Do you follow a personal finance guru to help you reach your financial goals? Of all of the financial gurus out there, who is your favorite?
I mention this at the start of every financial blog post I write, but I’m not a financial advisor, and because of that, I refrain from sharing specific financial advice here on Daily New Year’s.
What I will share, however, is which strategies I’m using to better my finances, what’s working for me (and what’s not), and rock-solid advice on who you should be following.
If you’re new to personal finance, financial goals, building an emergency fund, debt reduction, investing and so on, you might be overwhelmed at the volume of so-called experts that promise to help you see your financial goals through to success.
I know I was!
Early on, I was a Dave Ramsey fan through and through. Then, as my goals and priorities changed, I gravitated towards other financial gurus. That’s completely normal!
As our goals and priorities in life change, so should our mentors—the digital, long-distance mentors too! I talk about this in another post, but I’m a huge believer in long-distance, digital mentorship, but you can read about that another time.
Today, I want to help you zone in on which financial gurus you should be following according to your current season in life AND the current financial goals you have.
While Dave Ramsey is probably the most famous, and as much as I think he’s a rock star, he may not be right for everyone. I want to match you up with the financial gurus that are going to help you the most.
Are you ready? Let’s go!
My Top 8 Financial Gurus
- Dave Ramsey | Wholeistic Financial Advice for All Ages
- Jeff Rose | Entrepreneurial, Side Hustling, Investing, Passive Income
- Erin Lowry | Millennials, College Debt Reduction, Salary Negotiations, Future Planning
- Chris Hogan | Retirement Planning, Investing, Mortgage Payoff, Building Wealth
- Anthony Oneal | Teens, Young Adults, Parents
- Tony Robbins | Wholeistic Financial Advice for All Ages
- David Bach | Wholeistic Financial Advice for All Ages
- Robert Kiyosaki | Improving Money Mindset for All Ages | Building Wealth
Photo of Dave Ramsey from www.daveramsey.com
1. Dave Ramsey
I know, I know, I just said that Dave Ramsey might not be for everyone and here he is in the top spot. I’m not saying Dave isn’t awesome—he is!—but as you dive into his content, you might find his plan a bit more long-term than you might have been hoping for.
But if you’re brand new to managing your finances or starting your first budget, Dave is the guy you should begin with! I’ll explain why.
First, Dave is the author of The Total Money Makeover and The Complete Guide to Money, both of which have changed my life. A few years back, my father-in-law gave me both books for Christmas and, at the time, I wasn’t reading many books or taking my finances as seriously as I should have been.
Maybe he spotted that trend and decided to intervene!
After leaving them on the shelf for far too long, I finally pulled them down and started to read them—I was instantly sucked in!
The info, advice, and step-by-step plans were just so captivating—I couldn’t put these books down! They opened my eyes to the world of personal finance and inspired me to take charge of my money.
Both of his books provide a comprehensive overview and broad understanding of personal finances. If you’re like me and you missed out on everything aside from balancing a checkbook in home economics, then these books provide the crash course you need on getting started.Second, he’s the creator of the famous Seven Baby Steps. If you haven’t heard of them, here they are:
- Save $1,000 for Your Starter Emergency Fund
- Pay Off All of Your Debt (Except the House) using the Debt Snowball
- Save 3-6 Months of Expenses in a Fully Funded Emergency Fund
- Invest 15% of Your Household Income in Retirement
- Save for Your Children’s College Fund
- Pay Your Home Off Early
- Build Wealth and Give
Okay, I know that sounds like a lot, and that’s why Dave isn’t for everyone. I understand that the seven baby steps seem more like seven giant steps. Personally, I completed steps 1 and 2 in about 18 months, and they were a blast! But after that, I skipped ahead to steps 4 and 6.
If you read his books, Dave has a rock-solid method to his plan, and it’s probably best to follow it down to the letter. I just really wanted to start paying down my house and focus on retirement, so I modified the plan slightly and moved onto other financial gurus.
Third, Dave is the founder of Financial Peace University, a paid class that teaches people how to pay off debt, budget and save their money, and how to give generously. Dave doesn’t teach the course personally, but licensed instructors all over the country are teaching his strategies.
Google “your town” + “financial peace university” and I bet you’ll find a group class forming soon.
So, if you’re looking for a beginners guide to personal finance as a whole, Dave is your guy.
Start by reading his books. If you’re not a fan of reading, use this link to get a free Audible trial and download The Complete Guide to Money on audio. It’s 100% free, and it will change your life—I practically guarantee it!
Where to Find Dave
Books and Products
Photo of Jeff Rose from www.goodfinancialcents.com
2. Jeff Rose | Good Financial Cents | Wealth Hacker Labs
I’m placing Jeff Rose at the #2 position because he’s brilliant, funny, and a proven personal finance whiz! And, funny enough, according to his website, he thinks that Dave Ramsey probably thinks he’s nuts!
