22 Financial Influencers to Follow for Improving Your Finances

One of the best ways to handle your finances better is to learn from the experts and follow the journey of those who are on their way to financial freedom. There's no shortage of financial influencers who offer their knowledge, experience, and advice for free.

So who are the best financial influencers that you should follow this year? We've rounded up the top content creators who dispense advice that can help you improve your personal finance skills. Meet your money gurus below.

22 Financial Influencers to Follow in 2023

This list features different types of financial influencers, from bloggers to content creators on popular social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram. Read their profiles, give them a follow, and get inspired!

Financial Bloggers

The blogosphere has a wealth of financial bloggers, but the following are known for their authoritative advice:

👉 Fitz Villafuerte of Ready To Be Rich

One of the first and top financial bloggers in the Philippines, Fitz Villafuerte started his career as a civil engineer and left the corporate world to become a freelancer. Now a full-time entrepreneur and registered financial planner, Fitz shares his tips on business, investments, and saving money on his blog, Ready To Be Rich.^[1]

His personal finance blog enjoys high engagement from followers, mostly Filipino young urban professionals. Fitz usually replies to comments on his blog. He also has over 200,000 followers on Facebook.

👉 Tyrone Solee of Millionaire Acts

Blogger Tyrone Solee has had an inspiring financial journey. Fresh out of college, he started saving money at 21 and investing in bonds a year later. He became a millionaire at 26—a feat most millennials could only dream of—by living below his means, paying himself first, and investing in UITFs.

Follow Tyrone’s blog, Millionaire Acts,^[2] for tips and how-to guides on making money through investments, entrepreneurship, and frugal living.

👉 Randell Tiongson

Photo: Randell Tiongson (Facebook)

Seasoned personal finance coach Randell Tiongson is one of the must-follow financial bloggers in the Philippines. He has almost 30 years of experience in the financial services industry, specializing in banking, financial planning, insurance, and mutual funds. Like Fitz Villafuerte, Randell has made it to the list of top personal finance influencers in the country.

On his personal finance blog,^[3] Randell advocates financial literacy among Filipinos working abroad. So if you’re an OFW or planning to be one, you can find useful tips and real-life stories on Randell’s blog.

👉 Chinkee Tan

Chinkee Tan is a financial blogger, wealth and life coach, motivational speaker, author, and TV/radio personality with over five million followers on Facebook. At the age of 12, he started selling toilet paper to his friends and classmates to help his parents who were struggling with their family’s finances. His experience in entrepreneurship and passion for helping people achieve financial independence pushed him to share his financial expertise.

You can learn from Chinkee through his financial blog.^[4] What makes him different from most financial bloggers in the Philippines is that his blog posts are written in easy-to-read, colloquial Filipino. They’re also more thought-provoking and inspirational rather than informative.

👉 Dr. Pinky De Leon-Intal of My Finance MD

Photo: My Finance MD (Facebook)

For your dose of financial facts and wisdom, follow My Finance MD,^[5] a personal finance blog by Dr. Pinky De Leon-Intal. Pinky is a licensed physician and registered financial consultant.

Through her blog, she shares practical tips and specific information on a variety of topics, including financial planning, insurance, retirement, and estate planning. Her insights as a medical practitioner are especially helpful when she writes about health insurance, life insurance, and PhilHealth benefits.

👉 Izza Glino of SavingsPinay

SavingsPinay^[6] is another Filipino financial blogger worth following if you’re interested in firsthand experiences in saving money, living within one’s means, investing, and earning extra income. Izza Glino is a prolific and thorough writer, blogging to educate her followers on gaining financial freedom.

👉 Rose Fres Fausto of FQMom

Mothers have special needs when it comes to financial education. They take an active role in managing their family’s finances. Moms are usually in charge of household budgeting and teaching children how to be financially responsible.

If you’re in a similar situation, you’ll find a wealth of financial knowledge and advice from FQMom,^[7] a blog by investment banker-turned-blogger Rose Fres Fausto. This financial blogger caters to mothers who want to raise their financial intelligence quotient. Aside from personal finance, FQMom also covers other topics like parenting, relationships, womanhood, and Behavioral Economics.

