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How to Be a Rich Old Lady: Your Guide to Easy Investing, Building Wealth, and Creating the Wild, Beautiful Life You Want
A life-changing path to the financial freedom we all How to Be a Rich Old Lady is filled with humor, heart, and real-world perspective.
Amanda Holden spent years working in investment management, where she saw exactly who gets access to the power, ease, and opportunity money can bring—and it wasn’t people like her friends. She also saw how the financial system is designed to feel exclusive and confusing, and how it blames individuals for economic problems they didn’t create. So, Amanda left her finance job to launch Invested Development, a financial education company where she has taught more than twenty-five thousand students how to invest with radical clarity, accessibility, and joy.
Here, all her expertise is packed into a guide that won’t feel like getting cornered by a crypto bro. Instead, it reads like a text from your smartest “Let’s figure out money, so we can stop thinking about money.” Because this practice isn’t just about planning for your wild and glorious future—it’s about the relief of knowing you’re doing everything you can right now. In these pages, you
Set up a fully automated investing strategy—so you can move on with your life Use hands-on tools and worksheets to guide you to financial independence Learn about investing in a way that is truly memorable Demystify retirement accounts and tax rules Learn who to trust in the finance world—and who to avoid Master how to research, buy, and track the right investments for you Explore what it means to live a wild, beautiful life beyond Roth IRAs
How to Be a Rich Old Lady is a step-by-step road map to financial freedom. It’s not just about numbers on a spreadsheet but building a life that feels secure enough to dream into. Maybe your Rich Old Lady is wearing belly chains at the beach, tanned and wrinkly and totally unbothered. Maybe she’s befriending the birds at her cozy forest cabin. Maybe she’s leaving $500 tips on her diner coffee. Whatever your vision, this approachable guide to investing and wealth-building will help you build a plan to greet her with confidence, security, and genuine hope for tomorrow.
Amanda Holden spent years working in investment management, where she saw exactly who gets access to the power, ease, and opportunity money can bring—and it wasn’t people like her friends. She also saw how the financial system is designed to feel exclusive and confusing, and how it blames individuals for economic problems they didn’t create. So, Amanda left her finance job to launch Invested Development, a financial education company where she has taught more than twenty-five thousand students how to invest with radical clarity, accessibility, and joy.
Here, all her expertise is packed into a guide that won’t feel like getting cornered by a crypto bro. Instead, it reads like a text from your smartest “Let’s figure out money, so we can stop thinking about money.” Because this practice isn’t just about planning for your wild and glorious future—it’s about the relief of knowing you’re doing everything you can right now. In these pages, you
Set up a fully automated investing strategy—so you can move on with your life Use hands-on tools and worksheets to guide you to financial independence Learn about investing in a way that is truly memorable Demystify retirement accounts and tax rules Learn who to trust in the finance world—and who to avoid Master how to research, buy, and track the right investments for you Explore what it means to live a wild, beautiful life beyond Roth IRAs
How to Be a Rich Old Lady is a step-by-step road map to financial freedom. It’s not just about numbers on a spreadsheet but building a life that feels secure enough to dream into. Maybe your Rich Old Lady is wearing belly chains at the beach, tanned and wrinkly and totally unbothered. Maybe she’s befriending the birds at her cozy forest cabin. Maybe she’s leaving $500 tips on her diner coffee. Whatever your vision, this approachable guide to investing and wealth-building will help you build a plan to greet her with confidence, security, and genuine hope for tomorrow.
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First published January 13, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 257 reviews
October 16, 2025
I’m obsessed with personal finance, and there’s no other book, article, podcast, or influencer who has made me feel quite so in command of my finances than Amanda. When I say, I literally would pause, contribute an extra $150 to my IRA, then start reading again…she’s already made me richer!
But truly, this book doesn’t just break down complex financial topics into tangible advice, it explains WHY YOU SHOULD CARE: why you should care despite late-stage capitalism, despite billionaires, despite the fact that it feels like the world is ending. Amanda just gets it and she wants to help you not get screwed over by a system designed to screw you over. This is a really important book. Also, great cover.
But truly, this book doesn’t just break down complex financial topics into tangible advice, it explains WHY YOU SHOULD CARE: why you should care despite late-stage capitalism, despite billionaires, despite the fact that it feels like the world is ending. Amanda just gets it and she wants to help you not get screwed over by a system designed to screw you over. This is a really important book. Also, great cover.
October 17, 2025
Gatekeeping finance bros hate to see this book coming!!!
