Rebel Finance School - what am I missing?

[SluggishLettuce]

After a few posts on here recommending RFS I started watching the YouTube videos and I just don't get it.

For those who are advocates, what did you like about it? I'm only a couple of weeks in but I find the Donegans nauseating and the presentations pretty poor. I was expecting something quite professional if thousands of people have been through the programme.

I agree with a lot of the underlying messages espoused so far (not all) so is it just a style preference? Does that mean it's not worth persevering as it'll always grate or has anyone else felt the same and got past it?

I've met Katie and Alan and found them to be kind, thoughtful, witty and totally committed to helping people understand and take control of their money. I'm not a cult member btw 😂

The issue you might be having with the course is that it's delivered live with lots of interaction with viewers on YouTube and Facebook so there are the kind of in jokes that build a community (not a cult!) but can be tiresome for people who are just there for the facts. It's worth persevering

I'm grateful to them because they explained investing, fees, platforms, pensions in a way that I could understand whereas trying to read stuff just overwhelmed me. I've moved my pension following their advice and it's improved massively and I now have low fee S&S ISAs.

It's fine not to like their style but there's no need to demean them or their followers - their FB page is an excellent resource.

You might prefer James Shack or Pete Matthews Meaningful Money more suited to you. Both are excellent and more low key than RFS. Say the same as the Donnegans.

Yes. Pete Matthews from Meaningful Money is excellent (podcasts and YouTube videos plus his financial planning company - Jacksons). There’s an FB group too. I also like Ramin from Pensioncraft and James Shack as mentioned earlier is worth a watch. Younger ppl starting out may like Damien Does Money - all about sensible investing.

The Donegans seem down to earth but something doesn't sit right on a few things for me especially their cult like followers who can be quite nasty if you dare to post a suggestion or start a conversation on their Facebook page about an investment issue. It's as if it's like "how dare this person post on OUR forum." I posted a financial question as I was interested in where the discussion went regarding the particular subject. I got shot down in flames, accused of being a scammer as I had only been a member for 3 days. I even got reported to their admin because I didn't have enough friends on Facebook for their liking! It was as if they were trying to dig the dirt because I dared to post on THEIR forum. The cult like following is quite nasty and very arrogant. How dare I barge into their forum when I haven't been initiated or indoctrinated! It was very off putting so I left the group. A shame really.

Agree with this. I had the same experience. Completely put me off anything to do with it.

@Pigten - what did Admin do about your post and the pile on?

It's a shame because you can get some excellent advice from members on the FB group but there are a few arses. That's true everywhere online, though, MN is a cesspit.

Still don't think it's fair to call it a cult. The Donnegans are just trying to demystify investing and teach people about compond interest without incurring huge fees.

I think the FB group has become quite hard to control. So many people have joined that haven't done the course and ask questions that are too big for a quick answer. I think frustration causes a lot of "do the course" responses.

People join saying something different to the course information (because they've not read it) and can't argue in any useful way because they're not using evidence provided in the course. If you imagine a complex cookery book with intricate instructions that take 10 weeks of hour long videos....and someone joins talking about a different baked item...or asking if they need a tin or flour to bake bread....er....

I've not found the FB group nasty at all. A few arses as all social media. MN is a hundred times worse however.

You can't get 16% interest anywhere, so the course can't be that good if you don't know that.

(I think I watched one and found it interminable, but I've been investing for years, learnt from The Motley Fool)

I think the passive global unit fund investing always sounds a bit cultish to me. I wasn't keen on these two either.

I like Tom Crosshill too. In my view it's not good to rely too much on what one person says I like to hear a variety of opinions.

We are on the same wavelength as these are also all my favourites. I can’t get along with the style of the RFS but appreciate it must work for some as it has a large following.

Meaningful money podcast is excellent give it try

I really like Rebel finance and have done the course and learnt some good stuff but it is quite a slow pace. It’s like they’re pitching it at people with zero financial acumen so if you do have some you’ll find it pretty drawn out.

Each of the episodes is like 1.5-2 hours long and could definitely be done in 30-60 mins. Most people seem to watch on double speed so they could potentially take that feedback and make it a bit snappier.

