Are you ready to make 2021 the year that you fatten up your savings account? First things first—you’ll need a little inspiration. Luckily, finding expert financial advice is easier than ever. Bloggers and influencers utilize their easily accessible social media platforms to post tips about how you can save money.
You no longer need to make an appointment with your friendly neighborhood financial advisor. Instead, hop online and follow these financially savvy folks.
Five Best Money Saving Blogs and Finance Influencers to Follow Right Now
The best money saving personal finance blogs are the ones that—as Forbes notes in their 2021 guide—are both inspirational and applicable. If the idea of “diversifying your credit”, “what is a rebate?”, and “investing in your 401K” sounds like the plot of a horror movie, fear not. We’ve rounded up some of the best money saving blogs and Instagram finance influencers to help you ease into a financially responsible lifestyle.
1. Afford Anything | @paulapant
Paula Pant’s Afford Anything brand encompasses a book, a finance blog, a podcast, and an online community of over 60,000 subscribers. Pant is not a traditional money guru—she started her career post-college as a journalist before eventually becoming a full-time, successful freelance writer.
Just because she doesn’t have her MBA doesn’t mean she isn’t living the dream, though.
Pant decided early on that she wanted financial freedom and no boss to answer to. She made her own frugal rules, focusing her energy on “purpose-driven projects” instead of living paycheck to paycheck.
Afford Anything blogs are not weighed down with cryptic lingo or incomprehensible statistics. Instead, you’ll find Pant and her team writing about topics from investing in real estate during a pandemic to life lessons and musings on self-care.
That isn’t to say you won’t find some niche, nerdy blog posts. You will! But even when it comes to discussing topics like retiring on index funds, Pant walks you calmly through the fire.
Afford Anything’s (and Pant’s) motto essentially boils down to: you can live a valuable life and fund it, too.
2. Rich & Regular | @richandregular
Julien and Kiersten Saunders have a personal finance blog, a book, and a YouTube channel. The couple behind Rich & Regular both have backgrounds in the corporate world, and were able to find success in their day jobs.
Like Pant, though, the Saunders were working crazy hours and still had debt. In 2012 they decided to “tackle some really difficult conversations” and, after it was all said and done, they paid off $200,000 in debt over the next five years.
They followed Dave Ramsey’s F.I.R.E. (Financial Independence, Retire Early) method and by age 35, Kiersten was able to quit her full-time job. Today, the Saunders help people initiate tough conversations about their finances so that they too can become financially independent.
Their blog and YouTube video topics range from the ins and outs of rental properties to socially responsible investing. And, if you’re always strapped for ideas of how to make delicious but affordable meals, you’ll find ample food-related content on the Rich & Regular site. We definitely recommend checking out our blog all about the top cash back apps for groceries, as well!
3. Clever Girl Finance | @clevergirlfinance
Certified financial educator Bola Sokunbi is the brains behind Clever Girl Finance. With more than 340,000 followers on Instagram, Sokunbi is reaching the masses with her personal finance advice.
Clever Girl Finance exists as books, planners, a great blog, a YouTube channel, and even a podcast. Sokunbi says her goal is to help women save extra money and “build real wealth.”
Sokunbi says she made plenty of financial mistakes during her life, but says the key things anyone can do right now on their own that she is glad she did are:
- Contribute to employer-sponsored retirement account
- Keep expenses low
- Save half your salary plus most or all bonuses, raises, and tax refunds
- Start a side business to supplement your income
- Develop an “I can succeed” mindset
Clever Girl Finance is rich with resources for anyone looking to improve their financial well-being. You can even download a free financial roadmap and budgeting worksheets that come with a weekly newsletter to keep you motivated.
4. The Money Fox | @the.moneyfox
Francesca Henry—a.k.a. The Money Fox—taught herself finance and money saving advice after going through a rough patch financially and personally.
Her beautifully curated Instagram and website focuses on helping women invest, budget, and make money.
Henry acknowledges that there can be shame around being in debt, and your mental well-being can suffer right along with your financial well-being—her goal is to let those in debt know they are not alone.
The Money Fox has a money blog featuring topics like how to budget when you’re behind on bills and resources for free online learning for kids; plus email courses; and perhaps most enticing, lovely budgeting planners that are almost pretty enough to make you forget you’re filling them with money minutiae.
5. The Budget Mom | @thebudgetmom
With over 610,000 followers on Instagram (she’s verified) Kumiko Love, a.k.a. The Budget Mom, says before she became a master saver, she was spending money recklessly on things she didn’t need—even with a finance degree.
Like the other influencers listed here, Love realized early on in her savings journey that a life well lived means one free of financial stress, not one full of expensive things.
Love offers budgeting and savings courses, plus a free blog and newsletter. She also makes a Live Rich Planner that may be the most comprehensive (and cute!) planner ever created, with monthly and weekly calendars plus personal and financial planning features. It even has stickers.
RebateKey: Start Saving Money Today
The best money saving blogs will advise you to always be on the lookout for savings.
Money saving influencers—whether they have a traditional financial background or came to the financial world from another angle—are proponents of smart investing and slow but steady wealth building.
Saving money doesn’t mean you can’t spend a dime—at some point, you’ll need pet supplies, automotive accessories, and new kitchen appliances. Saving money means spending smartly.
With RebateKey, you get direct access to rebates for the best brands and products. Don’t worry about pesky mail-in receipts, just sign up, purchase the product you need, and your rebate will be sent directly to your house.
Ready to start saving? Follow your favorite money saving influencers and sign up for RebateKey today.
Sources:
https://affordanything.com/six-percent-is-the-new-four-percent/
https://www.clevergirlfinance.com/about-bola/
