Table of Contents
- Young Money Blog
- Financially Mint
- Saving Scotts
- Money Nest
- The Money Shed
- Savvy Scot
- Bee Money Savvy
- Dumb Funded
- Money Bulldog
- The Female Money Doctor
- Foxy Monkey
- The Saving Ninja
- TuppennysFIREplace
- Money Nuggets
- Much More With Less
- Savvy In Somerset
- Joleisa
- Morgan M Woods
- Katykicker
- Savings 4 Savvy Mums
- Miss Manypennies
- How did we choose the NerdWallet Top Finance Blogs 2019?
Personal finance can be a tricky subject to research. Whether it’s getting your head around mortgages, taxes, and pensions; finding ways to save some extra pounds; making some additional money; shopping around for a loan; or simply learning to stick to a budget, managing money effectively can be an overwhelming task.
There are numerous blogs that cover these subjects, with many of them focusing on one specific topic or audience. Some authors write a more personal blog, sharing tips they use in their everyday life, whilst others offer more general information on finance, sharing their knowledge and what they’ve learnt from their research.
We have been busy comparing finance blogs and shortlisting the ones we like! We’ve identified the most interesting features of each blog, and why we believe those blogs are of value to finance readers.
Below are some of the personal finance blogs we believe offer a unique perspective on money matters, ranging from the complex subject of investments to saving a few pounds on your weekly shop.
TACKLING YOUNG PEOPLE’S MONEY QUESTIONS:
Young Money Blog
Iona from Young Money Blog has featured on radio, television, and in the press with her views on finance, particularly related to the younger generation. Her blog covers areas such as ISAs, property, investing, and even pensions. Although young people may have more pressing financial matters to think about than pensions, the Young Money Blog is all about preparation and taking care of the ‘big’ personal finance issues.
Young Money Blog aims to make millennials, and all young people, more knowledgeable about their finances. It discusses the topics in an honest and easy-to-understand manner, and gives people tips on how to manage and control their money.
Iona spoke about her background and shared some advice for managing your money:
“I started Young Money Blog in 2011 because there was no other dedicated financial website aimed at young people. I had recently graduated and was struggling to become a financially independent adult during a difficult economic period and I thought researching and writing about money would help me become more savvy and might help a few others along the way.
My favourite financial tip is to make time for money – give yourself even half an hour a week of headspace to think about your financial goals for the week or month or six months ahead. That is the only way you will get round to making changes.”
Visit youngmoneyblog.co.uk
TAKING CONTROL OF YOUR FINANCES:
Financially Mint
Financially Mint tackles the many financial decisions faced by students, and younger people more broadly, to help them become more knowledgeable about money. The founder of the blog, Araminta, shares her discoveries about personal finance and, perhaps most significantly, she also discusses the sometimes daunting topics of taxes, investments, and housing.
The blog has also branched out to discuss future career options, personal development, and building up a ‘career capital’. From building a basic budget, to more in-depth looks at preparing for the ‘adult world’, Financially Mint has tips and guidance to help young people understand their finances and, crucially, what they hope to gain from them.
Araminta spoke about her experience:
“I started Financially Mint nearly 2 years ago as a way to educate myself on everything that schools hadn’t taught us; how to invest, what’s the deal with taxes, how to start a business and how to live on less than you earn.
From the very first step, my favourite money tip is to pay yourself first. This simply means taking out a percentage (I recommend starting with 15%) of your income and setting up a direct debit to an investment or savings account. Treat your saving like an expense, and you won’t even notice that you’re saving!”
Visit financiallymint.com
MANAGING MONEY FOR MILLENNIALS:
Saving Scotts
Saving Scotts is focused on showing millennials and young people where they can find some extra money, whether it’s from saving or from doing extra work and ‘side hustles’. Although the site initially focused primarily on student living and finances, it has since expanded to include young people more generally and post-university financial decisions.
As well as ways to save and make money, the site covers a number of other personal finance topics such as ISAs, debt, and maximising savings. Posts offer ideas on how to manage your immediate finances, balanced with preparing for the future and setting goals, depending on what priorities people have.
Beckie, co-founder of Saving Scotts spoke about why they started the blog:
“We started Saving Scotts to help other students find ways to save money and invest whilst studying. We wanted to share our experience of paying off debt whilst at university and help others make financially sound decisions at such a pivotal point in their lives. Much of our posts focus on student friendly ways to earn money, how to save on expenses, and future planning (such as how to prepare to buy a house).
The blog continues to evolve as the authors lives do and including a focus on financial planning post university.”
