If you’re reexamining your monthly expenses in light of the market turmoil, personal finance influencers are ready to help.
President Donald Trump’s new tariff policies have sent markets downward, resulting in a wave of uncertainty for business owners and everyday consumers.
So, what should you do? We asked top finance influencers to share their No. 1 pieces of advice in the current economic climate. Rather than act on impulse, the influencers said not to panic. A few of them mentioned the idea of creating a smart budget.
“Your budget is just a plan for how to pace your money for the month,” said Nadia Vanderhall, a financial planner and LinkedIn influencer. “It’s really about knowing what’s coming in, what’s going out.”
Here are the key budgeting takeaways the influencers shared:
1. Budget to optimize a safety net
Avoid getting “caught with your pants down” by establishing a cushion in the event of a job loss, said Mal Baska, who has 31,000 followers on Instagram account Money Talk Mal.
“Ensure you have a solid cash cushion, or emergency fund, in a high-yield savings account,” Baska said. “If not, budget to optimize this cushion and safety net.”
YouTuber Sebastian Fung, whose AskSebby account has 312,000 subscribers, recommends having 6 to 12 months of expenses in savings, especially if you are concerned about layoffs.
“I would look into money market funds or high-yield savings accounts — that way, you’re still earning interest while maintaining liquidity,” he said.
2. How to build a sustainable budget
If prices begin to go up, Vanderhall said to look at your last month’s spending to see what expenses have increased and use that information to shape your budget for the next month.
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Vanderhall said to start with real numbers: Look at your actual income and expenses by analyzing your bank and credit card statements from the last 30 to 60 days.
Break your budget down into categories such as bills, groceries, transportation, debt, savings, and “fun” money.
There are several ways to track a budget, but it’s important to use a method that matches your lifestyle, Vanderhall said. That could be writing it down, using a spreadsheet, or using an app.
Tolani Eweje, who writes the Substack newsletter The Creator Success Club, said simple budgets stick.
She uses this framework:
- 50% essentials (bills, housing, groceries, etc.)
- 30% wants (travel, dining out, etc.)
- 20% future (savings, investments)
If your income fluctuates month-to-month, base it on your last six months’ average, she said.
3. Negotiate recurring bills
Once you’ve evaluated your budget, go a step further by trying to lower your costs. Baska said you should start soon if you are worried about price increases.
“Negotiate your auto insurance, cellphone, medical bills, salary, etc.,” Baska said. “Now is the time to lock in pricing before companies really get hit.”
When it comes to salary, take the time to learn your state’s salary history and transparency laws, said Hannah Williams, creator of Salary Transparent Street.
“Not knowing your market rate and legal protections leaves you vulnerable to being underpaid and taken advantage of by employers looking to save on their bottom line,” Williams said.
4. Sick of spreadsheets? Use a budgeting app
If you’re more of a spreadsheet person, you can build your own budget sheet using Google Sheets or Excel, said Bola Sokunbi, the creator of Clever Girl Finance with 356,000 followers on Instagram.
“But if you’re more into apps, the best one is the one you’ll actually use,” Sokunbi said.
She recommends browsing the top-reviewed budgeting apps in your phone’s app store and testing a few out until you find one that fits your lifestyle.
The finance influencers recommended several apps, including Lunch Money, Monarch Money, Copilot Money, Origin Financial, and tMoney.
“Setting realistic budget parameters and spending categories is key to success and sustainability,” Baska said.
5. Evaluate your budget weekly
Instead of evaluating your finances at the end of each month, Fung recommends doing it weekly so that you can adjust as needed.
That way if you spent too much money eating out, you can plan to cook the following week, Fung said. That’s especially true if prices are changing quickly, which could happen if tariffs have an impact.
But if you want to cut down on your going-out budget, figure out how to still have fun.
“Find other ways to keep yourself occupied,” Sokunbi said. “All those subscriptions that we all pay for, it’s time to use them. Use your Netflix, your Hulu, and your Apple TV subscriptions. Leverage your library app. There are so many things that you can use to occupy your time.”
