Helpfully split into concise, bitesize chapters, Laura Whateley (consumer champion at The Times), calmly presents the facts in this helpful guide. Whether you’re repaying debt and trying to make sense of student loans while renting, or you’re trying to get on the property ladder and have some spare cash that you’re considering investing in stocks and shares, this book will show you the way. And because of how it’s laid out, if a chapter isn’t relevant to you it’s easy to skip it and dip back in when you need it. Through following the practical advice, we found an old pension (free money!), changed our current pension to an ethical one and downloaded a free app to help us keep track of our finances. A great all-rounder, quite frankly, we’d like to see this on the school curriculum.

Named one of Business Insider’s 30 Most Creative Women globally, Alex Holder’s campaign highlighting the gender pay gap not only went viral but changed an actual law in the process. Here she is encouraging us to start being more honest and open with regards to our relationship with money – both with ourselves and with each other. If the thought of sharing your bank balance makes your toes curl, you’re not alone but the clear benefits presented will outweigh any momentary discomfort. Whether it’s with family, friends, your significant other or at work, Holder shows us how it’s done.

Rather unusually the author of this book openly admits to still being in debt. Clare Seal set up Instagram account @MyFrugalYear, with more than £25k worth of debt to her name. It was initially anonymous and intended to hold her to account as she started on her financial “journey”. However, it struck a chord, gaining 45k followers in the first year alone. Split into two parts, the book starts by looking at all the reasons one might find themselves in debt, picking apart the stigmas surrounding perceived poor money management and the emotional toll that takes. The second section provides realistic, manageable ways to move forward. Gentle and forgiving, think of this as the book equivalent of someone holding your hand.

Firmly aimed at female millennials, this title is written by Emilie Bellet, founder of VestPod, a digital platform designed to provide education for women, in order to start breaking the taboo around money. Peppered with emojis and exercises throughout, chapters are broken up with quick-fire finance centred interviews with high flying women. Informative without being confusing, it covers a wide spectrum of financial advice, from tackling debt, planning for the future and asking for more whether you’re freelance, have a side hustle or work for someone else.

Originally written for a South African audience, it’s since been updated for UK readers. Potty-mouth Sam Beckbessinger tells us like it is with straight-talking no nonsense advice for those wanting to see results. You’ll begin by considering why money matters to you, get to grips with assets, compound interest and diversification (not as scary as it sounds), set goals and even start thinking about the future. Containing helpful illustrations, graphs and exercises to try yourself, there’s even quick pop quizzes to make sure you’re really paying attention.

If lack of time is your main excuse for putting off sorting out your finances, this is the book for you. Lisa Conway-Hughes promises that if we can dedicate just one hour once a month for a year to the m-word, we’ll be better off for it. Each chapter focuses on a specific area, from funding big trips to detangling finances with an ex – with space for you to document your progress (and more importantly, to see just how far you’ve come).

Anne Boden, founder of online challenger bank Starling, shows us how to utilise this new wave of smart banking to our benefit. So much has changed in a decade, but this bought us right up to speed on fintech (financial tech) and the advantages of open banking. Containing interesting insight on future banking trends and lots of suggested apps to download – you’ll be making more of your money before you’ve turned the last page.