Visit savingscotts.com
GROWING YOUR WEALTH:
Money Nest
Money Nest aims to educate people, but particularly 20-30 year olds, about the financial topics that weren’t taught in school. From budgeting, saving money, and investing, the Money Nest shares its knowledge on these subjects with the intention of helping young people negotiate the issues surrounding personal finance.
Money Nest tends to cover the major areas of finance that can leave people perplexed, such as pensions, investing, and property. The blog, and the accompanying website and newsletter, aim to help people become more financially independent (i.e. not living from payday to payday) and pave the way to a secure financial future.
Sam of Money Nest offered his finance top tip:
“My best advice would be to seek to increase your income, whilst it’s a long-term solution rather than a short-term fix, growing your income through upskilling yourself will provide the biggest ROI you’ll ever come across.”
Visit moneynest.co.uk
EARNING AN EXTRA INCOME:
The Money Shed
The Money Shed started off as a forum where people could share ideas on personal finance and making money. This has since developed into an article-based blog that covers numerous different topics, including ideas on how to make extra money at home, areas where people can make savings, and discussions about different career choices.
The blog tackles a mixture of finance-related subjects that could give readers some inspiration on where they can find some extra money. It uploads new posts regularly, which each target slightly different audiences, with topics ranging from the hidden costs of being a single parent, to fun ways to make extra money, to eating on a budget.
Owner of The Money Shed, Jonathan Gutteridge, says:
“I started The Money Shed over 5 years ago. I created it as platform for where not only people could get impartial advice about how to save / make money from home but also so that users themselves could earn by sharing their referral and affiliate links wherever they wanted on the site…In 2014 we launched a blog to sit alongside it and provide advice to people in a more ‘article’ style format and the two have complimented each other ever since.
My advice for anyone wanting to blog about money or finances in general is don’t be afraid to be the Ying to the money blogging Yang. The Money Shed CONSTANTLY goes in the opposite direction to a lot of other well know UK Money bloggers because we like to give a different point of view at times instead of every site saying the same.”
Visit blog.themoneyshed.co.uk
PLANNING FOR YOUR FINANCIAL FUTURE:
Savvy Scot
Savvy Scot writes about personal finance, in addition to other lifestyle topics like fitness and travel. In the money section of the blog, Savvy Scot looks at budgeting and the importance of creating a future plan for your finances, with suggestions including putting a set amount of your income each month automatically into savings.
The blog looks at how people could save money on bills, as well as tackling the complex subject of investing. It shares opinions on different investment options, such as stocks and gold, and discusses the potential ways people can start to invest their money.
Pauline of Savvy Scot shared her top money-saving tip:
“It is much easier to save money if you have a goal. So be specific with your goal and stay accountable. Use a calculator to see how much you need to save every week or month in order to reach your goal. Have a saving challenge where you save a little more each day. Involve your family and friends. Saving money for the sake of hoarding it doesn’t work. The whole purpose of saving money is to take care of your future self. And it will be easy if you visualise the options money will buy in the future.”
Visit savvyscot.com
BOOSTING YOUR INCOME:
Bee Money Savvy
Emma from Bee Money Savvy offers tips on how people can augment their monthly income, based on her own personal experience. The blog, which was started in 2017, aims to help people become savvier with their money, whether it’s creating an effective budget, making the most of offers, or finding new ways to supplement their income.
Bee Money Savvy particularly focuses on the additional, smaller things people can do to earn extra money from home and in their spare time. Her ideas include side hustles like blogging, surveys, mystery shopping, and money-based apps, depending on the skills and interests of each person.
The founder of Bee Money Savvy had this to say about her blog:
“Hi I’m Emma, the one-woman team that created Bee Money Savvy. I’m absolutely thrilled to have been shortlisted in the “money making” category for NerdWallet’s Top Finance Blogs of 2019.
I created beemoneysavvy.com after watching my parents barely getting by with their finances throughout my childhood and falling into debt following some bad advice from the bank. Using the tricks on my website I’ve managed to help them clear all their debts and pay off their mortgage, and I hope to help more people achieve their own version of financial freedom.”
Visit beemoneysavvy.com
SORTING OUT YOUR FINANCES:
Dumb Funded
Dumb Funded has been sharing financial advice since 2010, covering both personal and business finance subjects. The blog looks at wider, more complex matters such as pensions, investments bank accounts, and mortgages, as well as discussing how you (and your business) can budget effectively.
There are also more unique and interesting articles on topics like avoiding the middle-income squeeze, budgeting for a new baby, and investing in your professional image. For readers looking to start a business, there are many articles that discuss office spaces, energy, and marketing. This mix of business and personal finance, combined with posts which offer a distinctive perspective on financial subjects, should interest a wide range of readers.