Amanda Holden masterfully weaves humor and irreverence with a tremendous cache of knowledge and genuine heart. Her own investment in empowering her readers by demystifying the world of finance shines through, and she speaks with refreshing clarity in both her critiques of the system and her insistence that we engage.
If you weren’t particularly enthusiastic about becoming a rich old lady when you opened this book, you will be by the time you close it. More than a roadmap, this is your designated driver to the party.
Amanda Holden masterfully weaves humor and irreverence with a tremendous cache of knowledge and genuine heart. Her own investment in empowering her readers by demystifying the world of finance shines through, and she speaks with refreshing clarity in both her critiques of the system and her insistence that we engage.
If you weren’t particularly enthusiastic about becoming a rich old lady when you opened this book, you will be by the time you close it. More than a roadmap, this is your designated driver to the party.
August 17, 2026
I’ve been learning from Amanda Holden for ~8 years. She’s an all around financial badass who stands by her values enough to be arrested for them. Over the years, she has offered countless free webinars, free education on social media, and now this incredible book.
Im so serious when I say that every woman needs to read this!! She covers everything from negotiating salaries for women and how to invest ethically, to the disparities of wealth in the US and how to invest despite it feeling like the end of the world. She does it all with a light-hearted, relatable demeanor while remaining very real about the dark sides of our capitalist system.
Despite being an investor for several years, I still learned a ton and had many meaningful actions to follow up on. I loved that she gives homework and packages the hw in a pdf! This is not your basic personal finance book; it is an instruction manual on how to set your future self up for joy and comfort (despite corrupt systems) written by someone with a genuine moral compass.
Im so serious when I say that every woman needs to read this!! She covers everything from negotiating salaries for women and how to invest ethically, to the disparities of wealth in the US and how to invest despite it feeling like the end of the world. She does it all with a light-hearted, relatable demeanor while remaining very real about the dark sides of our capitalist system.
Despite being an investor for several years, I still learned a ton and had many meaningful actions to follow up on. I loved that she gives homework and packages the hw in a pdf! This is not your basic personal finance book; it is an instruction manual on how to set your future self up for joy and comfort (despite corrupt systems) written by someone with a genuine moral compass.
July 22, 2026
Probably best financial advice book I've come across so far and while targeted for women, would be helpful for anyone. And this should be required reading for anyone just starting a first job that has a retirement plan! If you are like me, I had no idea what to do the first time I had an employer who matched retirement funds. This book would have made a big difference!
What made this better than other books is this one is written in a very easy to understand manner and focuses on providing simple ways to create a diversified retirement account portfolio. What was especially nice is not only does the author explain how it all works, she actually provided examples of the tickers for the retirement account funds (like from Fidelity and Vanguard) she recommends to achieve the desired outcome.
The title is a bit of an oversell but the content of the book does provide a foundation one can build upon to create wealth. Would make a great gift for recent college graduates (book or audiobook)!
What made this better than other books is this one is written in a very easy to understand manner and focuses on providing simple ways to create a diversified retirement account portfolio. What was especially nice is not only does the author explain how it all works, she actually provided examples of the tickers for the retirement account funds (like from Fidelity and Vanguard) she recommends to achieve the desired outcome.
The title is a bit of an oversell but the content of the book does provide a foundation one can build upon to create wealth. Would make a great gift for recent college graduates (book or audiobook)!
March 12, 2026
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Some of the refreshing things about How to Be a Rich Old Lady by Amanda Holden is that it tackles personal finance with a sense of humor, humanity, and honesty that most investing books desperately lack. Instead of the usual intimidating jargon or lectures about sacrifice, Holden invites readers to imagine a future version of themselves, their Rich Old Lady, and then work backward to build the life that version of them deserves.
At its heart, this book is both a financial guide and a mindset shift. Holden draws from her background in investment management to explain how wealth-building actually works. She does so in a way that feels radically accessible. She breaks down retirement accounts, index funds, and tax advantages without making readers feel like they need a finance degree just to keep up. Her powerful message is that investing is not reserved for just the wealthy elite, but it’s a tool that ordinary people can learn and use.
What stood out most to me was Holden’s ability to demystify investing while also acknowledging the broader systems that make money feel confusing or exclusionary. Rather than blaming individuals for not understanding finance, she pulls back the curtain on why the financial world often feels intentionally opaque. That perspective makes the book feel empowering rather than preachy.
The audiobook experience adds an extra layer of charm. Holden narrates the book herself! Her delivery feels less like a lecture and more like sitting down with a very smart friend over brunch who is determined to spill all the tea about money. Her tone is warm, funny, and conversational. Which makes complex topics surprisingly engaging. For a subject that can easily become dry, the pacing and personality of the narration keep things lively.
