July 2024: Book Recommendations From Team CGF
5 Book recommendations to check out this month
Summer is in full swing. Have you read any good books lately?
If not, we’ve got some great recommendations.
Every month, you’ll receive team CGF’s top picks of books to help you improve your finances, advance your career, practice self-care, or get lost in a fantasy world.
Here is our list of July book recommendations.
If you’ve read any of these books before? Let us know in the comments.
Note: This book list contains affiliate links from Amazon. Clever Girl Finance is an Amazon Associate which means we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases. These commissions help us grow!
Finance pick: The Infographic Guide to Personal Finance: A Visual Reference for Everything You Need to Know
Spreadsheets, calculations, and numbers can be frustrating parts of personal finance, especially if you’re more of a visual learner. If you’re looking to improve your finances but don’t want to go the traditional route, The Infographic Guide to Personal Finance is an illustrated guide that makes managing money feel easy.
Instead of the hard-to-understand financial jargon, this guide will help you create valuable skills through colorful information.
The book covers various aspects of personal finance, including:
Choosing the right bank
Building a safety net with your emergency fund ️
Finding a financial professional who fits your goals
Understanding where your money goes (it might surprise you!)
Making smart investments
Saving for your dream home or education
Mastering budgeting and saying "no" to unnecessary purchases
In addition to learning all this, you’ll also learn how money is used in the real world with topics covering property insurance and federal taxes.
Self-help pick: If I Don't Laugh, I'll Cry: How Death, Debt, and Comedy Led to a Life of Faith, Farming, and Forgetting What I Came into This Room For
Sometimes, you need a good laugh and a good cry, and Molly Stillman gives both to you in her unforgettable memoir, If I Don’t Laugh, I’ll Cry.
Molly's life is a rollercoaster. It starts with the loss of her inspiring war veteran mother, then takes a wild turn with a surprise inheritance that quickly vanishes thanks to a shopping addiction.
Feeling lost, Molly tries to mask her pain with humor but ends up lonelier than ever. However, a compassionate credit counselor, a spreadsheet-loving future husband, and a chance encounter with a church led her on a path to rediscovering joy and faith.
This book is more than just a story of financial blunders. It's a testament to finding hope and purpose even in the messiest moments. If you feel like you’ve reached a financial slump in your life, then reading Molly's journey can help you discover that sometimes, surrendering it all can lead to the greatest gain.
Sign up for one-on-one coaching today and make the next half of the year truly amazing! Team CGF is here to support you!
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Personal finance coaching
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Business pick: Starting a Business QuickStart Guide: The Simplified Beginner’s Guide to Launching a Successful Small Business
We know you’ve had those business ideas swirling around in your head for months, maybe even years. Now is the time to take action
Starting a Business: A Quickstart Guide is your step-by-step guide to turning your business idea into reality. It doesn’t matter if you’re a complete beginner or a seasoned entrepreneur struggling to grow; this book has everything you need, including how to:
Learn the difference between a dream and a winning opportunity.
Master the fundamentals from pricing to marketing, all explained clearly.
Discover how to identify your target audience and deliver real value.
Develop the essential entrepreneurial mindset and craft a winning value proposition.
Learn the secrets to creating a roadmap, aka a business plan for your success.
This book is based on the experience of a successful entrepreneur. It is used in college courses and endorsed by aspiring and established business owners alike.
Grab your copy today and stop putting your dreams on hold.
Fiction Pick: The Midnight Library ( A Novel)
You’re probably familiar with regular libraries filled with shelves and shelves of books. But what if there was a different type of library?
Imagine a library that exists beyond the edges of our universe. And the rows of books are filled with books that share a part of your life’s story. Opening the pages of a book reveals the countless possibilities in your life. What if you'd chosen a different career, never said goodbye to that love, or chased that long-held dream?
This is the captivating premise of Matt Haig's bestselling novel, "The Midnight Library." The main character, Nora Seed, disillusioned with her life, finds herself in this extraordinary library.
Faced with the chance to rewrite her story, explore alternate paths, and even become a glaciologist (her childhood dream!), Nora embarks on a life-altering journey. But within the endless possibilities of the Midnight Library, a crucial question arises: is a different life always a better life?
By following Nora’s journey into alternate reality, you will discover the things that truly give life meaning.
Personal development pick: Set Boundaries, Find Peace: A Guide to Reclaiming Yourself
Setting "healthy boundaries" has become somewhat of a buzzword recently, but what does it entail exactly?
Licensed counselor and acclaimed relationship expert Nedra Glover Tawwab, one of Instagram's most influential therapists, unpacks this intricate subject for the modern world.
In her book Set Boundaries, Find Peace, Tawwab uses a relatable and inclusive tone to offer straightforward yet impactful strategies for establishing healthy boundaries across all areas of life.
Grounded in the latest research and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) practices, these methods enable us to articulate our needs clearly and confidently. The book also addresses the underlying issues of codependency, power struggles, anxiety, depression, burnout, and more, providing a comprehensive guide to creating and maintaining balanced, respectful relationships.
☀️ Enjoy these summer reads!
Whether you’re taking some time off for the summer or focusing on personal development, these books can guide you on your journey.
Which book are you considering? Let us know in the comments!
Don’t forget you can stay motivated and learn other financial tips and tricks from our completely free financial courses.
Happy reading!