How to Think About Money

There are those who think the goal of investing is to beat the market and amass as much wealth as possible, that street smarts and hard work ensure investment success, and that the road to happiness is paved with more of everything. And then there are those who get it.

Want a richer, calmer financial life? Jonathan Clements, longtime personal finance columnist for the Wall Street Journal, is here to help. His goal: to provide readers with a coherent way to think about their finances, so they worry less about money, make smarter financial choices and squeeze more happiness out of the cash they have.

How to Think About Money is built around five key ideas:

- Money can buy happiness, but we need to spend with great care.- Most of us will enjoy an extraordinarily long life - and that has profound financial implications.- We are hardwired for financial failure, so sensible money management takes great mental strength.- We need to bring order to our financial life - by focusing on our paycheque, or lack thereof.- If we want to add to our wealth, we should strive to minimise the subtractions.

“"Now why didn't I think of that? That's what you'll ask yourself after you read Jonathan Clements's fine new book. Its beauty lies in the commonsense and wisdom that is summed up in just five simple steps that will help you to earn your financial independence. Easy to understand, essential to follow." --John C. Bogle, founder, The Vanguard Group "My favorite personal finance book of 2016." --Ben Carlson, AWealthofCommonSense.com "Jonathan Clements brings his intelligence, insight and commonsense to 'How to Think About Money,' which is packed with wisdom and great guidance. Read it and reap the rewards in the years and decades ahead." --Eric Tyson, author of 'Personal Finance for Dummies' "'How to Think About Money' is financial feng shui - a blueprint for harmonizing all the aspects of personal finance into a balanced way of approaching and managing money. Anyone who feels overwhelmed by the challenges of today's world can benefit from Clements's advice on how to make smart financial choices, as well as how to develop, in his words, a 'coherent way to think about their financial life.' " --Janet Bodnar, editor, Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine "Concise, important and true. Jonathan Clements provides you a path not just to better finances, but to a better life." --Terry Burnham, author of 'Mean Markets and Lizard Brains' "Jonathan Clements writes so well and thinks so clearly that even financial planning, saving, and wise decisions are almost fun to think through with him as our guide." --Charles Ellis, author of 'Winning the Loser's Game' "In 'How to Think About Money,' Jonathan Clements, one of the premier financial writers of our times, provides readers with a roadmap for a successful financial life. It's an easy read that can result in changing the way readers look at investing and life. Read it and reap." --Mel Lindauer, coauthor of 'The Bogleheads' Guide to Investing' and 'The Bogleheads' Guide to Retirement Planning' "Jonathan Clements is one of the greatest financial consumer advocates of our time, not only because of his emphasis on a practical and commonsense approach to personal finance, but because his message is delivered in a welcoming, easy-to-understand manner. That approach moves his readers to take the most important step toward winning in the personal-finance world - taking ownership of one's financial life and following that with action." --Peter Mallouk, president of Creative Planning and author of 'The 5 Mistakes Every Investor Makes and How to Avoid Them' "How to Think About Money might be the best financial book I've read in the last five years. If I had written a book as good as this one, I would consider my life's work complete." --James Dahle, founder, WhiteCoatInvestor.com "Clements spent 20 years at the Wall Street Journal, where he was the newspaper's personal finance columnist. Those bona fides and his long history of giving smart advice make this a must read." --Barry Ritholtz, columnist, BloombergView”

Now why didn't I think of that? That's what you'll ask yourself after you read Jonathan Clements's fine new book. Its beauty lies in the commonsense and wisdom that is summed up in just five simple steps that will help you to earn your financial independence. Easy to understand, essential to follow. -- John C. Bogle, founder, The Vanguard Group
My favorite personal finance book of 2016. -- Ben Carlson, AWealthofCommonSense.com
Jonathan Clements brings his intelligence, insight and commonsense to 'How to Think About Money,' which is packed with wisdom and great guidance. Read it and reap the rewards in the years and decades ahead. -- Eric Tyson, author of 'Personal Finance for Dummies'
How to Think About Money' is financial feng shui - a blueprint for harmonizing all the aspects of personal finance into a balanced way of approaching and managing money. Anyone who feels overwhelmed by the challenges of today's world can benefit from Clements's advice on how to make smart financial choices, as well as how to develop, in his words, a 'coherent way to think about their financial life.' -- Janet Bodnar, editor, Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine
Concise, important and true. Jonathan Clements provides you a path not just to better finances, but to a better life. -- Terry Burnham, author of 'Mean Markets and Lizard Brains'
Jonathan Clements writes so well and thinks so clearly that even financial planning, saving, and wise decisions are almost fun to think through with him as our guide. -- Charles Ellis, author of 'Winning the Loser's Game'
In 'How to Think About Money,' Jonathan Clements, one of the premier financial writers of our times, provides readers with a roadmap for a successful financial life. It's an easy read that can result in changing the way readers look at investing and life. Read it and reap. -- Mel Lindauer, coauthor of 'The Bogleheads' Guide to Investing' and 'The Bogleheads' Guide to Retirement Planning'
Jonathan Clements is one of the greatest financial consumer advocates of our time, not only because of his emphasis on a practical and commonsense approach to personal finance, but because his message is delivered in a welcoming, easy-to-understand manner. That approach moves his readers to take the most important step toward winning in the personal-finance world - taking ownership of one's financial life and following that with action. -- Peter Mallouk, president of Creative Planning and author of 'The 5 Mistakes Every Investor Makes and How to Avoid Them'
How to Think About Money might be the best financial book I've read in the last five years. If I had written a book as good as this one, I would consider my life's work complete. -- James Dahle, founder, WhiteCoatInvestor.com
Clements spent 20 years at the Wall Street Journal, where he was the newspaper's personal finance columnist. Those bona fides and his long history of giving smart advice make this a must read. -- Barry Ritholtz, columnist, BloombergView

Jonathan Clements is a financial writer living just north of New York City. Born in London, England, Jonathan graduated from Cambridge University. He spent almost 20 years at the Wall Street Journal in New York, where he was a personal finance columnist. Jonathan also worked at Citigroup for six years as director of financial education for the US wealth-management business.

Jonathan has written a novel and eight personal finance books. He's editor of HumbleDollar.com and sits on the advisory board and investment committee of Creative Planning, a US-registered investment adviser. An avid bicyclist, Jonathan can, on many mornings, be found pedalling madly around town. He's married, with two children and two stepchildren. You can learn more at HumbleDollar.com or at the Jonathan Clements Money Guide's Facebook page. You can also follow Jonathan on Twitter @ClementsMoney. Every month, he puts out a free newsletter - you can sign up at HumbleDollar.com.

This item is eligible for free returns within 30 days of delivery. See our returns policy for further details.