This book is clearly designed for beginners, and that’s part of its strength. Readers who are already deeply immersed in investing may find the material familiar. For anyone just starting to think seriously about money, the book offers a clear roadmap. Holden walks readers through practical steps like how to begin investing, how to choose investments, and how to build an automated strategy that allows wealth to grow in the background.
How to Be a Rich Old Lady reframes financial planning as an act of self-respect. Instead of focusing on deprivation or rigid budgeting, Holden emphasizes building a future that allows for freedom, creativity, and joy. The idea that investing is simply a tool to fund the life you want makes the entire concept of money feel more human. Holden leads you down a path of investing that can mean you can look forward to beach days in belly chains, a forest cabin with birds, or activism in the streets.
I genuinely enjoyed this book and found it incredibly approachable. In fact, I loved it enough that I’m buying a copy for my daughter for her 17th birthday. This is the kind of financial education I wish more people received earlier in life. The book offers practical advice, empowering ideas, and is refreshingly free of financial gatekeeping.
✏ Instagram ✏ My Blog ✏ The StoryGraph ✏ TikTok
Some of the refreshing things about How to Be a Rich Old Lady by Amanda Holden is that it tackles personal finance with a sense of humor, humanity, and honesty that most investing books desperately lack. Instead of the usual intimidating jargon or lectures about sacrifice, Holden invites readers to imagine a future version of themselves, their Rich Old Lady, and then work backward to build the life that version of them deserves.
At its heart, this book is both a financial guide and a mindset shift. Holden draws from her background in investment management to explain how wealth-building actually works. She does so in a way that feels radically accessible. She breaks down retirement accounts, index funds, and tax advantages without making readers feel like they need a finance degree just to keep up. Her powerful message is that investing is not reserved for just the wealthy elite, but it’s a tool that ordinary people can learn and use.
What stood out most to me was Holden’s ability to demystify investing while also acknowledging the broader systems that make money feel confusing or exclusionary. Rather than blaming individuals for not understanding finance, she pulls back the curtain on why the financial world often feels intentionally opaque. That perspective makes the book feel empowering rather than preachy.
The audiobook experience adds an extra layer of charm. Holden narrates the book herself! Her delivery feels less like a lecture and more like sitting down with a very smart friend over brunch who is determined to spill all the tea about money. Her tone is warm, funny, and conversational. Which makes complex topics surprisingly engaging. For a subject that can easily become dry, the pacing and personality of the narration keep things lively.
This book is clearly designed for beginners, and that’s part of its strength. Readers who are already deeply immersed in investing may find the material familiar. For anyone just starting to think seriously about money, the book offers a clear roadmap. Holden walks readers through practical steps like how to begin investing, how to choose investments, and how to build an automated strategy that allows wealth to grow in the background.
How to Be a Rich Old Lady reframes financial planning as an act of self-respect. Instead of focusing on deprivation or rigid budgeting, Holden emphasizes building a future that allows for freedom, creativity, and joy. The idea that investing is simply a tool to fund the life you want makes the entire concept of money feel more human. Holden leads you down a path of investing that can mean you can look forward to beach days in belly chains, a forest cabin with birds, or activism in the streets.
I genuinely enjoyed this book and found it incredibly approachable. In fact, I loved it enough that I’m buying a copy for my daughter for her 17th birthday. This is the kind of financial education I wish more people received earlier in life. The book offers practical advice, empowering ideas, and is refreshingly free of financial gatekeeping.
February 15, 2026
great on audio! really specific help that I haven't seen in other finance books (such as the actual tickers for index funds to invest in) and found this really helpful!
April 6, 2026
More helpful than every finance book I’ve read written by men, combined.
April 9, 2026
This book will earn you money!!! I want every woman who has $100 to invest to read or listen to this book. (The audiobook is great!) I paid $3k for my master’s-level financial planning class—and this book contains almost everything I learned in that class, in an easy-to-understand format with humor and a good dose of reality. (Can the author and I be besties, please???) Please, please read this book so we can all get titty tassels!
January 29, 2026
I laughed, I cried... it genuinely changed my life! Probably the most useful money book I've ever read and I've read a lot of them.
