood quicker), so my stock investments were just the normal index 500 mutual funds Motley Fool and Cnn/Money recommended to me. I didn't dig deep into any books specifically on stocks either, so I don't know what to recommended. I invested in medium risk things and a mix of large cap and small cap funds, basically balanced across the board. I wasn't comfortable with my knowledge of stocks too much, so I just maxed out my 401k, Roth IRA, and put as much as I could in big name mutual funds that I read about over and over again on many different websites and magazine articles. Don't get me wrong, stocks are important in any investing - I just don't feel comforatable recommending books specifically on that subject. I've also read many of Suze Orman's books - the stock sections are a bit droll, but it has solid advice anyone should follow.

Lastly, if you are looking for something really cool online, I just got contacted by a really zippy website that I wish was around when I started out 7 years ago. It's called Geezeo, and it's like Facebook meets Quicken Online. You can set and see other people's goals and you can also get the guilt of money off your chest in the confessional room. Basically it's a free way to stay on top of finances in an interesting environment with like-minded peeps who are computer savvy (i.e. under 35).

Hope this helps and anyone who has more recommendation, please post them in the comments sections. There are hundreds of blogs out there, find the one that works best for you, and check it daily. No one cares more about your finances than you.

UPDATE: Wanted to updated this post to say I read "The 4-hour Workweek" recently and I would add this book as a must read too for people who love to travel, comfortable with their current income, and/or want to reduce their workload. It's a very informative book, and after reading it, I've made some changes in my financial life too.

UPDATE 2: Been having time to read some more books, here is another rec. Scratch Beginnings is an awesome book, especially those skeptical of the American Dream. Adam Shepard on his own will enters a homeless shelter in a foreign city with $25 in this back pocket. A year later, he has a car, a livable apartment, and a savings of $5,000+. If he can turn $25 into $5,000 in one year, imagine what you can do with your money. Definitely a solid read.