Vivian Tu shares personal finance tips for managing money

Vivian Tu, who has 10 million social media followers, shares practical advice on managing money and relationships. Tu, recently appointed chief of financial empowerment at fintech platform SoFi, has built her following through her ‘Your Rich BFF’ account and other platforms, offering straightforward guidance on salary negotiation, credit card debt, and other financial challenges. Her approach is grounded in her background as the daughter of Chinese immigrants and a former JPMorgan trader.

Tu’s accessible style addresses a gap in how many people learn about personal finance. Her recent appointment at SoFi underscores growing demand for financial education that speaks to ordinary people rather than assuming investment expertise.

Vivian Tu has built a platform of 10 million social media followers by making personal finance accessible. Through her “Your Rich BFF” TikTok account and other outlets, Tu, who recently became chief of financial empowerment at fintech platform SoFi, offers straightforward advice on salary negotiation, credit card debt, and household money management. Her perspective is shaped by her background as the daughter of Chinese immigrants and her former career as a JPMorgan trader.

Tu’s accessible approach fills a gap in how many people learn about personal finance. Her recent appointment at SoFi reflects growing demand for financial education that speaks to ordinary people rather than assuming investment expertise.

Start conversations with your partner

Money conversations between couples are often delayed, but Tu recommends starting early. “Start early, start often. I always say you have to talk about money on the first date,” she said.

Tu suggests using engaging questions to surface underlying financial values. “If I gave you $100,000 tomorrow to play your dream two-week vacation, what would you do?” she said. The responses—whether someone prioritizes nature expeditions or luxury resorts—reveal how aligned a couple’s lifestyle preferences are.

These conversations need not begin intensely, Tu said. They can evolve naturally as a relationship develops.

Examine why you spend

Overspending can drain emergency savings and lead to credit card debt. To avoid impulse purchases, Tu recommends pausing to examine the motivation behind each transaction.

“The most important question to ask yourself before you buy something is: Do I want it or do I want people to know I have it?” Tu said. She acknowledged that she has bought items primarily to signal status to others. “There have been multiple instances in my personal life where I have bought stuff to be cool, to prove to someone else that I was cool.”

Buying intentionally, rather than to fit in with a social circle, helps prevent debt and preserve savings, she said.

Renting offers flexibility some buyers miss

Home ownership is often presented as essential, but Tu said renting can be the better choice for many people. The decision depends on willingness to handle household maintenance and live with long-term commitment.

“Are you okay with maintaining your own HVAC, providing plumbing for toilets if something starts leaking at 2 a.m.?” Tu asked. For those who aren’t, “you’d be better off having your landlord be on the hook for that.”

People who rent can still build wealth through investments and savings accounts, Tu said. The key is making an intentional choice rather than defaulting to homeownership as an assumption.

Start investing with robo-advisers

For people intimidated by investing, robo-advisers lower the barrier to entry. These automated services gather information about a person’s financial situation and goals, then invest accordingly.

“A robo-adviser is the happy medium,” Tu said. “What I love about robo-advisors is that anybody who doesn’t understand investing can be investing in 45 minutes. It is better to start today than to start tomorrow, the sooner the better.”

Tu has published two personal finance books. Her most recent, “Well Endowed,” was published in February 2026. She also hosts the podcast “Networth and Chill.” Before launching her TikTok account in late 2021—which now has 2.7 million followers—Tu worked as a trader for JPMorgan and later in sales at BuzzFeed. She graduated from the University of Chicago and was raised in Baltimore.