March 6, 2026
How to Be a Rich Old Lady is a comprehensive guide geared toward women interested in gaining financial literary and independence. It's broken down into easily digestible chapters, which involve the definition of basic financial terms, retirement accounts, investment, and various strategies. I enjoyed the author's explanations, and I thought she described the concepts well in layman's (laywoman's?) terms. Though I disagreed with some of the political determinations she made, I appreciated the author's conversational tone, and I think this book would be a useful resource for both women starting out their careers and also older women as well.
Thanks to Goodreads and the publisher for providing this advanced copy.
Thanks to Goodreads and the publisher for providing this advanced copy.
March 15, 2026
This will be a go to gift for years to come. If you’re reading this and my friend, this means you.
February 25, 2026
I’ve read a fair amount of personal finance books but this one is a favorite. Really digestible info on all things investing!! Loved the audio so much 👏🏼
November 11, 2025
This book is for anyone ready to stop pretending money is too complicated. Amanda Holden tells you exactly- no, exactly - what to do to get your money sorted so you can get on with your gorgeous, creative, chaotic, life.
Her advice is seared into my brain (I'll never forget the David Lee Roth 401k thing). After taking her investing course, I saved enough money to quit my job, travel for two years, and accidentally build a new life in Spain. Coincidence? No. Amanda.
When's the last time you spit water out ya mouth laughing while reading about money?!? When's the last time you were able to spit searing facts back to your weird uncle always giving backwards, slightly misogynistic money advice at the family gathering? And most importantly, when’s the last time you actually did the thing a self-help book told you to do?
Because after this one (honestly, 30 pages in), you’ll feel like you just hit the jackpot: a hilarious, been-there-done-that money auntie who drops timeless wisdom, gives you the tools to get your finances together without spiraling, tosses you some Mardi Gras beads for reasons that feel spiritual, and sends you back out into the world calmer, richer, and a little more dangerous, in the best way.
Her advice is seared into my brain (I'll never forget the David Lee Roth 401k thing). After taking her investing course, I saved enough money to quit my job, travel for two years, and accidentally build a new life in Spain. Coincidence? No. Amanda.
When's the last time you spit water out ya mouth laughing while reading about money?!? When's the last time you were able to spit searing facts back to your weird uncle always giving backwards, slightly misogynistic money advice at the family gathering? And most importantly, when’s the last time you actually did the thing a self-help book told you to do?
Because after this one (honestly, 30 pages in), you’ll feel like you just hit the jackpot: a hilarious, been-there-done-that money auntie who drops timeless wisdom, gives you the tools to get your finances together without spiraling, tosses you some Mardi Gras beads for reasons that feel spiritual, and sends you back out into the world calmer, richer, and a little more dangerous, in the best way.
Read
December 9, 2025This is a really well structured and explained book on investing. It cuts through a lot of the noise you get when bros are writing about the topic. And honestly that’s not who I want to hear from here!
Some of the info wasn’t applicable to me because I’m not US based but I have come away knowing more about investing than I did before. And I will certainly be referring back to this book in the future
*read via Edelweiss
Some of the info wasn’t applicable to me because I’m not US based but I have come away knowing more about investing than I did before. And I will certainly be referring back to this book in the future
*read via Edelweiss
January 29, 2026
YES! This is the book about investing / personal finance that I have been waiting for! Finally a book that actually taught me how to invest — from the theory to the buttons to click to the social justice implications. Everything else I’ve read or tried to read has either been too jargony and way over my head or so simplified that I learned nothing useful. This Goldilocks of Investing finally found the book that was juuuuuust right.
August 1, 2026
Every woman needs to understand personal finance and this book is a great, unintimidating way to do that. The financial philosophy is to have a hands off investing approach. It is millennial coded and unapologetically liberal. All of this worked for me.
As a result of reading this book, I opened a high yield savings account to start an emergency fund and realized my rollover IRA was sitting uninvested in a settlement account for 4 years (I changed this!)
As a result of reading this book, I opened a high yield savings account to start an emergency fund and realized my rollover IRA was sitting uninvested in a settlement account for 4 years (I changed this!)
June 29, 2026
Great financial book. Was about to give 4 stars just because it was a bit content heavy, until the last portion where she brought everything together and discussed the importance of collective society and unlearning consumerist doctrine. Will probably come back to this book throughout my life as I encounter new financial questions.
February 11, 2026
“A teach a bitch to fish operation” - truly. Although centred in the American financial system, there are strong parallels to the Canadian. This should be mandatory reading for young women. Financial nihilism is not the move and white men shouldn’t be the only ones to profit from the complex manmade investing system.
July 13, 2026
An absolute delight of a read while delivering sage advice and practical steps for investing. I’ve recommended it to so many friends, and highly recommend getting a physical copy. I’ve already gone back many times and will keep it somewhere handy for the foreseeable future!
