There is no shortage of personal finance blogs available on the Internet. If you have a question about anything from car insurance to mutual funds, it is highly likely that a blogger has written an article on that exact subject. With so many sites to choose from, Credio reviewed 25 of our favorite personal finance blogs to help find the best site for you.
To rank the blogs, we measured social and quality signals. To gauge a blog’s overall social popularity, we considered the number of Twitter users that follow the blog or blogger.
To determine a site’s quality and authority, we relied on two Internet services, Moz and Alexa, to evaluate the different sites. Moz’s Domain Authority score estimates a website’s credibility by reviewing the links that point to that website. For example, if a personal finance blog is regularly referenced and linked to by highly reputable finance websites (e.g., The Wall Street Journal or Bloomberg), the blog will receive a high Domain Authority score.
Alexa’s Traffic Rank evaluates a site’s popularity based on the number of visitors the site has had in the last three months (e.g., Google is the most popular website according to Alexa’s rating).
Each metric was measured on a 100-point scale, making the overall score out of 300. Finally, we ranked the blogs from lowest to highest based on the final score.
Please note: all data was collected during the week of March 28, 2016.
#25. Mad Fientist
Overall Score: 36.96
Category: Financial Independence
Twitter Followers: 3,916
Moz Domain Authority: 34 (out of 100)
Alexa Global Rank: 205,094
If you love data and personal finance, then you need to read Mad Fientist. This site features well-researched articles on investing and tax-avoidance methods. Its focus is to show that early financial independence is possible if you look at the big picture and run the numbers. You’ll read topics on this blog that will break down even the most complex topics into understandable chunks. Mad Fientist is the only personal finance site with such a deep tax angle.
#24. The Debt Myth
Overall Score: 37.72
Category: Debt Management
Twitter Followers: 3,591
Moz Domain Authority: 35 (out of 100)
Alexa Global Rank: 595,640
Can you imagine paying off $147,000 worth of debt? That’s exactly what Jackie and her husband did, and they are telling the world. Jackie, creator of The Debt Myth, focuses on helping people get out of debt. She also created a get-out-of-debt app, which uses the Debt Snowball method. Her articles are thorough, yet concise, and if you have a lot of debt, The Debt Myth is where you should spend your time.
#23. Listen Money Matters
Overall Score: 39.11
Category: General Personal Finance
Twitter Followers: 4,109
Moz Domain Authority: 36 (out of 100)
Alexa Global Rank: 480,631
Want to learn about personal finance with a little attitude and light profanity? Listen Money Matters might be just the place. The team behind this site has a very successful podcast where they sit down with a beer and discuss money. They really keep the topic of money interesting, and their site is one of the best designed. Andrew and Thomas, the minds behind the blog, focus their attention on giving you a well-rounded education on finance. They cover almost every topic, and they do it with style and snark.
#22. Dear Debt
Overall Score: 40.59
Category: Debt Management
Twitter Followers: 4,744
Moz Domain Authority: 37 (out of 100)
Alexa Global Rank: 1,173,382
Have you ever wanted to know what if feels like to break up with debt? Dear Debt shows you what it’s like. Melanie, the site’s main writer, puts her personal story out there for everyone to see. She’s a wordsmith focused on helping people fight off debt and improve their finances. She started the blog after struggling to make ends meet, but has now transitioned into self-employment. Melanie created a “Dear Debt Manifesto” to show how much she cares about helping others with debt.
#21. Frugal Woods
Overall Score: 40.72
Category: Financial Independence
Twitter Followers: 3,594
Moz Domain Authority: 38 (out of 100)
Alexa Global Rank: 151,435
The couple behind Frugal Woods has quite the story. They went to college, got married and landed their dream jobs. Too quickly, they realized they didn’t want to live in a city, but focus their attention on a 40-acre home in the woods in Vermont. Mr. and Mrs. Frugal Woods, as they call themselves, embraced extreme frugality to save 71 percent of their income. This frugality has them on track to reach their dream of quitting their jobs by 2017. Their articles help anyone looking to do the same and get out of work they hate doing.
