5 must-read books for expats to improve their finances

At Money Saving Expat, we’re passionate about helping expatriates make the most of their money and live more fulfilling lives, wherever in the world they are. We regularly share tips and tricks on investing money, avoiding scams and building a business in another country, and we love to hear from fellow expats about how they live life. Whether you’re already living in the sun or you’re considering making the leap, we’ve rounded up some expat finance books (in no particular order) that can help you change your mindset and become the best version of yourself…

1. How to Own the World: An English Guide to Thinking Globally and Investing Wisely

This Amazon number-one bestseller reveals the tricks of the trade on making your money work for you, and explains why you must learn about investment. The truth is that as an expat living in a foreign country, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed about making investments in property, stocks, and businesses, but Andrew Craig breaks it down and removes the fear and lowers the barriers to entry. The book highlights the advantages you have over finance professionals and shares the knowledge you need to grow your money. According to Craig, investing isn’t complicated or scary - we’re just taught the wrong things by the wrong people.

In today’s challenging political and economic times, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, this book allows you to take charge of your financial affairs and make the most of your money.

2. Expat Money: The Definitive Personal Finance Manual for Brits Abroad

This paperback was released in 2008 by Hannah Beecham and aims to demystify the idea of “offshore money”, offering advice on managing your finances safely and profitably when you’re not in the UK. Though the book is more than 13 years old, it’s still relevant today with tips on topics like converting your currencies without incurring a loss, gaining tax benefits when letting out your property, as well as advice on pension contributions, writing a will, and day-to-day tips on managing your money overseas. Expat Money covers all of the crucial elements a British expat would need to know, and can be read before or even after moving abroad. Of course, it does have its limitations - the book doesn’t cover specific tax laws or regulations for individual countries, so you’ll still need to do your own research, but it’s a stepping stone and serves as a broad survey that can point you towards the right resources.

3. Millionaire Teacher: The Nine Rules of Wealth You Should Have Learned in School

Andrew Hallam shares tips on achieving financial independence through investments in Millionaire Teacher and proves that you don’t need to become a ‘wizard’ to make big bucks. 

Hallam started out as an English teacher in a high school, becoming a debt-free millionaire off his own back. In this book, he shares the fundamentals you need to follow in his footsteps, claiming that you can spend just an hour a year on your investments, without having to think about the stock market’s direction, and still beat the professionals. Rather than falling for ‘get-rich-quick’ schemes or hopping onto investment trends, Andrew will show you how to manage your money and your future in the best way possible. An all-new second edition features a guide to passive investments through Robo Advisers, as well as reasons to invest in index funds, finding an independent financial adviser, and tips on avoiding scams.

4. Expat Secrets: How To Pay Zero Taxes, Live Overseas & Make Giant Piles of Money

Mikkel Thorup released his Expat Secrets book back in 2018, drawing upon his 20 years of overseas experience to offer a comprehensive guide to living overseas, reducing your tax burden, and travelling the world. Thorup says that this book will “save you years of trial and error” and serve as a blueprint for planting flags around the globe. It’s packed with timeless knowledge and offers a no-nonsense approach to offshore markets. It’s concise yet covers all of the key topics, from incorporating companies abroad to raising children overseas, and will no doubt serve as inspiration to many an expat wanting to bolster their financial security.

5. Millionaire Expat: How To Build Wealth Living Overseas

Back to Andrew Hallam for our final expat finance book recommendation, and this time it’s his Millionaire Expat guide. Although much of what’s covered in Millionaire Teacher is repeated in this handbook, it serves as an investment tool for expatriates and can guide you in building wealth whilst living overseas. Hallam’s advice is suited to those looking for safe and strong growth, with low-risk, reliable investment opportunities that set you up for the future. He’ll break down how much retirement actually costs, and how much you could save by making some smart changes to your lifestyle, as well as advice on finding a trustworthy advisor (plus tips on going it alone), and ways to take advantage of an offshore status to invest successfully and profitably, whether you’ve got $5,00 or $5,000,000 to play with.

How many of these expat finance books have you read? Let us know in the comments if you have any other suggestions and check back to the Money Saving Expat blog soon for more.