What do you think?
Rate this book
Miss Independent: A Simple 12-Step Plan to Start Investing and Grow Your Own Wealth
Wall Street Journal BESTSELLER New York Times bestselling author of Rich Bitch and renowned money expert Nicole Lapin makes investing accessible and fun so women can make bank and become Miss Independent . You’ve worked hard for your money and now it’s time for your money to work for you . You will never earn or budget your way into real wealth. Growing your money significantly doesn’t require starting with a lot of money. It requires a little bit of knowledge about taking smart risks and as much time as possible to take advantage of the glorious power of compound interest, which Einstein refers to as the eighth wonder of the world. From automating your savings to easy, no-stress investing strategies, Nicole will teach you how to take your financial knowledge and portfolio to the next level and start you on your journey to your ultimate true financial independence. In Miss Independent , you will Miss Independent takes the fear out of money management and investing once and for all. Using her own vulnerable stories and her signature conversational style, let Nicole show you all the different ways and paths that you can take to become financially free at last.
288 pages, Hardcover
Published February 1, 2022
144 people are currently reading
913 people want to read
About the author
Nicole Lapin
13 books92 followersNicole Lapin is the New York Times and Wall Street Journal Bestselling author of Rich Bitch, Boss Bitch, Becoming Super Woman and Miss Independent. She has been an anchor on CNN, CNBC and Bloomberg as well as the host of the business reality competition show, "Hatched" that aired on the CW for the first season and CBS for the second. She is the founder of Money News Network, a pioneer business- and finance-focused podcast network, which is the home of her daily show “Money Rehab” that reached #1 on Apple’s business charts as well as “Help Wanted” that she co-hosts with the editor-in-chief of Entrepreneur Magazine Jason Feifer, among other shows on their slate.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
January 31, 2022
Do you know your net worth?
In Miss Independent, Nicole Lapin makes the case that money is about freedom. Freedom to walk away from a bad job or a bad relationship or take time for your passion projects. She encourages you to dream about what you could do if you became rich enough, pretty rich or super rich. She also makes the case that you need to know where you are so you can set your goals and provides an easy-to-use worksheet to figure out your net worth. This is something I had already implemented with my husband, as we have had twice-a-year net worth meetings for about five years now, which gives us a good snapshot of where we are and how our money is growing. This is particularly helpful as he is self-employed, so his income is not steady. This is a piece of advice that I think everyone should implement.
Nicole also encourages women to take charge of their own finances. This quote really stood out to me: “Girls are typically told to be prudent and save their money, whereas boys are taught to go after good jobs and build their wealth.” Lapin makes the point that we can’t budget ourselves into wealth by skipping lattes and getting our nails done. In fact, having a strong salary is not enough, as those often just keep pace with inflation. We need to learn to invest our money and manage our portfolio.
While she covers the basics, like budgeting and emergency funds, she takes it a step further by breaking down all the different investment types in easy-to-understand words underlined with the type of pep talks you would get from your BFF at Saturday coffee. This book is all about using your money to get the kind of lifestyle you dream of.
This book made me feel like I could conquer the world. I work for a financial institution, so I was familiar with many of the investment types, Nicole introduced me to some new options I didn’t know about. Her easy explanations made me feel confident that I could make good choices for my money. After reading this book, I was inspired to diversify my portfolio and invest a small sum in REITs (Real Estate Investment Trusts). She also gave information on other fund types that I’m eager to implement.
This interesting, informative book will provide you with all the inspiration you need to take charge of your finances this year!
In Miss Independent, Nicole Lapin makes the case that money is about freedom. Freedom to walk away from a bad job or a bad relationship or take time for your passion projects. She encourages you to dream about what you could do if you became rich enough, pretty rich or super rich. She also makes the case that you need to know where you are so you can set your goals and provides an easy-to-use worksheet to figure out your net worth. This is something I had already implemented with my husband, as we have had twice-a-year net worth meetings for about five years now, which gives us a good snapshot of where we are and how our money is growing. This is particularly helpful as he is self-employed, so his income is not steady. This is a piece of advice that I think everyone should implement.