I’ve been following Jeff for years, but let me rewind and tell you a little bit about him first.
Jeff published his book, Soldier of Finance, in 2013 after his deployment to Iraq and the 2008 financial crisis. Jeff is also a Certified Financial PlannerTM, owns his own financial advising business, and has a substantial online presence.
He has two blogs. Yes, you read that correctly—two blogs. He started Good Financial Cents a little over ten years ago and has gone on to win awards for the blog. It’s packed full of fantastic content! Jeff’s mission is to help people make “cents” of their financial lives.
See what he did there?
Since then, he founded Wealth Hacker Labs, a website dedicated to financial experimentation around new ways to grow wealth.
Regardless of where you’re at on your wealth-building journey, Wealth Hacker is a community of non-conformists, big thinkers, and wealth-seeking fanatics that are tired of trying to get rich the old fashioned way.
If that sounds like you, check it out!In addition to his two blogs, Jeff has a phenomenal YouTube channel and releases about three videos per week. He covers a broad spectrum of topics, so again, if you’re new to personal finance and you want to see which topics spark your interest, his videos may be the perfect place to start.
If you’re looking for advice on starting a side hustle, thinking about dabbling with investing, considering becoming an online entrepreneur, wondering how to get started with savings, weighing your options between a 401k, Roth IRA, or any other retirement plan, Jeff is your guy.
Street Cred
He currently writes for CNBC, Forbes, Entrepreneur, Inc and has been featured in major sites such as Huffington Post, Wall Street Journal, Reuters, Kiplinger’s, and Fox Business.
He currently serves on CNBC’s Digital Financial Advisor Council, and Investopedia recognized him as the No. 5 Most Influential Advisor in the U.S.
Where to Find Jeff
- Good Financial Cents
- Wealth Hacker Labs
- Wealth Hacker YouTube Channel
- The Good Financial Cents Podcast
- YouTube
Books and Products
Photo of Erin Lowry from www.brokemillennial.com
3. Erin Lowry | The Broke Millennial
If you’re on the younger side of life, Erin Lowry might be for you. On her website, she talks about graduating from college debt-free, saving money with a razor-thin salary while living in New York City, learning to negotiate, take calculated risks, and more. But my favorite statement is this:
“I’m here to help you get your financial life together and go from flat-broke to financial badass!”
After diving into her content, I can tell that she’s on a mission to do exactly that!
A financial badass herself, she’s written two books in her Broke Millennial Series: Broke Millennial: Stop Scraping By and Get Your Financial Life Together and Broke Millennial Takes On Investing: A Beginner’s Guide to Leveling Up Your Money
If you start searching for Erin, you’re going to find countless articles, podcast interviews, videos and more, all focusing on financial advice for millennials.
Why?
The Millennial generation is known for being the most educated generation. In fact, there are 9 percent more men, ages 18-33, graduating from college than just 50 years ago. There are 20 percent more women in the same age group graduating with at least a bachelor’s degree.That’s a lot more people coming out of college than 50 years ago!
With more education comes more student loan debt, deferred savings and retirement planning, and several other financial problems. Erin has set out to help the millennial generation take control of their finances.
She makes things like loans, student loan debt, and retirement savings easy to understand for everyone.
She’s a wealth of knowledge—pun intended!—and she provides sound advice and practical tips that anyone can follow. If you’re a younger person looking for someone to help demystify your finances, Erin is your gal.
Street Cred
MarketWatch named her first book as one of the best money books of 2017, and her style is refreshing and conversational.
Erin has been featured in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal and on CBS Sunday Morning, CNBC and Cheddar.
She has written for Forbes, Fast Company, Cosmopolitan Magazine, and Refinery29 and regularly speaks at universities and conferences around the country.
Where to Find Erin
Books and Products
- Broke Millennial: Stop Scraping By and Get Your Financial Life Together
- Broke Millennial Takes On Investing: A Beginner’s Guide to Leveling Up Your Money
Photo of Chris Hogan from www.chrishogan360.com
4. Chris Hogan
What do you envision when you think about a financial advisor? Some boring older man or woman touting old school strategies like savings bonds?
What about an All-American college football player turned finance expert? Chris Hogan might have been one of the most unlikely people to become one of the top financial gurus, but now he’s one of the most sought after speakers around.
Chris transitioned into the financial space when he began to see how many people were suffering from financial problems. He joined Dave Ramsey’s team, started the Chris Hogan show, and has written two books to date.
His voice makes for an entertaining show!
Chris is an expert on mortgages, investing, retirement, and building wealth. Most notably, he is the creator of the R:IQ, or the Retired Inspired Quotient. Using his website, you can determine precisely how much money you’re going to need to live the retirement of your dreams.
Chris speaks to audiences from nearly every background, and his advice applies to almost everyone, but if your financial goals are specific to building wealth or retiring, Chris is your guy.
