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The Richest Man in Babylon by George S. Clason

"The Richest Man in Babylon" teaches timeless money principles through short parables set in ancient Babylon, and almost a century later they still hold up.

The same long-game thinking shows up in how we coach CEOs on money and fundraising: Your Guide For Fundraising.

The whole book rests on one habit: "A part of all you earn is yours to keep." When money comes in, set aside at least a tenth for yourself before you spend a thing.

The Principles

Clason organizes it into the Seven Cures for a Lean Purse (save 10%, control your spending, make your money multiply, guard it from loss, own your home, plan for the future, and grow your ability to earn) and the Five Laws of Gold (which boil down to: save consistently, invest wisely on good advice, and never chase impossible returns or trust schemers).

For a hard look at what happens when those guardrails fail, see What I Learned Losing a Million Dollars.

The book's most practical tool is its debt-freedom plan: of every dollar you earn, pay yourself 10%, live on 70%, and put 20% toward your debts, consistently, until you're free.

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Get the book: The Richest Man in Babylon by George S. Clason on Amazon.

It's the simplest, most durable personal-finance playbook there is.

Master "pay yourself first" and the rest compounds. It pairs well with our College Freshman Investing guide.

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