The start of a new year often prompts people to think about their money. Do you have any financial goals for 2015? Personally, my New Year’s resolution is to go at least a week without entering a store. I spent a little too much money, and, more importantly, time, in stores at the end of 2014.
Money is more than personal finance of course. There’s the psychology of it. Are we spenders or savers? How does money affect our happiness and our relationships with others? And there’s quite a history to those little portraits of men and monuments we carry around in our wallets. The library is a great place to look for help achieving your financial goals. Or, for those with a philosophical bent, to explore whether money really makes the world go round.
For those seeking practical personal finance advice, try Clark Howard’s Living Large. It touches on all the usual suspects of budgeting—credit, travel, cars, homeownership, investing, etc. However, if it’s inspiration you’re looking for, The Cheapskate Next Door might be more your style. Jeff Yeager offers an easy going look at how living far below your means can help you achieve financial independence.
Money has come in a variety of forms throughout history. These days our wallets are more likely to be overloaded with credit cards than beads, shells or other historic mediums of exchange. Money: The Unauthorized Biography provides an international look at the history of money, from ancient times to today.
Finally, money has been an important way of expressing cultural pride. From the faces of emperors on Roman coins to the Presidential portraits on US bills, David Standish explores the artwork of currency in The Art of Money.
Whatever your interest in money, the library has the resources to help you pursue it.
Mark S.
Labels: Books, History