Street Cred
Chris has been featured on CNBC, AARP, The Dave Ramsey Show, CNN, and Fox News, to name a few. He is also a regular contributor to the EntreLeadership Podcast.
Where to Find Chris
Books and Products
- Retire Inspired Quotient (R:IQ)
- Retire Inspired: It’s Not an Age, It’s a Financial Number
- Everyday Millionaires: How Ordinary People Built Extraordinary Wealth―and How You Can Too
Photo of Anthony Oneal from www.anthonyoneal.com
5. Anthony Oneal
Talk about a ball of energy! Contrary to his mantra, “It’s that Serious!”, Anthony Oneal brings personality and fun to everything he does!
Like Chris Hogan, Anthony is currently on staff at Ramsey Solutions, but he wasn’t always good with money. If you check out his About page, you’ll learn that he hit rock bottom at the age of 19. He had loads of stressful debt, no hope, and was homeless.
The upside?
It was these difficult times in Anthony’s life that drove him to turn his life around and commit to helping students avoid the same errors he made early in his life. That’s why he’s focused on teens, young adults, students, and even parents who are looking to guide their children.
He believes that the choices you make in your life today directly impact the future you could have, so he seeks to help people make sound decisions today.
If you’re a parent trying to connect with your kids about money or if you’re a teen or young adult looking to build a bright financial future, Anthony is the man!
Street Cred
Before joining Dave Ramsey’s team, Anthony was the pastor of One Way Youth Ministries at The Bethel Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Florida—a program that he helped make into one of the fastest growing youth ministries in America. He’s great with youth!
Anthony has spoken for Bishop T.D. Jakes’ Megafest Youth Ministry, and he’s been featured on the Rachel Ray Show, Fox and Friends, CNN and TBN.
Where to Find Anthony
Books and Products
- The Graduate Survival Guide: 5 Mistakes You Can’t Afford To Make In College
- Teen Entrepreneur Toolbox: The Small-Business Guide for Teens
Other Financial Gurus You Should Follow
To compress this article and keep it from turning into a full-length novel, I wanted to mention several other financial gurus that you can follow, only more briefly.
These folks are so established that they barely need an introduction and they certainly don’t require any street cred. I won’t go into each of their backgrounds, but I did want to provide a reading list for each.
If you want to follow financial gurus that have stood the test of time, these are your people:
Photo of Tony Robbins from www.tonyrobbins.com
Tony Robbins
Tony Robbins is best known (at least to me) for his work in the personal development and life coaching industry. He has been featured on Netflix and Amazon Prime and reaches millions of people worldwide through his famous seminars, appearances, and philanthropy.
In addition to the massive positive impact Tony is having on the world as a whole, he has also written several books, two of which are about personal finance.
No matter your salary, your season of life, or when you started, Tony’s books will provide the tools you need to help you achieve your financial goals more rapidly than you ever thought possible.
- MONEY Master the Game: 7 Simple Steps to Financial Freedom
- Unshakeable: Your Financial Freedom Playbook
Photo of David Bach from www.davidbach.com
David Bach
As you’ll see from the list of books below, David Bach is a nine times New York Times best-selling author! When it comes to personal finance, this man is an institution!
You can learn all about David on his about page, but over the past two decades, David has impacted over one hundred million people through his books, seminars, speeches, newsletter and thousands of media appearances.
Check out some of his books below!
- The Automatic Millionaire, Expanded and Updated: A Powerful One-Step Plan to Live and Finish Rich
- The Latte Factor: Why You Don’t Have to Be Rich to Live Rich
- Smart Couples Finish Rich, Revised and Updated: 9 Steps to Creating a Rich Future for You and Your Partner
- Start Late, Finish Rich: A No-Fail Plan for Achieving Financial Freedom at Any Age
- Smart Women Finish Rich, Expanded and Updated
Robert Kiyosaki
Author of Rich Dad Poor Dad, Robert Kiyosaki is a master at changing people’s mindset around money forever. The book contrasts the different mindsets that his dad (poor dad) and his best friend’s dad (rich dad) had about wealth and money.
Both fathers approached the idea of money and wealth-building very differently, and what Robert learned from that will forever change your mindset about building wealth and becoming rich.
The first edition of the book was released in 1997 and has since become the #1 Personal Finance book of all time. It has also been translated into dozens of languages and sold around the world.
- Rich Dad Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not!
Over to You!
So there you have it: my top 8 financial gurus for helping you achieve your money goals.
Have you heard of any of these people before? If not, which of them are you going to check out first?
For those of you who have followed personal finance for a while, who did I leave out? I’d love to know! Drop a comment below or reach out to me today.
Until next time, take care!
Fantastic , can you please do a investing book list for everyday people ( I like J L Collins. Simple path to wealth). Thank you
Hey Azra, That’s a great idea!! I’ll add that to my roadmap of blogs to write. I’ve read quite a few myself, but I may need to read a few more before I can write that post and do it well.
Thanks for reading!!
This is very intriguing article.