Colin from Dumb Funded gave some advice on saving money:
“Our top tip for 2019 is to seize your current account cash back from the big banks – there is no need to put up with rubbish interest rates and terrible apps. Using a decent app-based bank account with features like instant payment notifications is not only a great way to manage your budget efficiently, but also you can protect yourself from financial fraud.”
Visit dumbfunded.co.uk
MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR MONEY:
Money Bulldog
Adam, founder of Money Bulldog, aims to make people more financially aware, whether they’re trying to get out of debt, boost their income, or simply save money. He has a background in finance and was inspired to share his knowledge and experience after the struggles of the financial crash.
The blog tackles a variety of personal finance topics, from the big subjects of investments, ISAs, pensions, and mortgages, to easy ways people can save money each week. It simplifies the complex topics to help people become more knowledgeable about their finances. Money Bulldog’s posts are easy to understand and accessible to everyone, even to complete beginners just starting to think about making a budget!
Adam offered his simple financial tip:
“One of my favourite financial quotes is actually ‘Every pound that you spend is a pound you don’t have for something else’. I just feel that it brings everything back to a very simple level. Many people feel that they can’t save or invest but perhaps they could if they were to go through what they spend with a fine-tooth comb and eliminate unnecessary expenditure. From big things like finding the cheapest service providers to smaller things like spending less on takeout coffee.”
Visit moneybulldog.co.uk
GETTING YOUR FINANCES IN SHAPE:
The Female Money Doctor
The Female Money Doctor combines the subjects of money and health, showing how healthy finances are inextricably linked with healthy minds and bodies. ‘Dr Nikki’ looks at the ways people can make and save money, as well as creating a realistic budget (which includes a ‘fun pot’!), to help them forge a more positive relationship with their finances.
She especially highlights the importance of having an ‘emergency fund’ to give people peace of mind in the event of a crisis, and also for mental wellbeing. Knowing you have that money on-hand to help you out when necessary, can help relieve stresses surrounding your financial situation.
‘Female Money Doctor’ Nikki says:
“The old saying – “take care of the pennies and the pounds will take care of themselves” is so true. Managing our day to day finances is not about the highs and lows of the stock market or making a quick buck. It’s about keeping to a budget so overspending doesn’t happen. It’s about diligently saving into a work place pension and topping up with a passive investment fund EVERY month to be ready for the future when it arrives. It’s about paying off debt and building an emergency fund. It’s about teaching your children what to do with their money.
This stuff seems boring on the surface – there’s no excitement. But these actions every day are what lead to long-term sustainable wealth, and when you see your net worth rise, trust me, that’s a thrill in itself!”
Visit thefemalemoneydoctor.com
INFORMATION ON INVESTING:
Foxy Monkey
Foxy Monkey covers a range of personal finance topics, but has a particular interest in investment. Michael, the person behind Foxy Monkey, aims to show ways that people can be smarter with their money, especially by making use of passive income investments. This is a key focus of his blog as he personally aims to accrue enough money to achieve financial independence.
He offers his views on different ways people can invest their money to maximise their income, as well as writing broader articles on the challenges of working towards financial independence. Foxy Monkey shares the tips and knowledge he has gained on his journey, including easy ways to save money such as cycling and ways people can earn extra money from investments.
Michael of Foxy Monkey had this to say about dealing with money:
“I like to tell people “your money can work harder than you can”. I’m passionate about creating passive income. The reason I started Foxy Monkey is to show how we can take advantage of various life hacks and how to stop trading our time for money.Life is too short to waste doing stuff we don’t like. Save more, invest and build some passive income to escape the rat race!”
Visit foxymonkey.com
FINANCE BLOGGING NEWCOMER:
The Saving Ninja
The Saving Ninja started documenting their journey to financial independence in 2018, aiming to show how anybody can take steps to save money in a big or small way. They record their monthly savings progress with detailed charts so readers can see exactly where their money goes and comes from.
Alongside their monthly savings updates, the Saving Ninja offers their views on how to make some extra money and how to maximise savings, by switching bank accounts for example. More uniquely, they also write about more philosophical topics like fulfilment, happiness, and success, and how these mindsets may relate to money.
The ‘Saving Ninja’ shared his views on money:
“Even though I am frugal by nature and an aspiring minimalist; I want to earn money. I see earning money like a game that I want to beat, it’s fun! Being a completionist is in my nature; I need to get that high score.”