Read
January 25, 2026All finance books should be couched within the context of larger financial systems and how we got here. While I personally didn’t learn a lot of new information from the book, that is because I’ve previously listened to a lot of “dumpster doggy” content previously. I think Amanda is an excellent teacher and breaks down financial jargon with ease. Highly recommend this book for any of my friends that need to buff up their financial literacy.
May 4, 2026
4.25⭐️
Really great step by step guide and explainer for how to start investing. Even helpful for people like me, who have been investing for years but need a refresher on terminology and basic strategies. Some of the random jokes or side comments were a little cringe (felt like she was trying a little too hard to be cool and fun and relatable) but other than that this book is very solid. Much better than some of the other finance influencer books I’ve read (such as financial feminist and rich AF). This was like a fresher take on A Simple Path to Wealth, which is also a really good book on the fundamentals of investing.
I appreciated that she had 10-minute “homework” assignments at the end of each chapter. I read this on audio from the lib and she referred to the supplemental pdf a lot and I hope/assume in print all of those diagrams and lists she alluded to are included in the physical book in an appendix of some sort? I’d probably buy this book to keep on hand to reference anytime I get confused about the difference between Roth and Traditonal retirement accounts. Among other things lol.
Really great step by step guide and explainer for how to start investing. Even helpful for people like me, who have been investing for years but need a refresher on terminology and basic strategies. Some of the random jokes or side comments were a little cringe (felt like she was trying a little too hard to be cool and fun and relatable) but other than that this book is very solid. Much better than some of the other finance influencer books I’ve read (such as financial feminist and rich AF). This was like a fresher take on A Simple Path to Wealth, which is also a really good book on the fundamentals of investing.
I appreciated that she had 10-minute “homework” assignments at the end of each chapter. I read this on audio from the lib and she referred to the supplemental pdf a lot and I hope/assume in print all of those diagrams and lists she alluded to are included in the physical book in an appendix of some sort? I’d probably buy this book to keep on hand to reference anytime I get confused about the difference between Roth and Traditonal retirement accounts. Among other things lol.
March 26, 2026
Important read for any young woman who wants to feel confident rather than confused about financial independence!
Really interesting perspective on personal finance & investing for women. Honest take on the origins & reality of financial markets but still made me feel more hopeful and empowered. Audio book is narrated by the author which was fun. (Still bought a physical copy in thriftbooks because the cover is so cute, so hmu if you want to borrow it). I listened all the way through, even though I thought I’d skip some sections, because each chapter gave me a deeper understanding on topics had thought I already I understood.
Really interesting perspective on personal finance & investing for women. Honest take on the origins & reality of financial markets but still made me feel more hopeful and empowered. Audio book is narrated by the author which was fun. (Still bought a physical copy in thriftbooks because the cover is so cute, so hmu if you want to borrow it). I listened all the way through, even though I thought I’d skip some sections, because each chapter gave me a deeper understanding on topics had thought I already I understood.
February 22, 2026
If you are a millennial and want to make sure you know finances, this book is for you. This author truly speaks my language--at the end of the day, she is so realistic and comes from a place of caring. This attitude comes through the personality of her writing, and she is all together realistic, clear, and funny about how to learn investing so that you can retire rich, or rich enough. She acknowledges that the systems we live in are messed up, and that they are controlled by rich white old men, but she offers some words of hope.
And at the end of the day, she comes back to community and that all of this saving and investing is to help you simply to live life.
I only mention millennial because her references are immediately recognizable. But as long as you understand those, you are good to go. I've never read a finance book so open and honest.
And at the end of the day, she comes back to community and that all of this saving and investing is to help you simply to live life.
I only mention millennial because her references are immediately recognizable. But as long as you understand those, you are good to go. I've never read a finance book so open and honest.
July 14, 2026
I recommend this book for any woman in particular but also any person who feels they never learned how to invest, manage money, or save for retirement. It’s also delivered in such a funny and entertaining package that doesn’t feel intimidating!
April 23, 2026
Really everyone I know should read this
February 15, 2026
We all deserve to be that rich old lady that also participates in community and mutual aid
February 6, 2026
I've been trying to figure out investing for quite some time. In-one-ear-out-the-other is my learning curve in this case. However, Holden's presentation is engaging, funny and down to earth. I just loved listening to her. This time, a lot of the info "makes-sense" and, I hope, will stick (at least in one ear). I will definitely be investing in gifting my daughters and all the young ladies I know this book (and some old and young men)!