#20. Financial Mentor
Overall Score: 46.21
Category: Investing
Twitter Followers: 2,918
Moz Domain Authority: 44 (out of 100)
Alexa Global Rank: 160,698
Better financial control, smart investing and wealth creation are the focuses on the Financial Mentor. This site, created by Todd Tresidder, is one of the most in-depth sites concentrated on personal finance. Todd is a serial entrepreneur with a B.A. in Economics from the University of California at Davis. He was a hedge fund manager responsible for a $20+ million portfolio. Todd understands investing and puts his knowledge into his writing. He produces fantastic guides helping other investors sharpen their investment prowess. The Financial Mentor is a fantastic site to use when you want to grow your wealth. You also can’t beat the free calculators Todd has developed.
#19. Retire by 40
Overall Score: 46.32
Category: Financial Independence
Twitter Followers: 7,024
Moz Domain Authority: 41 (out of 100)
Alexa Global Rank: 178,011
With the goal of leaving the corporate world in 2010, Joe Udo created Retire by 40. He wanted to know if it was even possible to live well after leaving his career. Joe did just that two years after he started the site. In 2012, he gave his notice and became a full-time blogger and stay-at-home dad. Retire by 40 discusses how Joe managed to achieve what so many dream about, while still maintaining his lifestyle after “retiring” from the corporate world. Joe’s honesty and transparency are what make Retire by 40 an invaluable resource.
#18. Oblivious Investor
Overall Score: 47.91
Category: Investing
Twitter Followers: 3,840
Moz Domain Authority: 45 (out of 100)
Alexa Global Rank: 151,860
The topic of investing can be intimidating, and depending on who you talk to, it becomes increasingly complicated. The entire premise behind Oblivious Investor is to make investing easy to understand. Mike Piper, a Colorado CPA, is the brains behind the site. He puts his attention on simplifying investing so anyone can understand it. He also put together quite the collection of personal finance books for anyone needing the basics. Mike knows investing and makes it simple to understand without all the noise.
#17. Side Hustle Nation
Overall Score: 48.67
Category: Financial Independence
Twitter Followers: 7,916
Moz Domain Authority: 37 (out of 100)
Alexa Global Rank: 94,325
Side hustling is a term often used by those who make extra money separate from their full-time job. Nick Loper, the founder of Side Hustle Nation, is truly a side hustler. He features guests showing you how to make money selling on Amazon, working on Fiverr or publishing on Kindle. Side Hustle Nation wants to show its readers that making more money is the way to change your financial status and escape the rat race.
#16. The College Investor
Overall Score: 48.77
Category: Millennial Finance
Twitter Followers: 8,947
Moz Domain Authority: 42 (out of 100)
Alexa Global Rank: 104,544
Developed by Robert Farrington, who was taken aback by the lack of personal finance knowledge among college students, the College Investor primarily focuses on student loan debt and millennial finance issues. The site boasts more than 1,200 articles about investing, making money and student loan repayment.
#15. Afford Anything
Overall Score: 56.40
Category: Financial Independence
Twitter Followers: 7,131
Moz Domain Authority: 51 (out of 100)
Alexa Global Rank: 118,484
Paula Pant, the creator of Afford Anything, was just like any other college graduate. She got a job, but yearned for something more. She started freelancing on the side, then quit her job. She decided to travel the world, but returned home with little money left over. Instead of getting a job, she decided to start real estate investing and living off passive income. This is what Afford Anything is all about. Focus on what you want and create passive streams of income.
#14. Making Sense of Cents
Overall Score: 89.66
Category: Millennial Finance
Twitter Followers: 12,436
Moz Domain Authority: 46 (out of 100)
Alexa Global Rank: 65,759
Have you ever had a dream of starting your own business and running it from anywhere? That’s what you’ll learn from Michelle at Making Sense of Cents. She quit her job as a financial analyst and started blogging. Over the years, she has grown her income to more than $40,000 per month and travels around the United States in an RV with her husband. Her blog is very transparent on how she makes money, but also shows you step-by-step how to earn money online.