Visit thesavingninja.com
TIPS FOR ADOPTING A FRUGAL LIFESTYLE:
TuppennysFIREplace
Like many finance bloggers, Tuppenny is aiming to save enough for early retirement. She has found many ways to make savings on her family’s lifestyle, particularly regarding food and holidays, and shares these on her blog. She identifies the ways people can make small changes each week, such as planning meals, avoiding convenience food, and buying own brand products, which can add up to result in significant savings.
Whether it’s small adjustments or a major rehaul of your finances, Tuppenny offers ideas that can help people budget and live a more frugal lifestyle.
Tuppenny gave this insight into frugal living:
“Learn to love living within your means. Frugal living is never about depriving yourself, it’s about making conscious decisions to make difference choices, including about what to buy and not buy. Make positive choices and don’t beat yourself up for the decisions you make, recognise that you are human and not a robot. When you embrace all that frugal living has to offer you are no longer doing without but enjoying what you do have.”
Visit tuppennysfireplace.com
FEMALE FINANCE:
Money Nuggets
MoneyNuggets is particularly targeted at women, aiming to make them more knowledgeable about their finances and more confident in dealing with money. The blog discusses numerous subjects including creative ways to save money, how to draw up a realistic budget, and how to effectively organise your finances for the future.
The site also offers tips on setting up a business and advancing your career, as well as more lifestyle-oriented articles such as activity ideas for children and home interiors. The mixture of more ‘serious’ financial topics like investments and pensions, combined with some more ‘fun’ posts relating to holidays, the sales, and fitness, keeps the blog content fresh and interesting for readers.
Seba of Money Nuggets spoke about the start of her blog and saving money:
“I started Money Nuggets to help women talk about money, take charge of their finances and secure their financial future. One of my favourite money tips is to track your finances.
Tracking your spending is one of the best ways to save more. By simply tracking and paying attention to where your money is going each month, you will be amazed how much money you will save each month. And remember what you track increases and what you do not track dwindles.”
Visit moneynuggets.co.uk
ADOPTING A FRUGAL LIFESTYLE:
Much More With Less
The clue is in the name, this blog discusses the ways people can live on less and get the most out of their money. Faith, a financial journalist, writes about her move to the country and her overall lifestyle there, with topics ranging from saving tips, to family days out, to her favourite recipes.
She regularly posts about the frugal things she has done recently, and discusses how people can draw up a budget, make financial resolutions, and keep a spending diary to ensure they have full control over their finances. The blog isn’t solely about frugal living and being thrifty with money however. Much More With Less also covers investing, student loans, pensions, and other broader areas of personal finance, helping to inform people about these sometimes intimidating subjects.
Faith summed up the essence of her blog in a few words:
“I blog about moving to the country, living on less and making the most of it. Think food, finance, fitness, flowers and family activities – all with a thrifty spin! As a mum of two and personal finance journalist, I’m passionate about helping people make the most of their money.”
Visit muchmorewithless.co.uk
THRIFTY LIVING TIPS:
Savvy In Somerset
Fiona of Savvy In Somerset draws on her experience of ‘extreme money saving’ to offer tips on how to spend less. She aims to show where people can make savings in their expenditure without sacrificing all the things they enjoy, as well as suggesting some ways to earn some additional money.
The blog is targeted at ‘ordinary’ people, showing how everyday actions can add up to big savings! With topics including saving money on food, household bills, finding bargains for clothes and accessories, and taking advantage of deals and loyalty cards, Savvy In Somerset is a source of many ideas on where to find that extra money.
Fiona discussed her reasons for starting Savvy In Somerset:
“I started my blog because I wanted to share all the methods we used while saving for our first house. It took five years of hard graft but in the end, we saved over £50k and this has had a hugely positive impact on our finances. It meant that our mortgage rates were lower and our monthly payments would be manageable even if we were reduced to one income. I also wanted to show anyone can get on the property ladder if they want too – it just takes determination and sacrifice.”
Visit savvyinsomerset.com
EATING ON A BUDGET:
Joleisa
Twin sisters Jo and Leisa blog about their lifestyle and living frugally, with a particular focus on food. They offer ideas on preparing cheap and easy meals for a range of occasions, whether it’s a filling, healthy evening meal or food ideas for holidays. They also offer tips on effective meal prep which can help save people save time and money.
With appearances in the press and on television, Jo and Leisa are regularly coming up with new recipes and ways to live a more frugal life, even during big events such as weddings and Christmas.
