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These 8 personal finance bloggers will change how you view money.
We get it. “Finance” is a tough word to swallow, especially when any article using that word is filled with complicated corporate jargon that makes you feel inadequate. But the truth is that talking about money doesn’t have to be that overwhelming.
The proof is in the content with these eight personal finance bloggers, who all use their personal experiences to craft relatable and bookmark worthy blogs. Sites such as these, which are filled with up-to-date articles, podcasts, videos and top-notch financial advice, are vital resources when learning how to manage your money. As you’ll soon find out, it’s way easier to take your financial journey alongside someone who has gone through a similar experience.
Whether you’re figuring out how to pay down your debt, in need of side hustles, want tips on lowering your expenses or are new to taking control of your finances, every single one of these blogs can provide you with positive next steps.
So what are you waiting for? Start reading more about our favorite personal finance blogs below!
8 Personal Finance Bloggers with Real Life Money Advice
1. She Picks Up Pennies
Motto: “Living a More Purposeful Life One Cent at a Time”
She Picks Up Pennies is a blog started by Penny, an educator and mother whose intent is to live purposefully as she explores the world of personal finance. Penny’s background is all too familiar. She and her partner found themselves in over $100,000 worth of debt however, they found a way to start paying it down through living with purpose. She applies this same life advice to her money earning and saving tactics. As it reads on her Instagram profile, they are “$131,000 debt down with $83,000 to go.”
Though Penny is not a professional financial expert, she writes thoughtful blogs born out of her personal experience and unique perspective as a teacher. The blogs are both entertaining and informative, and split into categories like: Destroying Debt, Tackling Clutter, Being Penny, and Motherhood & Money.
When exploring her website you’ll come across blogs like “4 Things I Learned When I Tried to Track Down All My Accounts,” in which she creates a master spreadsheet detailing every financial account she has ever opened, from credit cards to college savings.
You’ll also find highly relevant topics, like her piece on “5 Money Saving Moves I Made to Calm Down During the COVID-19 Crisis,” where she shares her tips like scanning receipts, opening an ally savings account and taking a step back from using credit cards.
2. Patrice Washington
Motto: “Chase Purpose, Not Money”
Patrice Washington, who has earned fame as a personal finance expert, is here to redefine wealth for our generation. As she shares from the start, her teachings go beyond coupon cutting. She’s taking her own approach to money management, one that does not advocate pinching pennies, but instead encourages a more sustainable approach. “I will never apologize for teaching women that living a disciplined, yet fulfilled life and expecting opportunities to overtake you at every turn is way freakin’ better than forcing yourself to live a Starbucks-free life of deprivation so you can save for a rainy day.”
What makes Patrice’s self-titled blog so compelling is that she does not shy away from sharing her personal journey with readers. She openly reveals details of her life separate from the topic of finances on her About page like her passion for interior design and go-to workout music (it’s RnB and Gospel).
Her blog is a one-stop shop for financial advice, including offers of free audio training and weekly emails. You can watch one of her 22-episodes, on Redefining Wealth TV, covering topics like “5 Ways to Make Your 2020 Money Goals a Reality,“ and “4 Tools for Managing a Virtual Team.” Episodes expand beyond personal finances, offering advice on becoming your best self and focusing on relationships that matter. She also has a podcast!
3. Paychecks and Balances
Motto: “We help you navigate your finances and career so you can achieve the freedom you want”
After working for 11 years in Human Resources across various industries, Rich Jones started his blog Paychecks and Balances with the goal of “helping millennial professionals navigate their careers and finances to achieve the freedom they want.”
From the start, Rich makes it clear that talking and learning about money doesn’t have to be complicated or boring. This is a realization he came to after his own journey listening to personal finance blogs that were oversaturated with confusing financial jargon or too boring to pay attention to.
In 2013, Rich decided to create a platform of his own centering on conversations around money that were easier to comprehend, fun and more relatable. His relationship with money is all about achieving freedom, which is defined differently for everyone. He covers topics like getting financially organized on his podcast, which features different guests each week. He also has an on-going blog, with articles like “From $5.15 an Hour to $515 an Hour,” from guest writer Marcus Garrett who shares key lessons (including some failures) of achieving success.
4. Half Banked
Motto: “Use Your Money to Live a Life You Love”
Desirae Odjick, started her blog Half Banked in the summer of 2015. Her goal was to create a personal finance blog for “millennials who want to manage their money and still have a life.”