#13. Investor Junkie
Overall Score: 96.33
Category: Investing
Twitter Followers: 5,089
Moz Domain Authority: 41 (out of 100)
Alexa Global Rank: 48,521
While there are plenty of investing sites out there, Investor Junkie does the best job reviewing investment services. You can truly learn almost anything you need to know about a service by reading through their reviews. Larry Ludwig, founder of Investor Junkie, strives to provide useful information on all things investing. He works to put together in-depth guides and discuss topics not often heard about in the media. If you want to learn how to make money through investments, Investor Junkie needs to be on your reading list.
#12. Budgets are Sexy
Overall Score: 97.96
Category: Budgeting
Twitter Followers: 25,028
Moz Domain Authority: 55 (out of 100)
Alexa Global Rank: 75,994
There is no other personal finance writer out there like J. Money from Budgets are Sexy. The mohawked persona provides some of the best personal finance content. Budgets are Sexy focuses on the dull topic of budgeting. However, J. Money brings new life to budgeting, putting a fresh spin on how to budget and save money. One of his most successful blog series featured his “Challenge Everything” callout, where he would challenge one expense per month for a year. In doing so, he was able to save nearly $5,500 on his recurring bills.
#11. My Wife Quit Her Job
Overall Score: 100.25
Category: Financial Independence
Twitter Followers: 4,706
Moz Domain Authority: 44 (out of 100)
Alexa Global Rank: 47,310
My Wife Quit Her Job focuses on helping people start their own online stores to earn additional sources of income. Steve Chou, the site’s founder, has extensive experience on the subject, having started an online linens company with his wife that ultimately allowed her to quit her day job so she could work and raise their children. If you want to reach financial independence and work for yourself, check out My Wife Quit Her Job.
#10. Good Financial Cents
Overall Score: 104.99
Category: General Personal Finance
Twitter Followers: 26,120
Moz Domain Authority: 59 (out of 100)
Alexa Global Rank: 73,790
If you’re looking to dominate your money, then Good Financial Cents should be your first stop. Run by the charismatic Jeff Rose, the blog offers a wealth of information aimed at everyone from college grads to retirees. Jeff is a Certified Financial Planner, retired U.S. soldier and best-selling author. His experience in the personal finance space is extensive. The writing is in-depth and refreshing as Jeff works hard to add in his own personal flair. The videos are also worth a view.
#9. Money Under 30
Overall Score: 115.43
Category: Millennial Finance
Twitter Followers: 11,792
Moz Domain Authority: 47 (out of 100)
Alexa Global Rank: 40,494
As an editorial assistant on SmartMoney, David Weliver should have pinned down the basics of personal finance. Unfortunately, he was living in New York and had a lot of credit cards. He got into debt, then used his blog, Money Under 30, as a way to share his journey. The blog has remained focused on helping millennials with their toughest money hurdles. David intends to help young professionals get out of debt and save for their “first — or next — $100,000.”
#8. The Simple Dollar
Overall Score: 165.86
Category: General Personal Finance
Twitter Followers: 9,807
Moz Domain Authority: 71 (out of 100)
Alexa Global Rank: 12,568
The Simple Dollar was started back in 2006 by Trent Hamm to focus on spending habits and debt. Over the years, it has morphed into a complex personal finance site. The site has a team of writers producing content focused on credit cards, education, investing, banking, insurance and many other topics. The site is now owned by a media company, but Trent still plays a big part behind the scenes. You’ll notice a very clean design where each page focuses on the content and helping the reader find what they’re looking for.