Jo and Leisa shared their views on personal finance:
“Jo and Leisa started their frugal lifestyle blog in their last year of their teaching career. We are convinced that personal finance is called personal finance for a reason. Each person’s situation varies widely so you have to work within your circumstances and do what’s best for you. Don’t watch the Joneses and aspire to be like them. Their situation is different. Stay within the now, budget wisely, and make plans for your future.
One of the biggest things we’ve learnt since becoming more money savvy, is that if you lend money to friends and family, you should be prepared to be the enemy, once the loan repayment date comes round.”
Visit joleisa.com
BEING FRUGAL WITH MONEY:
Morgan M Woods
Morgan M Woods draws on her own personal experience to help people improve their financial situation. Having struggled with money and debts in the past, she took action to sort out her finances and now uses her blog to share what she learnt with her readers.
She talks about how to start saving money on energy bills, shopping, Christmas, food, and even make up. Finding ways to earn extra money is also a major part of the blog, with ideas including surveys, cashbacks, mystery shopping, and freelance work. These posts could give readers some inspiration on where they can find some extra cash, whether it’s from cutting down on spending or finding a new way to make money in their spare time.
Morgan explained the origins of her blog:
“I initially started my blog to share with other families how my family and I were saving money for our mortgage and paying off our debts. This has led to my blog helping other families make extra money from home and save money where they hadn’t thought possible for big expenses or to pay off their own debts. I offer a free monthly budget planner available on my blog to help others see where their money is going and hopefully find areas to cut back on and save.”
Visit morganmwoods.com
MAKING MONEY FROM HOME:
Katykicker
Katykicker uses her experience of making money online to offer tips to other people wanting to augment their income. She discusses a range of additional income streams such as focus groups, selling items, cashbacks, matched betting, and more, to demonstrate how people can earn in their spare time and from home. She also offers ideas on saving money and budgeting, with regards to energy, food, and mobile bills for example.
Furthermore, ‘Katykicker’ offers recipe tips for mealtimes and ideas on how to save money, based on her own practices. The blog has an added personal touch as Katy talks about these topics in the context of her family, which can make these posts more relatable and interesting for readers.
Katy provided this top tip for people looking to start their saving journey:
“Start saving as early as possible in life. It can be tempting to think after I’m married I’ll start saving. Or once I’ve bought a home I’ll start investing. Starting to save from an early age is a great habit to form that should see you well through life, depending on where you invest your money of course.”
Visit katykicker.com
MONEY SAVING TIPS:
Savings 4 Savvy Mums
Laura started Savings 4 Savvy Mums in 2017, a blog all about family finance and budgeting. Having children can stretch an already tight budget, and this blog aims to give parents ideas on where they can make savings or earn some extra money from home.
The blog also has a significant focus on food, offering ideas for healthy, family meals on a budget. It offers recipe idea for big family dinners, packed lunches, and cooking at Christmas for example, which could give readers some inspiration on how to save money on food without sacrificing nutritional value and taste!
Laura shared one of her money-saving ideas:
“I’m passionate about saving money as a family. If you need to cut your spending down and save quickly, then I’d start by meal planning and budgeting. Lay out all the food you currently have and try and make at least two meals from it. Then go through all your accounts and be honest with your incomings and outgoings. Knowing what you’re spending is the first step to saving money.”
Visit savings4savvymums.co.uk
BUDGETING WITH A FAMILY:
Miss Manypennies
Miss Manypennies shares ideas on how families can make and save extra money, whether readers are struggling to stick to a budget or simply want to increase their income. They write about simple saving tips that people can introduce into their daily life, such as cutting out unnecessary expenses and spending less on food, as well as bigger subjects such as saving for a house deposit and budgeting for a baby.
The blog also looks at a variety of ways people can earn money in their spare time. They offer varying levels of pay, but can give readers some ideas on how supplement their income from online surveys, making/selling items, writing, teaching and more.
Hayley of Miss Manypennies spoke about financing a family:
“Miss Manypennies aims to help families keep their finances healthy by sharing money saving and frugal living tips along with ideas for building a little extra income. My absolute favourite money tip is to learn to love your budget! Everything to do with improving finances and managing money better is built on the back of a well-kept budget.”
Visit missmanypennies.com
How did we choose the NerdWallet Top Finance Blogs 2019?
We have been busy comparing finance blogs by social metrics & site performance. To make this list the blog needed a minimum of 1000 monthly visitors and must offer regular relevant blog posts.
Our approach to selecting the blogs is not just down to metrics, we focus on the unique content and the value that may offer the target audience.
The content assessed is based on information that is publicly available on each website at the time of writing this article. NerdWallet is not able to accept, for any reason, responsibility for the content on 3rdparty sites.
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