9 Personal Finance Influencers You Should Follow
July 26, 2022Learning about a complicated topic is always easier when you have a good teacher. Unfortunately, most of us don’t get the opportunity to learn about personal finance when we’re in school.
That’s why personal finance influencers can be such a great resource – assuming they actually know what they’re talking about. To help you separate the good from the bad, we’ve come up with this list of personal finance influencers that are definitely worth following.
Top Personal Finance Influencers to Follow
1. Travis Hornsby of Student Loan Planner
The student loan landscape has been changing rapidly over the past two years, and it’s hard to keep up with all the new updates and revisions. To figure out what’s going on, borrowers should follow Travis Hornsby, founder of the Student Loan Planner. You can find him on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and on his blog.
Hornsby tracks all the updates from the Department of Education, dispensing bite-sized nuggets, so borrowers know exactly what’s going on – and what they need to do.
2. Tori Dunlap
As the reigning personal finance queen of Tik Tok, Tori Dunlap of Her First $100K shares actionable advice for those new to personal finance. Her videos and posts explain the basics, like how to open a high-yield savings account or how to get started investing.
Dunlap also offers step-by-step job hunting and salary negotiation tips, helping thousands of people increase their incomes. For audiophiles, season two of Dunlap’s Financial Feminist podcast just launched a few weeks ago and is already in the top five of business podcasts on iTunes.
3. Jeremy Schneider
Jeremy Schneider built his wealth by creating and selling an internet company and investing the proceeds. Now, he spends his retirement teaching others the basics of investing in index funds and why they should start investing sooner rather than later.
Schneider’s PersonalFinanceClub Instagram account includes easy-to-understand graphics about the power of compound interest, why investing in index funds works, and how to catch up if you haven’t started investing.
4. Kara Perez
Kara Perez of Bravely Go is a personal finance expert who has been featured on NPR’s 1A. But she shines on her Instagram account, where she breaks down news-related topics, like what inflation means or how the bear market will affect you.
She also includes tips on living a minimalist and eco-friendly lifestyle, including topics like saving money while being environmentally conscious or investing in sustainable companies.
5. Nick True of Mapped Out Money
If you prefer to learn via YouTube videos, check out Nick True of Mapped Out Money. As a digital nomad, True shares his journey of becoming debt free while living a minimalist and frugal lifestyle.
True is an advocate of budgeting and frequently posts video budget updates where he breaks down exactly what he’s spent – showing viewers the power of financial honesty.
6. Vivian of Your Rich BFF
Former Wall Street trader Vivian Tu, aka Your Rich BFF, shares tips on how to save money, build credit and invest wisely. She started making TikTok videos after realizing how much of the population didn’t understand how money worked – even those on Wall Street.
Her Instagram Reels and TikTok videos answer basic questions like if you should cancel your credit card or how to save for retirement when you’re a recent graduate. She also tackles topical questions and provides valuable insights. Just like her username suggests, Vivian answers questions with an understanding and supportive tone.
7. Stefanie O’Connell Rodriguez
Stefanie O’Connell Rodriguez hosts Real Simple’s “Money Confidential” podcast, where she answers listener questions with expert guests.
Unlike other financial podcasts, O’Connell Rodriguez tackles difficult subjects like how to set boundaries when lending money to family members or how to pay for fertility treatments. She also runs the Too Ambitious newsletter, where she shares career advice for women.
O’Connell Rodriguez first came on the scene with her blog, where she documented living on a budget in New York City.
8. Paula Pant
As one of the original Financial Independence, Retire Early (FIRE) bloggers, Paula Pant of Afford Anything has been around for a while. Her motto is that you can afford anything, but not everything. In her 20s, she saved $25,000 and spent two years backpacking all over the world. When she came back, she built a real estate empire.
Now, Pant teaches other people how to use real estate to become financially independent and live anywhere. Her Afford Anything Podcast features other FIRE guests but also delves into financial psychology and basic financial literacy.
9. Amanda Holden
When Amanda Holden decided she wanted to quit her investment management job, she started saving every dollar – even going so far as to scavenge for food in the trash. That’s how she got the nickname, the Dumpster Dog. Her scrappy attitude led to her launching her own investment education business with her signature course, “Invested Development.”
Holden teaches other women how to invest and become their own financial security blanket. Her TikTok and Instagram videos explain simple concepts like what is an index fund and if you should buy crypto. So far, she’s helped more than 20,000 students learn how to invest.