#7. The Penny Hoarder
Overall Score: 169.65
Category: General Personal Finance
Twitter Followers: 22,761
Moz Domain Authority: 54 (out of 100)
Alexa Global Rank: 1,584
You might have heard of The Penny Hoarder from Oprah. This site, founded by Kyle Taylor, has one of the most active social media bases. Because they publish articles focused on saving and earning tips most sites never know about, their articles are shared millions of times on Facebook and Twitter. They even compiled a list of 100 places where you can get free stuff on your birthday. While some of the titles might be seen as “click-bait,” their content actually has actionable advice and their writers take time to research these methods.
#6. Money Talks News
Overall Score: 171.97
Category: General Personal Finance
Twitter Followers: 11,195
Moz Domain Authority: 82 (out of 100)
Alexa Global Rank: 18,504
The founder of Money Talks News, Stacy Johnson, has been helping people with their finances for more than 20 years. He’s licensed in everything from life insurance to real estate. The brand started as a TV segment, but has morphed into a website featuring in-depth articles and videos. Money Talks News covers a wide range of topics, and their writers put everything down with elegance. They even have a solutions center to help people deal with debt, collection agencies and a number of other personal finance issues.
#5. Money Crashers
Overall Score: 174.35
Category: General Personal Finance
Twitter Followers: 26,313
Moz Domain Authority: 70 (out of 100)
Alexa Global Rank: 15,571
Andrew Schrage and Gyutae Park wanted to create a community focused on making financially sound decisions, so they founded Money Crashers. Over the years, they have certainly accomplished their goal. The site is consistently rated as a top personal finance blog. Their content is well researched and covers most topics within personal finance. They even created “The 11 Indispensable Principles of Money Crashers” to give everyone an idea of their mission and how they want to help. It truly is a community-focused site with a great personal finance backbone.
#4. Mr. Money Mustache
Overall Score: 181.96
Category: Financial Independence
Twitter Followers: 48,138
Moz Domain Authority: 61 (out of 100)
Alexa Global Rank: 15,485
Mr. Money Mustache (the author’s very appropriate moniker) retired in his thirties to focus on his family. He didn’t do it by winning the lottery, but by simplifying his lifestyle and saving over 50% of his income. The site has an active forum and each article features engaging commentary. This is the go-to blog for financial independence where you’re welcomed and embraced to live the “Mustachian lifestyle.”
#3. Wise Bread
Overall Score: 183.71
Category: General Personal Finance
Twitter Followers: 51,363
Moz Domain Authority: 63 (out of 100)
Alexa Global Rank: 18,180
Wise Bread, a blog that was started in 2006 by three friends with a passion for personal finance, wants to show you how to “live large on a small budget.” With more than 38 writing contributors, Wise Bread publishes a lot of excellent content. They focus on general personal finance topics, such as banking, credit, deals and frugality, with a few life hacks mixed in. They have a very active community with a strong presence on social media.
#2. I Will Teach You to Be Rich
Overall Score: 226.93
Category: Financial Independence
Twitter Followers: 102,833
Moz Domain Authority: 65 (out of 100)
Alexa Global Rank: 15,932
Ramit Sethi, the blog’s creator, is a New York Times best-selling author, who focuses his attention on getting you to make a change. Instead of pushing topics of extreme savings tips, he shares advice to help you land your dream job or negotiate a higher salary. His work has been featured on almost every large publication and news outlet. While Ramit does offer premium material, he gives away most of his material for free. His guides and systems are among the best out there.
#1. Smart Passive Income
Overall Score: 254.75
Category: Financial Independence
Twitter Followers: 132,076
Moz Domain Authority: 72 (out of 100)
Alexa Global Rank: 17,252
Pat Flynn is the king of passive income. He is well-known in the world of personal finance, not because of the money he makes, but because of the knowledge he shares. Transparency is the key factor when you’re on Smart Passive Income — he shares his wins and losses with everyone. The blog focuses on teaching people how to make more money with a passive twist. Coupled with a podcast, Smart Passive Income has become the go-to spot for income-generating tips.
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