It is said that the world no longer reads, but with watching movies that can impact behaviors, even financial attitudes, how do we stand? We should talk to Santa to see what personal finance books and movies he recommends on his list for this holiday.
Reading the right books can change mindsets and actions. I admit there are a few that have fundamentally changed me. Beyond them, the image has such an impact. They are movies that you don’t forget. They are the ones that you can watch many times in a lifetime and that give you the feeling that they are still hiding things that you did not notice initially. They have something of their own beyond a well-made script and talented actors.
The holiday pressure
The holidays can bring you a lot of pressure because it is not for nothing that it is said that over 60 % of the people interviewed around the Holidays would cancel them… at least until summer :).
However, after the preparations have been made, the stress has decreased, and the wishes have been fulfilled, quieter moments are coming.
If you are in a period of digital detox and want to make the best of your free time, rediscover reading.
It might relax you, and it might even change your life.
I come to you with recommendations of books that are perfect to take on the couch next to the Christmas tree, or on vacation. I also leave you with a list of movies to try. You are free to add a good wine.:) Let’s add some financial goals to make a complete package!
Book recommendations for those at the beginning of the road to personal finance effectiveness:
- Rich Dad Poor Dad – Robert Kiyosaki
- Honey, where’s the money? – Adrian Asoltanie
- The Psychology of Money – Morgan Housel
- The road to financial freedom – Bodo Schäfer
Secrets of the Millionaire Mind – T. Harv Eker
Remaining in the area of personal finance books, the most advanced options would be: - Hai, hui on Wall Street – Burton G. Malkiel
- The Intelligent Investor – Benjamin Graham
Personal finance movie recommendations:
- The Wolf of Wall Street
- The big short
- Too big to fail
- Minimalism – a documentary about the important things
- Get smart with money
Some financial goal ideas to consider for 2023 and beyond:
- To invest in increasing the level of financial education
- To implement a monthly habit of saving a fixed amount – recommended would be at least 10% of the income, automatically/ on the second day after receiving the income
- Let’s limit waste as much as possible, including food waste
- Find ways to increase your income
- To build a reserve fund to cover expenses for at least 1 month – recommended would be 3 to 6 months of expenses
- To repay early, with the decrease of the period, all consumer loans
- To invest monthly for important financial goals – children’s education, pension, etc.
- Let’s live life by our values connected to the present as possible and align our spendings with these values!
Does Santa still have time for studies?
A study by the Pew Research Center says that print books will continue to be more popular than e-books and audiobooks. The study also shows that the number of book readers has remained constant worldwide since 2016. The number of readers increased during the pandemic.
Romania and the reading
However, according to Eurobarometer and Eurostat data, Romanians read less than 5 minutes a day; 93.5% do not buy even one book a year; 68.5% have not read a book in the last year and only 6.2% of Romanians read books constantly. And according to PISA data, 41% of students did not reach a basic level of reading.
What has changed me or what I have learned in recent years, both from books, movies, and from life experiences, and maybe they will help you too?
Let me tell you what worked for me, what fundamentally changed my perceptions, and what has helped me:
- To understand that most of my life depends on me
- To understand that money positively and/or negatively influences every aspect of our lives
- To understand that to make more money, you have to change the way you think about money
- To understand that others will pay me as much as I consider worth
- To understand that to make more money, I need to bring more value to people’s lives
- To have a fulfilled life, I must constantly develop
- That the easiest and surest way to make a fortune is through constant and long-term investments
- The existence of a reserve fund of 3–6 months decreases the level of anxiety and dependence on external factors
- I understand the power of compound interest and use it to accelerate the path to financial independence
- To understand how important habits are to have a better life – sleep, nutrition, sports, reading, relationships, experiences, meditation.
- To understand that making money takes a lot of work, at least in the early years, and that the results come later.
- To understand how important it is to set goals, achieve and implement the plan to achieve them
- To understand the power of written goals
- To understand that experiences bring much more value than objects
- To understand that every amount saved and invested is a brick laid for the freedom to do what I want when I want, with whom I want, and for how long I want. This freedom is priceless!
The perfect gift
Books can be a whole world or a gift you can re-open daily. Choose books for your last-minute gifts, and why not a subscription to the cinema for 6 months or a year?
Buy a DVD movie collection if you know a die-hard cinephile who re-watches their favorite movie at least twice a year.
If you just want a break from everything but not from well-being, or you haven’t seen a good movie in a while, browse the list and make a deal with Santa to finish it at least until… Epiphany!?
If you have a break, also access the recording of the START INVEST conference and maybe make peace with the investment thoughts that don’t let you sleep. We make a pact with financial education for all financial goals achieved!