👉 Burn Gutierrez of Rock To Riches

Photo: Rock to Riches (Facebook)

Burn Gutierrez is an entrepreneur, investor, public speaker, and blogger at Rock to Riches.^[8] As the co-founder and chairperson of Angat Pilipinas Coalition for Financial Literacy, Inc., he is an advocate of financial literacy for OFWs. He also leads a movement called Financial Literacy for Artists, Musicians, and Everyone Else, which educates musicians and artists on how to take good care of their gig earnings and talent fees.

He also has a program called Financial Literacy for the Youth, an Angat Pilipinas Coalition movement to educate students in public schools and the poorest communities in the country on making wise financial decisions. As a former overseas worker, he blogs about matters that concern OFWs and balikbayans the most: business, retirement, savings, and insurance.

👉 Ameena Rey-Franc of The Thrifty Pinay

Another financial blogger you should follow is Ameena Rey-Franc, the Filipina behind the blog The Thrifty Pinay.^[9] Aside from personal finance, she also writes about business and lifestyle topics. Before becoming one of the top financial bloggers in the Philippines, Ameena was an accountant and a banker. Now, she blogs to empower Filipinos around the world to achieve the life they want through savings and investments.

Financial Vloggers

If you want your financial content in video form, YouTube is the place to be. Here are some of the most trusted vloggers on this platform:

👉 Thea Sy Bautista

Photo: Thea Sy Bautista (Facebook)

Thea's YouTube videos are packed with helpful information about personal finance. In one of her vlogs, she shares how she was able to earn ₱1 million in one year. She candidly but expertly talks about building an emergency fund, getting life insurance, tracking your budget and expenses, and learning credit card basics.

Her videos make you feel like you're just listening to a friend talk about important money matters. Just search for her name on YouTube^[10] to start watching.

👉 Marvin Germo

financial influencers - marvin germo

Photo: Marvin Germo (Facebook)

Marvin Germo is a registered financial planner, financial consultant, and resource speaker. He’s the author of the best-selling Stock Smarts book series. He has also shared his expert knowledge with Moneymax, being a resource person for these blog posts.

Marvin’s blog serves as investing newbies’ go-to resource. But he also maintains a YouTube channel where he talks about the stock market, crypto, career, and business.

👉 Omeng Tawid of Smart Pinoy Investor

Romer Tawid shares his knowledge about investing and personal finance in his blog and YouTube channel. Over the years, he has conducted dozens of finance-related seminars and spoken at various financial events with other big names in the industry. His teaching style is easy to digest and follow. Moreover, he also shares noteworthy advice about hitting your financial goals and achieving financial freedom.

👉 Nicole Alba

For many of us, our 20s is when we make rookie money mistakes. If you’re journeying through this time, you could use some advice from Nicole Alba, a fellow 20-something.

Nicole may be young, but her views on money are wise. Her YouTube channel is a salad of budgeting tips, crypto investing strategies, and even lifestyle recommendations. Her content is fun and informative, making complicated topics easy to digest.

👉 Janice Germano Sabitsana (Pinay Investor)

Photo: Pinay Investor (Facebook)

Budgeting is a must-have skill for every parent. If you have a household to run and kids to raise, you’ll surely find Janice Germano Sabitsana a.k.a. Pinay Investor relatable.

Janice’s YouTube videos mainly talk about keeping household finances in order. You’ll also get advice on teaching your kids how to handle money. But her channel doesn’t always talk about money. Every now and then, she publishes meaningful videos that encourage you to reflect on your career and life in general.

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TikTok Financial Influencers

Prefer bite-sized clips over long-format blogs and videos? Here are the top TikTok finance influencers in the Philippines who dish out helpful money pointers:

👉 Antonette Aquino (@antonetteaquino)

Antonette Aquino, a registered financial planner, is one of the most popular financial influencers on TikTok today, thanks to her fun content. She shares memes and skits, including one where she asked strangers about their worst financial decisions, to make you reflect on your financial decisions.

As a financial speaker in the Philippines, Antonette has been featured on CNN, GMA News Public TV, Inquirer Business, Rappler, and more. Looking for a financial coach in the Philippines? You’re in luck, as Antonette offers one-on-one financial planning sessions.

👉 Nik Madriñan (@thatssonik)

Photo: @thatssonik (Instagram)

A lot of 20-somethings aspire to have ₱1 million in their bank account before they turn 30. Nik Madriñan did it at 27, and she’s willing to show you the ropes.