Pensioncraft is much better (for anyone with a brain). I find rebel finance school repetitive/culty on their Facebook group (I ended up leaving), and I can't stand the weird pineapple thing they're always on about/the strange photos. I don't think they're switched on to anything that doesn't accord with their world view e.g. that passive investing is the wrong answer. If everyone starts passive investing, it distorts the market and there are potential risks there. There's a very good video called the everything bubble that's worth a watch.

I suspect they're neurodivergent (I say thing as a neurodivergent person myself), which is not a bad thing in itself, but does contribute to a rather odd presenting style.

It’s a very short course with lots of really helpful content.

Really don’t see what’s hard about it. Op, you do sound a misery tbh.

They are cheerful, non-patronising people who are doing a huge free service. Trying to cover a broad range of audience.

Update:
I’ve now completed the 10-week course and thought it might be helpful to return to this thread for anyone who felt like I did at the start.

Firstly, thank you to everyone who commented on my original post - it really helped me decide to stick with it. In particular, Poppolo’s reminder that the course wasn’t designed around me helped me adjust my expectations.

A few tips from my experience:

1. Don’t start the course if you’ve had a rough week, are PMSing, or just plain hangry 😊
2. You can skip the pre-course weeks unless you’re keen to dive into the wider movement
3. If you’re already comfortable with the basics, the early Q&A sessions can also probably be skipped
4. I’d still recommend doing all the main sessions as they introduce ideas and language used throughout the course, even if the topics are less relevant, e.g. you have no debt
5. A reminder that the YouTube series is a recording of a live and interactive Zoom call - this should help shape expectations on the style and what the course is and isn't
6. After completing it, I’m convinced their cheery demeanour is genuine and that they’re just kind people who want to help - that is to be commended
7. Watch at 1.25x speed
8. Other people really are starting from zero knowledge and Katie and Alan have the patience of saints in answering the same questions again and again on simple concepts they've just explained

I’ve been exploring personal finance for a while, but in a somewhat haphazard way and focused on specific topics. I chose RFS to consolidate my knowledge methodically and spot any gaps. Once I let go of my initial dislike of the style, the course broadly delivered on that. It also gave me a different lens, framed through the FIRE movement, which I found interesting.

Overall, I didn’t learn a huge number of new things, but it was still valuable. It gave me confidence in explaining concepts to others who are less familiar with personal finance, and reinforced my understanding in a structured way.

That said, I still don’t like the AI pictures!

I think Katie and Alan are really generous, special people.

So many hoard and hide their knowledge and even sneer at those who don’t have this financial acumen.

Katie and Alan are bringing to the people in a very human, friendly and accessible way.

@HipHopDontYouStop I have to admit that I was impressed with how open they were. They even showed how much money they have invested which I haven't seen any others doing in the same way.

Oh, and thanks for recommendations of other podcasts/YouTubers. Some I was already familiar with, and others I'll check out.

Great update OP, thanks…and well done on sticking with it.

Don’t start the course if you’ve had a rough week, are PMSing, or just plain hangry

😂Good advice!

Thanks for the update, OP.

Heads up for anyone thinking of joining the cult doing the course. It will be taken off YouTube end of March in preparation for the new one starting. Date tbc.

That one might be based on personal experience... 😂

I'm glad you got something from it in the end OP. I had seen RFS recommended so many times on money threads and like a lot of you, found the FB page a bit cultish.

I had a free day yesterday so thought I'd listen to the first two 'lessons'. Honestly, I was really impressed. You can tell from the questions that some viewers are very financially naive and they make the information very accessible. It reinforced that my outlook is financially prudent (downsized, older car, focus on what's important to me). I'm looking forward to the later episodes on investing (thank you to the person who suggested the '25 videos may be removed in March).

I'm with everyone who believes it's important to get information from various sources and I love MoneySavingExpert.com for the forums. Thank you for all the recommendations on this thread for other channels/podcasts.

I heard about RFS on here and am now on week 7 of the course on YouTube (sorry Katie - I will sign up to do it properly at some point!). I was gifted investments with SJP a few years ago and so far I have just left them where they are and inherited the IFA along with them. I knew their fees were considered high but I had zero knowledge of investing so I wouldn't have felt confident moving elsewhere. Katie and Alan have really opened my eyes to the impact this will have on the compounding in the long term. I really appreciate what they have done - I feel like I understand this for the first time. I will be able to go on to read and research more with a really good grounding.

I agree OP . I was expecting great things and was very underwhelmed.