What’s her take on personal finance? You don’t have to be an expert to correctly manage your money. It’s all about making money moves. Simply put, she’s on a mission to help you use your money to achieve the life you want.
Her blog covers the basics: Spend Well, Save Money, Make a Budget and Invest Your Money. There is no fancy financial jargon to get overwhelmed by. She includes articles like “Managing Your Money Online: How to do it Safely, From Home,” that answers the question whether you can manage your money online without feeling unprotected, and shares her tips for how to do so successfully.
Desirae also covers newsworthy topics in her articles like one about “9 Actionable Ways to Prepare For a Recession”. Her advice, which includes building an emergency fund, tracking your spending, updating your resume and dealing with debt, is meant to prepare readers for a recession before it happens.
5. Budget Like a Lady
Motto: “It’s Time to Make the Most of Your Money!”
Budget Like a Lady is run by Nicole, a wealth coach for professional women of color. Nicole’s backstory is one of persistence, as she learned to handle the struggles of $60,000 student debt, $20,000 consumer debt and a credit score of 598. She took charge of her finances by dedicating time to learn about money, earning her MBA in Finance and laying out a plan to “clean up her financial mess.” In her story, Nicole doesn’t shy away from sharing personal anecdotes, like the panic attack she experienced after losing her job. She used all of these hurdles to pivot her financial plan which utilizes the strategy of maximizing money. She also became a Certified Financial Educational Instructor and coach for other women in similar situations.
Nicole breaks down her blogs into categories like Budgeting, Save & Invest, Credit & Debit, Kids & Money, Side Hustles, and Money Mindset to make it easier to find the content you need. She doesn’t just give you cookie cutter financial advice. Her blog “Should You Break the Rules? When It’s OK to Be a Financial Rebel,” explains when it is okay to stray away from the rules, like the one about only using your credit card for emergencies.
You’ll also find lifestyle blogs like “5 Proven Ways Busy Moms Can Make Extra Money for Christmas,” with lists of ways to make money with a side hustle like online tutoring, resume writing and pet sitting.
6. Money Smart Latina
Motto: “Where Latinas and Money Meet”
Six years ago, Athena Valentine started the Money Smart Latina blog to share her journey and spread her financial knowledge and experiences. Athena, who is a youth development expert, advocates self resiliency for all. At a young age, she learned to be scrappy, even spending part of highschool being homeless. She decided to break the cycle during college by focusing on self development. Now, in addition to getting her own finances in order, she also spends her time teaching youth about opportunities available to them.
The set up of the Money Smart Latina blog is very easy to navigate. You can start with Athena’s comprehensive list of resources to earn money, manage and save where she lists some of her go-to online sources. You’ll also find written content like “Budget Basics: Needs vs Wants”, that helps you find space in your budget for both necessities and desires. One of the top blog pieces is “4 Questions to Ask Yourself When Paying Down Debt,” which is filled with relatable and helpful ideas for self reflection.
7. Retire by 40
Motto: “How to Save, Invest, and Retire Earlier”
I think we all would love to figure out how to retire earlier. Joe Udo, who has personal experience with this, has created an entire blog that tracks his journey from working as a full time engineer to retiring at age 38.
In 2010, Joe started the blog to keep track of his early retirement journey, from the moment that he quit his job at Intel, to now, ten years later, as he is learning to navigate his family life without working. The cool thing about this blog is how open Joe is. He shares the details about his financial plans, like a list of how he pays the bills now through online income, rental properties, and more along with his financial updates and goals for 2020.
Joe is a big advocate of passive income, which has allowed him and his family to supplement some of their money after he retired. Along with advice for earning and saving money, you’ll find blogs with lifestyle tips, like “10 Frugal Ways to Beat The Heat,” to save during the summer months.
8. Personal Finance Junkie
Motto: “I’m here to help you reach your financial goals”
Personal Finance Junkie is a fun, easy to follow blog created by Dr. Vi Scott, author of Amazon’s best selling book, Financial Fitness. Though Vi is not a professional financial advisor, she has stellar real life advice that provides equal time to both earning money and managing it.
The categories on her website are straightforward: Earn Money, Save Money, Life Hacks and Free Resources. The content is approachable, focusing on articles that guide you through the latest money saving trends and offering tips and advice for financial success. The blog, “7 Little Known Ways To Make Side Money Online,” details the best ways to use the internet to reach your financial goals faster, by making recommendations like becoming a proofreader or selling photos to stock image sites.
More Personal Finance Tips
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