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Recommendations for book for 17 year old on money

13 replies

London247 · 28/11/2025 10:07

My ds has just got a Saturday job and is keen to start investing/saving.

Can anyone recommend a book which would be good for him - not too hard - but set at a level a recent school leaver (with limited attention span) can understand.

I've seen A Teenager's Guide on How to Get Rich: Everything You Need to Know to Start Making Money Today for a Financially Secure Future (Mastering Wealth: Discipline and Mindset Mastery Series): Amazon.co.uk: Royce, Ashley: 9798363302541: Books and Money Skills for Teens: A Beginner’s Guide to Budgeting, Saving, and Investing. Everything a Teenager Should Know About Personal Finance (Life Skills for Tweens & Teens): Amazon.co.uk: Bowe, Ferne: 9781915833099: Books but not sure if these are American.

Would love to hear any recommendations!

Amazon.co.uk

Amazon.co.uk

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0BM3MFK1Z/ref=ox_sc_act_title_4?smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&psc=1&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum--chat-5451440-recommendations-for-book-for-17-year-old-on-money

OP posts:
NCfor24 · 28/11/2025 18:16

Don't know if American or not but I was going to suggest the first one you mentioned as my sister has got it for my son for Xmas.
I've not seen it so no idea how appropriate but my kid is a spender not a saver and I'm hoping it will inspire more thoughtful behaviour around money!

PropertyTaxExpert · 28/11/2025 18:33

Financial education Money Saving Expert page with links you mind find helpful.

Not sure about the books with 'for teens' in the title. I'd need to see it.
Might they be a bit like the 'iPad for the over 50s' type books - the titles seemed ageist.

With books, read the reviews with low stars.

tarheelbaby · 28/11/2025 18:44

TL:DR - it's a complex topic so buckle in for a longish read but a book is not necessary for Level 1.

NB: I have no qualifications but I have learned a lot for myself and my DCs. It's a long one, if you're willing to read.

These are all low stakes options (solid baby steps) but still vaild and will bring a good return whilst your DS builds his financial knowledge and risk tolerance. ISAs earn tax free interest in the UK but the interest/capital gain they earn is taxable in the US.

If the investor is a US person, not all of this applies and you/they should do a bit more reading online and elsewhere. It's not overly complex, just different. Be careful as a US person: your optionists are limited.

I'm not sure how to search for them but for UK citizens there are many, many threads on this across MN.

In the UK, there are some basic steps anyone can take to start growing wealth but there are slightly different paths depending on how you are earning. There are some specialist ISAs but you should research them for yourself (Jr ISA, Lifetime ISA and more)
If you are a UK citizen, the basics are:
open a stocks & shares ISA with a reputable bank/ buliding soc. and put in as much as you can, up to £20K per tax year (April to April) into it. Keep it there and add more if you can. If there are better S&S ISA deals, roll the original into a new one and add more funds if you can. Read about 'rolling' since it's a great way to put more and more into tax free growth.
Anything less than 20K frrom that first £20K that you put in the stocks & shares ISA, put into a cash ISA, perhaps for medium term since the best rates for these are usually in the first year.
If you have a workplace pension, (don't worry about having more than one pension - it's normal), put as much into that as you can whilst you are working there. It means you pay lower tax on your salary and your employer will contribute (match or better) and the govt. will too!! Keep ploughing as much into that as you can afford so that it will be waiting for you when you retire. Check whether you can contribute a one off just before the end of March.
If you don't have a workplace pension, open a SIPP, if you can, contribute as much as you can into that if you are working at a place with no pension scheme.

If you don't fancy the committment of an ISA, a cash bond will earn you good (but taxable) intrest in the short term - google. MoneySuperMarket will have some good bonds/accounts to buy also.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

London247 · 29/11/2025 11:45

Thanks so much for the replies. Especially @tarheelbaby. I really appreciate the advice. I will print it out for him.

@PropertyTaxExpert great advice about reading the one star reviews. I’m hoping “teen” books might be a bit easier to read
than a regular financial advice book, which he’d find too dry.

OP posts:
tarheelbaby · 29/11/2025 14:53

@London247 , thank you. And I should also have mentioned looking at different current accounts and savings accounts for short term interest. There are some good deals for 16-17yr olds. Nationwide has a FlexOneSaver with 5%!!

PropertyTaxExpert · 29/11/2025 15:14

It's hard isn't it. You want something aimed at a young person with focus on things like budgeting when a student, without it being too obviously kiddie or too much like a textbook. 17 is almost an adult.
I'd be a bit concerned at books being a bit too focussed on blogs and crypto and the like.

Would searching for 'Best personal finance guide for young adults UK' work?

PropertyTaxExpert · 29/11/2025 15:16

Eek! Look for a book on personal finance for a 17 yr old.

Binfire · 29/11/2025 15:20

The Deborah Meaden Talks money book is a good option although I admit Ive only flicked through it. The politics one is good too.

They’ve just been voted into a top 100 book list by teachers and parents so much be well written and up to date.

PeonyBulb · 29/11/2025 15:22

You don’t need a book for that

High interest savings account, ISA or premium bonds

PropertyTaxExpert · 29/11/2025 15:29

@PeonyBulb , it won't cover budgeting. At 17, there's the university years to get through, and the first job, planning for saving for the first rung on the property ladder and so on.

An all-round guide to what is available would be beneficial. I was clueless at that age and opened a current account, then a savings account. My parents weren't involved at all. It was so long ago that I don't think ISAs existed.
The only advice they gave me was to start a pension as soon as I got a proper job.

I've never won anything with my premium bonds. Sad

loganrock · 29/11/2025 15:36

Rich Dad, Poor Dad, is a good place to start. Also Think And Grow Rich, by Napoleon Hill. Should be required reading in schools!

London247 · 29/11/2025 20:07

Thanks for the extra messages. Exactly that - he won’t read a book aimed at older (more financially solvent) people. He needs something for now as @PropertyTaxExpert says. He has no interest in becoming an influencer.

@loganrock I’ll take a look at those, thanks for the recommendation.

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London247 · 30/11/2025 20:23

@Binfire sorry, just saw your recommendation too. Looks good. Thanks.

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