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How to Know Which Financial Influencers You Can Actually Trust
Financial influencers often called finfluencersare everywhere right now. Scroll through social media and you’ll see people shouting about debt, promising financial freedom in five easy steps, or flexing lifestyles that look too good to be true. The problem isn’t that financial education is popular. The problem is figuring out who’s legit and who’s full of it.
I get asked all the time how to know who to trust. And honestly, it’s a fair question. With so much noise online, even smart, capable people can get pulled in the wrong direction. In this post, I want to walk you through exactly how I evaluate financial influencers and how you can do the same.
Why I Don’t Call Myself a Finfluencer
First, let me say this clearly: I don’t consider myself a finfluencer. I’m not trying to appeal to everyone, rack up millions of followers, or go viral with skits and shock value. I speak to a very specific group of people typically Gen Xers, older millennials, and business owners who feel like they did everything they were told and still ended up frustrated.
These are people who saved, invested, paid off debt, and followed the rules…yet watched their parents or grandparents struggle financially anyway. They know something doesn’t add up, and they’re willing to question the status quo instead of blindly following it.
That willingness to think independently is the first requirement for building real wealth.
The Rule I Use to Judge Any Financial Influencer
Here’s my litmus test, and it’s simple: Have they been there, done that, and are they still doing it today?
Not talked about it.
Not read about it.
Not coached others while never doing it themselves.
I’m talking about real-world experience, proven over time, with actual results in their own life.
Success leaves clues but failure does too.
Principles First, Strategies Second
One of the biggest mistakes people make is confusing principles with strategies.
Principles are timeless. They don’t change with markets, trends, or technology. Strategies, on the other hand, must change based on circumstances.
For example, people will say things like:
- “Debt is always bad.”
- “Debt is always good.”
Both statements are wrong and somehow also right depending on the situation.
Debt itself isn’t a principle. It’s a tool. Used wisely, it can accelerate wealth. Used poorly, it can destroy lives. Banks have understood this for hundreds of years. They literally go into debt to depositors so they can lend money at a profit. The difference is stewardship.
That nuance gets lost on social media because nuance doesn’t go viral.
Why Social Media Financial Advice Is So Dangerous
Social media rewards extremes. The louder, angrier, or flashier someone is, the more attention they get. That’s why you see yelling, shaming, and oversimplified advice everywhere.
I’ve been offered guaranteed millions of views if I’d just play along do skits, manufacture drama, or act like a dancing monkey. I said no. I can’t fake a life I don’t live, and I won’t teach things I haven’t done myself.
Legitimacy doesn’t come from views. It comes from results.
My Own Financial Journey (And Why It Matters)
I started as a traditional financial advisor. I believed in the system 401(k)s, mutual funds, buy-and-hold investing. Then I watched my own dad do everything right and still be unable to retire comfortably.
That forced me to ask hard questions.
I left financial advising in 2006, found real estate, and then promptly lost almost everything in the 2007–2009 crash. I was over a million dollars in debt and close to bankruptcy. I had to rebuild from scratch.
I didn’t just become financially independent once I had to do it twice.
That experience matters because it means I’m not teaching theory. I’m teaching what works, what fails, and what to avoid.
The Red Flag Most People Miss
Here’s something that should immediately make you cautious:
If someone teaches financial freedom but has never actually achieved it themselves or only did it once and can’t replicate it that’s a problem.
I’ve spoken privately with many influencers who claim they’ll help you retire early, yet they’ve never done it in their own lives. Some are barely staying afloat.
Always ask:
- How did you do it?
- When did you do it?
- Are you still doing it now?
If those answers are vague, be careful.
Trust Your Internal BS Meter
You don’t need AI or fancy tools to spot fake financial advice. Most of us already know when something feels off. If someone’s lifestyle doesn’t match their message, or their story keeps changing, pay attention.
Question me too. I encourage it. If I’m not your person, that’s fine find someone who is. Just make sure they’re living what they teach.
Final Thoughts
Most financial influencers I’ve met are not who they claim to be. That doesn’t mean you should be cynical but you should be skeptical.
Look for principles, not hype.
Look for evidence, not promises.
Look for people who have been there, done that, and are still doing it today.
If you do that, you’ll save yourself years of wasted time, money, and frustration and you’ll be far more likely to build a truly work-optional life.
Make it a wonderful and prosperous week.