Nicole also encourages women to take charge of their own finances. This quote really stood out to me: “Girls are typically told to be prudent and save their money, whereas boys are taught to go after good jobs and build their wealth.” Lapin makes the point that we can’t budget ourselves into wealth by skipping lattes and getting our nails done. In fact, having a strong salary is not enough, as those often just keep pace with inflation. We need to learn to invest our money and manage our portfolio.
While she covers the basics, like budgeting and emergency funds, she takes it a step further by breaking down all the different investment types in easy-to-understand words underlined with the type of pep talks you would get from your BFF at Saturday coffee. This book is all about using your money to get the kind of lifestyle you dream of.
This book made me feel like I could conquer the world. I work for a financial institution, so I was familiar with many of the investment types, Nicole introduced me to some new options I didn’t know about. Her easy explanations made me feel confident that I could make good choices for my money. After reading this book, I was inspired to diversify my portfolio and invest a small sum in REITs (Real Estate Investment Trusts). She also gave information on other fund types that I’m eager to implement.
This interesting, informative book will provide you with all the inspiration you need to take charge of your finances this year!
October 20, 2022
10/10 recommend for all my home girls wanting an hors d’ouevres’ — rather than steak n potatoes — intro into finance beyond the 401k. Lapin is a hoot, too!
January 23, 2025
Me?? Liking non-fiction??
To be fair it’s about making money and investing in yourself and your future, and I learned a tonnnnn and made some changes in my money routines.
To be fair it’s about making money and investing in yourself and your future, and I learned a tonnnnn and made some changes in my money routines.
September 16, 2022
Wow, I'm a little surprised the reviews are as high as they are (4.17 at the time of writing this review).
Maybe the biggest challenge when it comes to writing about finance and personal finance for the masses is making it easily consumable and readily actionable. Rather, finance and personal finance can feel like a monolith of intimidating words and concepts (life insurance, ETFs, APR vs APY, etc) and it can feel like studying for SATs again memorizing the meaning of each specific term when it's more important to understand general frameworks / building blocks to build a financial plan that meets your financial goals.
I think she really tries to put her own spin on it and making it more "approachable" with her casual tone and chatty style, but towards the latter half it really felt more like I was reading a laundry list of financial definitions.
I did really appreciate her transparency about her own financial decisions and breakdown of her income. At first it really inspired me to pursue the multiple income streams as she has, but then once I looked her up it felt like a long shot dream lol (because she has the benefit of working in TV and being somewhat of a celebrity in her own right).
Maybe the biggest challenge when it comes to writing about finance and personal finance for the masses is making it easily consumable and readily actionable. Rather, finance and personal finance can feel like a monolith of intimidating words and concepts (life insurance, ETFs, APR vs APY, etc) and it can feel like studying for SATs again memorizing the meaning of each specific term when it's more important to understand general frameworks / building blocks to build a financial plan that meets your financial goals.
I think she really tries to put her own spin on it and making it more "approachable" with her casual tone and chatty style, but towards the latter half it really felt more like I was reading a laundry list of financial definitions.
I did really appreciate her transparency about her own financial decisions and breakdown of her income. At first it really inspired me to pursue the multiple income streams as she has, but then once I looked her up it felt like a long shot dream lol (because she has the benefit of working in TV and being somewhat of a celebrity in her own right).
January 1, 2023
This was a decent read. It goes deeper into things such as different types of bonds than most books. I like how she arranges the chapters based on increasing levels of risk. It makes is easy to start slow and build your portfolio a piece at a time rather than just dive in to the risky, most complicated stuff first.
November 6, 2023
Love this money shit.
January 25, 2024
I liked this book because it felt accessible to close to beginner level ladies like me. I do think it's trying a little hard to connect to the millennial woman and can be a bit cringey.
September 22, 2022
I knew I didn't know much about money, but I didn't fully grasp how little I knew until I started working in the fintech world. And MAN, I really don't know anything about money.
Fortunately, my company is really encouraging of independent investors and financial literacy, so now that I have all these available tools, I've decided to try to become a genius at money. First up, figuring out how to invest beyond just being signed up for my employer-provided 401k.