A former shopaholic, Nik proves that one can achieve their financial goals through sustainable money habits. Her TikTok page is full of honesty, often citing her own personal experiences from which viewers can draw lessons.

You can tap her in case you’re searching for a financial coach in the Philippines. As a credible financial speaker in the Philippines, she has appeared at the Sun Life Money Summit.

👉 Ivy Bermejo (@ivybermejo)

A Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Ivy Bermejo works as a financial and investment advisor, which says a lot about her experience in money management. She also hit her first million at 25.

She tackles various money-related topics, from investing in Pag-IBIG MP2 to preparing for big purchases, such as real estate. Because she’s a financial advisor, she talks a lot about the importance of an insurance policy.

Just like other financial thought leaders, Ivy offers one-on-one financial planning sessions. The best thing about it? They’re free!

👉 Samuel Uy (@samueluyyt)

Photo: @samueluyyt (Instagram)

As you watch Samuel Uy’s TikTok videos, you’ll realize financial wisdom knows no age. Still a college student, Samuel moonlights as a crypto investor. You may pick up something from him whether you’re a crypto newbie or an experienced coin hunter.

In one of his TikTok videos, Samuel revealed how he became a millionaire at 20 years old by buying and selling NFT artworks. Inspiring, right? Despite being an investor, Samuel is your typical college student who loves to goof around, as evidenced by his comedic skits.

Instagram Financial Influencers

Instagram may be a hub for posh lifestyle mavens, but it’s also home to established financial influencers who thrive in the world of business. You’ll also find up-and-coming thought leaders here.

👉 Nerizza Miranda (@mrsnerimiranda)

Nerizza, commonly known as Neri, was once an actress. She transitioned to entrepreneurship and eventually cemented her reputation as a madiskarteng nanay and wais na misis.

Though she doesn’t directly talk about finances, Neri inspires people to take the entrepreneurial journey. Her successful ventures are well documented on her Instagram page. Her current businesses include a salon brand, an Italian restaurant franchise, a bulalo restaurant, and a farm, among others. On top of that, Neri makes extra bucks by endorsing various brands.

👉 RJ Ledesma (@rj_ledesma)

Photo: @rj_ledesma (Instagram)

RJ Ledesma is that cool guy you want to be friends with, especially if you’re interested in business. He wears a lot of hats, working as a host, motivational speaker, podcaster, and entrepreneur.

Whenever you dine at Mercato Centrale, think of RJ, as he’s one of the founders of this night market. Go Negosyo cited him in its Mentor Me program for helping small to medium enterprises in the food industry.

RJ’s Instagram page mainly chronicles his family life and hosting gigs, but he also shares nuggets of business wisdom.

👉 Simply Finance (@simplyfinance) / Mariel Bitanga (@marielbitanga)

Photo: @marielbitanga (Instagram)

Simply Finance is a small financial planning firm that commits itself to empowering Filipino women. Its Instagram page curates practical and doable tips that improve one’s financial health. With financial quotes and open-ended questions, Simply Finance encourages its followers to reflect on their money-related decisions.

Simply Finance is founded by Mariel Bitanga, a financial planner. Mariel describes herself as a former privileged and spoiled daughter. A family crisis changed her perspective on money and compelled her to earn extra income. She decided to join an insurance company and eventually underwent training with the Registered Financial Planners of the Philippines.

👉 Start What Matters (@startwhatmatters) / Dave Li (@daveongli)

Dave Li, a financial advisor for a top insurance brand, launched Start What Matters, an Instagram page focusing on financial literacy. Start What Matters shares bite-sized tips on saving and investing money. It also shares relatable and funny content that sparks meaningful conversations on personal finances.

On the other hand, Dave’s personal Instagram page chronicles his life as a young man who loves traveling and spending time with his mom.

Final Thoughts

The road to financial freedom is often paved with challenges. But you don’t have to take the journey alone. You can always use some guidance from financial influencers and financial literacy speakers in the Philippines.

When listening to financial influencers, don’t act like a sponge that indiscriminately absorbs all the information. Instead, be a filter that carefully discerns the insights. Some of their advice may not be applicable to you, so always take their word with a grain of salt.

Sources:

Meet Your Money Gurus: 22 Financial Influencers to Follow in 2023

Jay Pagkatotohan