The Wealthy Barber Return by David Chilton

David Chilton has a gift for taking the intimidation out of personal finance. His witty stories and hilarious experiences make it easy to digest the material and get motivated to start pulling your own reins. He’s also very adamant about saving for the future. The biggest misconception about this is that it means people will have less to enjoy now, but that’s not true. They’ll actually be happier and less stressed if they spend less money and save more.

Chilton’s first book, The Wealthy Barber, was a financial classic in Canada (selling over 2 million copies) and this follow-up is no different. The book teaches readers the basics of personal finance and retirement planning through the story of barber Roy. Roy is not only good at cutting hair but he’s also a very wealthy man because he follows a simple plan that he learned from Mr. White, a local rich man.

Throughout the book Roy teaches his clients how to track their spending, define what is and isn’t an investment, and learn the importance of starting early. Chilton also emphasizes that while it’s possible to achieve financial independence on an average salary, it takes time and discipline to do so.

The main message from the book is that most people are wasting too much money on things they don’t need and it’s important to stop chasing consumption and focus on savings. The earlier you start, the better chance you have of having enough money for a comfortable retirement.