This book is an excellent starting point for someone in my position - I don't have debt outside of student loans, have some savings, and have enough money to get started with investing. Ten years ago, I don't think this book would have resonated as much or felt as achievable. Lapin repeatedly referred to another book she has written, called Rich Bitch, that I think might be a better starting point if you are currently working on getting debt paid off and getting a budget in place.
But, if you are in a financial place to get started, this book has a ton of good information, written in a way that is super accessible and actionable. Like, I had never heard of a money market account and now, I have my savings in one! Easy! I had no idea what my net worth is, and now I know! I also have a firm dollar amount in my head of how much money I need to have to retire and enjoy that retirement. And I feel much more confident about the investment strategy I've started enacting.
I hate the idea that we have to look at finance through a gendered lens, but for me, having this written by and for women was a major bonus. I feel like Lapin was speaking directly to my anxieties and experiences with money, and feel more empowered to learn more now that I've got a basic foundational understanding of building wealth.
Recommend to anyone else feels clueless about investing and overwhelmed by the idea of getting started!
Fortunately, my company is really encouraging of independent investors and financial literacy, so now that I have all these available tools, I've decided to try to become a genius at money. First up, figuring out how to invest beyond just being signed up for my employer-provided 401k.
This book is an excellent starting point for someone in my position - I don't have debt outside of student loans, have some savings, and have enough money to get started with investing. Ten years ago, I don't think this book would have resonated as much or felt as achievable. Lapin repeatedly referred to another book she has written, called Rich Bitch, that I think might be a better starting point if you are currently working on getting debt paid off and getting a budget in place.
But, if you are in a financial place to get started, this book has a ton of good information, written in a way that is super accessible and actionable. Like, I had never heard of a money market account and now, I have my savings in one! Easy! I had no idea what my net worth is, and now I know! I also have a firm dollar amount in my head of how much money I need to have to retire and enjoy that retirement. And I feel much more confident about the investment strategy I've started enacting.
I hate the idea that we have to look at finance through a gendered lens, but for me, having this written by and for women was a major bonus. I feel like Lapin was speaking directly to my anxieties and experiences with money, and feel more empowered to learn more now that I've got a basic foundational understanding of building wealth.
Recommend to anyone else feels clueless about investing and overwhelmed by the idea of getting started!
January 3, 2022
This book hooks you immediately in the first few paragraphs and was a wealth of information for me, even after reading many other financial books. I took away a lot of information from this book and found her advice on how not to use a broker, really helpful because it was something I had been curious about, and I also loved her little blurb on TIPS, which I was completely unaware of!
Of note, it may be helpful to have an entrepreneurial spirit to make her system work for you because she does say that you should have multiple income streams to invest, and she does give you ideas for those.
I think this book is good for people who are interested in investing. It is a lot of information to take in at times, from mutual funds, to bonds, to retirement, to buying a house; but her examples help you to understand what she’s talking about in plain English, not financial terminology that sounds like gibberish to the average person. I did read the digital version of this book, so I may pick it up in a physical copy so I can highlight and have it as a quick reference.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you HarperCollins and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book!
Of note, it may be helpful to have an entrepreneurial spirit to make her system work for you because she does say that you should have multiple income streams to invest, and she does give you ideas for those.
I think this book is good for people who are interested in investing. It is a lot of information to take in at times, from mutual funds, to bonds, to retirement, to buying a house; but her examples help you to understand what she’s talking about in plain English, not financial terminology that sounds like gibberish to the average person. I did read the digital version of this book, so I may pick it up in a physical copy so I can highlight and have it as a quick reference.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you HarperCollins and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book!
March 8, 2023
This book is incomplete as a money guide but it's meant more as an introduction to building wealth. It doesn't do any one thing particularly well but it's funny, I guess? I'm not a huge fan of introducing people to crypto and commodities investing but I guess it's better than letting people stumble into them unprepared.
However, I do agree that the switch to 401ks was definitely not for the employee's benefit. Also, it's nice to hear slightly more about venture capital and angel investing, although those are long tail bets reserved for people who have invested in all the "safe" stuff already and still have money to burn.
If you want better introductory investing guides, read the Boglehead's Guide to Investing, Broke Millennial Takes on Investing, or A Random Walk Down Wall Street (this last one is more intermediate level). If you want books to pump you up about making money, I prefer You Are a Badass at Making Money and We Should All Be Millionaires (both written by women as well).