August 11, 2026
Anyone who knows me well knows I love personal finance and with that, I love both continuing to further my education and also sharing what knowledge I have with my pals so that we can all be financially literate girlies™️ together, or as Amanda Holden might say, so that we can all be "Rich Old Ladies" (also known as "Naked Rollerblading When You're 80"). After all, what's the fun of having financial security if your pals aren't there to bask in the sun of the all inclusive resort with you??
I've read quite a few personal finance books over the years, and How to Be a Rich Old Lady is hands down my favorite alongside I Survived Capitalism and All I Got Was This Lousy T-Shirt by Madeline Pendleton (which is more memoir with digestible How To's sprinkled in than straight personal finance book). Holden, though also covering the basics, primarily focuses on the investing aspect of personal finance. She handles a topic that can easily become bogged down in inaccessible jargon with clear explanations infused with millennial girl humor ("We talk about [Roth and Traditional] accounts like they're epic rivals; Katniss and Peeta, pitted against each other in the Hunger Games, forced to fight to the death. But they weren't truly enemies. It was a manufactured rivalry, and both were just trying to survive the same brutal system. Same with retirment taxation. Roth and Traditional accounts are allies." (59)) and anti-capitalist rhetoric ("Governments prefer a pacified populace--exhausted workers self-soothing with little treats, just comfy enough with our online purchases and iced coffees to never demand a change." (33)).
Additionally, after several of the chapters, Amanda provides quick, 10-minute "homework" worksheets and tasks to complete to apply what you've just learned. As Amanda says, "this is a a teach-a-bitch-to-fish operation," in which she really aims to provide you with all of the information that you need to make the best choices for YOU. And in my opinion, she does a great job acknowledging when she has a clear financial bias and lets you know WHY she has that bias but still provides you with the argument in favor of the other option.
Also, during the chapter on target-date funds (TDFs), Amanda specifically points out Fidelity's confusing TDF options, which I myself fell victim to until realizing my mistake last year (thanks, Val). (The options? For each TDF year, Fidelity generally has 2 options: one that is a low-cost TDF full of index funds and a high-cost TDF full of actively managed funds. Back in the day when I was 22 and fresh out of college, my dad said I had to go meet with his financial advisor to set up my retirment. And I took everything JJ Connolly, with his dreamy Boston accent--I was still living in NC at the time--said as gospel, and let him set me up with the TDF that had, unbeknownst to me, a 0.75% expense ratio!! Granted, I was still better off having set the higher expense ratio account up at 22 than having nothing at all, but still!!! Makes me wonder what my dad's investment accounts are made up of.) Anyways, if I hadn't realized this already last year, this chapter would have caused a full blown crash out (not Amanda's fault).
Lastly, stay tuned because Amanda has inspired me to want to host "an Executive Function" (175), in addition to already existing financially literate girlies™️ pop-up workshops.
And just remember these two important nuggets:
"Stay cute. Stay unbothered. Stick to the plan. Keep investing." (139)
"SKANKS BEFORE BANKS!" (164)
***(more) quotes***
"First, I'd come to understand there's a direct connection between the size of an investment portfolio and the quality of a person's retired life." (x)
"I, for one, think we should consider a different system entirely; one where economic markets exist to serve workers, not one where workers exist to serve the economic markets." (xiii)
"Even though men splurge more, spend more, and have more credit card debt than women, despite earning more, the 'women be shoppin'' narrative persists." (xiv)
"Among men who handle the family finances, 68% say they do it so they'll have control in the event of a divorce." (xv)
"To be a Rich Old Lady is to get so real about using your money to create a life of connection, not mindless consumption." (xviii)
"'And frankly, we should tell our daughters, sisters, and friends about the importance of having a Fuck Off Fund.'" (9)
"So much of our consumption was never actually our idea in the first place. It's the idea of a culture that teaches us to look or live a certain way to be loved." (33)
"Whereas men need only display competence [when negotiating salary], women must balance their dual spinning plates of competence and niceness." (41)
"That collective [bargaining] approach levels the playing field in ways that individualized strategies can't: Women in labor unions in the US earn 23% more than women in nonunionized workplaces." (43)
"What if the way to get rich is to band together and use our collective power to take back what we built in the first place?" (44)
"If you, like me, grew up in the country that Ronald Reagan built, you might not know that retiring didn't always require every single person to be their own master of investment strategy." (53)
"I swear, I have owned fishnet tights that work harder than the U.S.'s social safety net." (54)
"Now obviously, not everyone lives in a prison of heterosexuality like I do. (I wish better for you than straightness.)" (97)
"I am writing to you in April 2025. Currently, the president appears to be hell-bent on making enemies of our global trade partners, privatizing public services, and selling off the economy to his rich friends. Confronted with the real-time fallibility of the United States of America, international diversification feels especially urgent." (111)
"You don't buy investments just to sell them when they are at their absolute, temporary worst." (138)
"In fact, 97% of actively managed mutual funds invested in the US stock market underperformed the S&P 500 index over the last 20 years." (146)
"Put another way, starting earlier lets you be much lazier overall." (153)
"And while I am sure that lots of active ESG fund managers really care about worker protections and endangered sea turtles, there is no denying that the demand for more ethical options creates a big opportunity for the finance industry, whose fees sure have found an epic hiding place behind the ethical-investing label." (205)
"Value is a social construct, baby!" (223)
"Whether I'm investing in abortion pills or writing a sweet note to a friend, I believe radiating generosity in this life is the ultimate luxury. And, my desire to be recklessly thoughtful serves as great motivation to understand my money." (227)
"The truth is, if you were to believe that every financial professional was going to make impartial recommendations with your best interests at heart, not only would you be wrong but you would also be leaving yourself completely vulnerable to manipulation." (264)
"I am investing--my time, my energy, my money--because I want to improve the quality of my life and the lives of those around me. And we know that the quality of our lives is improved when we have meaningful connections to people and access to resources, green and third spaces, local shops, and public transportation." (275)
"While wealth can buy privacy, autonomy, and convenience, wealth can also buy loneliness." (278)
"But there are some risks you just cannot take. One is doing nothing to prepare for the future, but just as dangerous is postponing pleasure for a future that may never materialize." (282)
I've read quite a few personal finance books over the years, and How to Be a Rich Old Lady is hands down my favorite alongside I Survived Capitalism and All I Got Was This Lousy T-Shirt by Madeline Pendleton (which is more memoir with digestible How To's sprinkled in than straight personal finance book). Holden, though also covering the basics, primarily focuses on the investing aspect of personal finance. She handles a topic that can easily become bogged down in inaccessible jargon with clear explanations infused with millennial girl humor ("We talk about [Roth and Traditional] accounts like they're epic rivals; Katniss and Peeta, pitted against each other in the Hunger Games, forced to fight to the death. But they weren't truly enemies. It was a manufactured rivalry, and both were just trying to survive the same brutal system. Same with retirment taxation. Roth and Traditional accounts are allies." (59)) and anti-capitalist rhetoric ("Governments prefer a pacified populace--exhausted workers self-soothing with little treats, just comfy enough with our online purchases and iced coffees to never demand a change." (33)).
Additionally, after several of the chapters, Amanda provides quick, 10-minute "homework" worksheets and tasks to complete to apply what you've just learned. As Amanda says, "this is a a teach-a-bitch-to-fish operation," in which she really aims to provide you with all of the information that you need to make the best choices for YOU. And in my opinion, she does a great job acknowledging when she has a clear financial bias and lets you know WHY she has that bias but still provides you with the argument in favor of the other option.
Also, during the chapter on target-date funds (TDFs), Amanda specifically points out Fidelity's confusing TDF options, which I myself fell victim to until realizing my mistake last year (thanks, Val). (The options? For each TDF year, Fidelity generally has 2 options: one that is a low-cost TDF full of index funds and a high-cost TDF full of actively managed funds. Back in the day when I was 22 and fresh out of college, my dad said I had to go meet with his financial advisor to set up my retirment. And I took everything JJ Connolly, with his dreamy Boston accent--I was still living in NC at the time--said as gospel, and let him set me up with the TDF that had, unbeknownst to me, a 0.75% expense ratio!! Granted, I was still better off having set the higher expense ratio account up at 22 than having nothing at all, but still!!! Makes me wonder what my dad's investment accounts are made up of.) Anyways, if I hadn't realized this already last year, this chapter would have caused a full blown crash out (not Amanda's fault).
Lastly, stay tuned because Amanda has inspired me to want to host "an Executive Function" (175), in addition to already existing financially literate girlies™️ pop-up workshops.