However, I do agree that the switch to 401ks was definitely not for the employee's benefit. Also, it's nice to hear slightly more about venture capital and angel investing, although those are long tail bets reserved for people who have invested in all the "safe" stuff already and still have money to burn.
If you want better introductory investing guides, read the Boglehead's Guide to Investing, Broke Millennial Takes on Investing, or A Random Walk Down Wall Street (this last one is more intermediate level). If you want books to pump you up about making money, I prefer You Are a Badass at Making Money and We Should All Be Millionaires (both written by women as well).
November 9, 2024
I have to talk to a finance bro about my retirement plan next week so I'm trying to learn the basics of investing. 2.5 rounded up. We need more personal finance books by women, but the writing was too sassy/girl power for me. Empowering at times, overwhelming at others.
September 22, 2022
💫written by a Pisces💫 some takeaways I’ll use, but found some of her schtick a little much.
September 5, 2025
Miss Independent is more than a personal finance book; it is a call to action for women to take full ownership of their financial lives. Nicole Lapin makes the case that money is freedom: freedom to walk away from the wrong job or relationship, freedom to pursue passion projects, and freedom to design the life you truly want. What impressed me most is how approachable she makes complex topics. From calculating your net worth to understanding investment options, Lapin breaks everything down into clear, actionable steps.
What I loved most about this book is how it combines practical financial education with a motivational push to dream bigger. Nicole takes intimidating subjects like investing, retirement planning, and portfolio management and translates them into everyday language that makes sense, even if you are new to money management.
One quote that stuck with me was, “Girls are typically told to be prudent and save their money, whereas boys are taught to go after good jobs and build their wealth.” That line alone captures why this book matters. It flips the script and encourages women to see themselves not only as savers but as builders of their own financial freedom.
What I loved most about this book is how it combines practical financial education with a motivational push to dream bigger. Nicole takes intimidating subjects like investing, retirement planning, and portfolio management and translates them into everyday language that makes sense, even if you are new to money management.
One quote that stuck with me was, “Girls are typically told to be prudent and save their money, whereas boys are taught to go after good jobs and build their wealth.” That line alone captures why this book matters. It flips the script and encourages women to see themselves not only as savers but as builders of their own financial freedom.
January 24, 2022
Miss Independent by Nicole Lapin is a wonderful beginner book about saving and investing aimed towards women. This is a great place for beginners to start as it is written in a conversational, easy-to-follow manner. FYI, there is some mild bad language scattered throughout if that puts you off. Though she is obviously very wealthy and lives a different life than most of us, her tone is very friendly and motivating. If you buy the ebook/audiobook, please note, you can download the documents from Nicole Lapin’s website. I found the PDF incredibly helpful as it includes her charts for a number of items, including balance worksheets, planning for future goals, etc. I am personally using this book to get my finances into better shape for 2022!
Thank you HarperCollins Leadership and NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you HarperCollins Leadership and NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
June 2, 2022
I feel like most money books cover the basic topics, so it's nice to read something more advanced. Lapin explains various forms of investing in an easy to understand way. I got this book from the library, but I think I'll buy it to use as a reference.
My one criticism is that this isn't really a "simple 12-step plan." It's just a 12-chapter book about different financial topics. Most of the chapters aren't actionable. I now understand what a bond is, but I don't really understand why I should invest in one or how much money to put in it.
My one criticism is that this isn't really a "simple 12-step plan." It's just a 12-chapter book about different financial topics. Most of the chapters aren't actionable. I now understand what a bond is, but I don't really understand why I should invest in one or how much money to put in it.
June 8, 2023
Listened to the audio version. Starts off with a lot of useless pep talk and her own embellished biography. The financial advice sits in the back row. Maybe this writing style of “I’ll show you mine if you show me yours” as the author calls it, is an attempt to engage with the reader. Although marketed to young women, the tone is stereotypical and demeaning. The financial advice is probably good but you have to muddle through alot of lyrical diarrhea. Not to mention, the audio reading is, like, cringy. Did not finish.