And just remember these two important nuggets:
"Stay cute. Stay unbothered. Stick to the plan. Keep investing." (139)
"SKANKS BEFORE BANKS!" (164)
***(more) quotes***
"First, I'd come to understand there's a direct connection between the size of an investment portfolio and the quality of a person's retired life." (x)
"I, for one, think we should consider a different system entirely; one where economic markets exist to serve workers, not one where workers exist to serve the economic markets." (xiii)
"Even though men splurge more, spend more, and have more credit card debt than women, despite earning more, the 'women be shoppin'' narrative persists." (xiv)
"Among men who handle the family finances, 68% say they do it so they'll have control in the event of a divorce." (xv)
"To be a Rich Old Lady is to get so real about using your money to create a life of connection, not mindless consumption." (xviii)
"'And frankly, we should tell our daughters, sisters, and friends about the importance of having a Fuck Off Fund.'" (9)
"So much of our consumption was never actually our idea in the first place. It's the idea of a culture that teaches us to look or live a certain way to be loved." (33)
"Whereas men need only display competence [when negotiating salary], women must balance their dual spinning plates of competence and niceness." (41)
"That collective [bargaining] approach levels the playing field in ways that individualized strategies can't: Women in labor unions in the US earn 23% more than women in nonunionized workplaces." (43)
"What if the way to get rich is to band together and use our collective power to take back what we built in the first place?" (44)
"If you, like me, grew up in the country that Ronald Reagan built, you might not know that retiring didn't always require every single person to be their own master of investment strategy." (53)
"I swear, I have owned fishnet tights that work harder than the U.S.'s social safety net." (54)
"Now obviously, not everyone lives in a prison of heterosexuality like I do. (I wish better for you than straightness.)" (97)
"I am writing to you in April 2025. Currently, the president appears to be hell-bent on making enemies of our global trade partners, privatizing public services, and selling off the economy to his rich friends. Confronted with the real-time fallibility of the United States of America, international diversification feels especially urgent." (111)
"You don't buy investments just to sell them when they are at their absolute, temporary worst." (138)
"In fact, 97% of actively managed mutual funds invested in the US stock market underperformed the S&P 500 index over the last 20 years." (146)
"Put another way, starting earlier lets you be much lazier overall." (153)
"And while I am sure that lots of active ESG fund managers really care about worker protections and endangered sea turtles, there is no denying that the demand for more ethical options creates a big opportunity for the finance industry, whose fees sure have found an epic hiding place behind the ethical-investing label." (205)
"Value is a social construct, baby!" (223)
"Whether I'm investing in abortion pills or writing a sweet note to a friend, I believe radiating generosity in this life is the ultimate luxury. And, my desire to be recklessly thoughtful serves as great motivation to understand my money." (227)
"The truth is, if you were to believe that every financial professional was going to make impartial recommendations with your best interests at heart, not only would you be wrong but you would also be leaving yourself completely vulnerable to manipulation." (264)
"I am investing--my time, my energy, my money--because I want to improve the quality of my life and the lives of those around me. And we know that the quality of our lives is improved when we have meaningful connections to people and access to resources, green and third spaces, local shops, and public transportation." (275)
"While wealth can buy privacy, autonomy, and convenience, wealth can also buy loneliness." (278)
"But there are some risks you just cannot take. One is doing nothing to prepare for the future, but just as dangerous is postponing pleasure for a future that may never materialize." (282)
February 18, 2026
This book is going straight into my re-read pile—investing has always felt like a foreign language, and Holden makes it feel… human. How to Be a Rich Old Lady is part practical guide, part sparkling conversation with that eccentric aunt who knows the rules and loves to break them. Emergency funds, budgets, retirement accounts—even tracking investments—it’s all broken down in a way that actually makes sense. Sprinkle in exercises you can do immediately, and suddenly financial independence feels possible, not scary.
Sure, it dips into crypto and picking stocks, which might overwhelm some beginners, but it’s framed with humor that keeps you curious instead of intimidated. I’m here hoping to become a rich old lady and build a wealth empire for my kids—so they never have to wonder how to grow money while also living fully.
Sure, it dips into crypto and picking stocks, which might overwhelm some beginners, but it’s framed with humor that keeps you curious instead of intimidated. I’m here hoping to become a rich old lady and build a wealth empire for my kids—so they never have to wonder how to grow money while also living fully.
February 19, 2026
I agree with many of the low reviewers. There is A LOT crammed into this book. I’d say if you are new to learning financing you should start with a less complex book. I’m also rating this low because when I pick up an any book to learn about financing or real estate, etc. I’d rather not hear about the authors religious, political or race viewpoints. If I want to read about those specifically then I’d choose a book accordingly. It was disappointing to have very clear jabs thrown in against a president, religion and political party ideologies. We are already so inundated with hatred politically why bring it into a financial book?
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