March 12, 2022
This was very thorough but very readable. I like Lapin, and I listen to her podcast so I read the entire book in her voice. I think, having listened to her podcast, a lot of this was repetitive—some of it literally the same stories. I think it would’ve made a better workbook than a straight read like I did. The editing could’ve been tighter in places, but all in all it’s a solid financial nonfiction.
September 22, 2022
A lot of good information with real life examples of what it means. It was written in a down to earth manner. Nicole Lapin writes with a wry, self affacing and compelling manner. While I may need to physical read the book, instead of listening the audioboom version I still learn quite a lot. Maybe the next big thing will be "mini retirements" to keep you from burning out without being outside the job market to much. I will definitely be reading more of Nicole Lapin books.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 5, 2022
Full disclosure I only got through half…. I Didn’t have the will power to finish it. The writing style reminds me so much of “Super Attractor” which I also didn’t finish because I found it kind of insufferable. Don’t really need you to mention in brackets every other sentence you’re going to be talking about something in a coming chapter. Really just distracting.
I was really hoping I was gonna like it, had so much potential, fell flat for me.
I was really hoping I was gonna like it, had so much potential, fell flat for me.
January 8, 2023
I would absolutely rec this book to anyone who is trying to learn the basics of how to straighten out, enhance or even start their financial journey. Nicole breaks things down in a way that’s easy to understand and even though I’ve taken finance classes and opened with a basic understanding, I fell more confident in some aspects. Definitely a worthwhile read! From one book-nerd to another, happy reading!
September 12, 2025
Rich Bitch was my favorite starting point in Nicole’s series, and it completely changed how I approached money. That’s why I was excited to pick up Miss Independent, and it really does feel like the next level. If Rich Bitch was about getting your financial life together, Miss Independent is about growing beyond that.
This isn’t just a finance book, it’s a confidence manual for anyone ready to build lasting independence. Highly recommend.
This isn’t just a finance book, it’s a confidence manual for anyone ready to build lasting independence. Highly recommend.
July 15, 2022
I am not a finance girly, but want to take ownership of my wealth beyond setting a budget and keeping a savings account. This book was it. Nicole gave a crash course overview of what there is to know in a way that felt like I was talking to a best friend versus being mansplained to. Great if you want to feel more aware of if your finances—so not a gimmicky “get rich” guide.
December 10, 2022
Great book about finances and financial planning. Take notes and revisit the suggestions over time. I wish she had kids because I felt most of her advice were for young single women... and would like to know how her investing, budgeting, and life advice would change if she was weighting the needs of kids, family, and future and not just prioritizing for first class tickets on every trip.
July 16, 2024
I’ve been a fan of Nicole since being introduced to Becoming Super Woman. I’ve even backtracked and read Rich Bitch and Boss Bitch. Ms. Independent is a wonderful reference. It’s really made me think long and hard about my financial future, and inspired me to take the necessary steps to better myself financially.
March 12, 2022
Loved it! I used to listen to Nicole’s Hush Money podcast, but hadn’t picked up any of her books. It introduced me to a lot of terms I didn’t know and made me feel more confident as I move into this next stage of my life financially.
October 5, 2022
SO good for anyone who has no idea how all the financial stuff works. After getting my 1st job I had no idea what I needed to be doing to plan for my future financially. She simplified 401k's, IRAs, how to invest, how to save, etc. Definitely the stuff they *should* teach you in school.
September 26, 2023
This is the second book I've read from this author, Nicole Lapin, and I do enjoy her writing and other content. I also subscribe to her podcasts and have already taken action based on what I've read/heard from her to shore up future retirement plans. Good stuff. I look forward to more of her works.
June 30, 2024
This was so informative and good, very approachable for finance and investing. I would highly recommend everyone read this and get their financial houses in order! There is even a chapter on mortgages which was really informative for a first time home buyer and house loans.
June 18, 2025
I recommend this book if you are wanting to improve your financial IQ. However, this is a lot to absorb! So much so that I had to take breaks to process it and evaluate things. It’s also one you’ll benefit from buying the book vs borrowing unless you are going to take notes in a journal.
March 9, 2022
This book was so informative that I had to take notes! Please note, she has a millennial potty mouth at times but this is a must read for those who don't understand finances.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews