Short version: We first ran Rebel Finance School in 2020 and started a Facebook group so people could finally talk about money without getting weird looks.

Then boom! The community took off…

• The course grew
• Meetups exploded
• Hilary in NZ said “let’s build a Kiwi space,”
• Ruth the Happy Saver poured rocket fuel on it
• The USA Rebels asked for 401k and Roth chat
• WhatsApp groups formed
• Spammer‑slaying Ninjas assembled…
• … and now Rebel Finance School Communities are global

Also pies were eaten. Many pies. 🥧

Why communities matter to Rebels 💬💪

Talking about money with friends and family can feel like confessing you’re ok with pineapple on pizza. Awkward.

We wanted a place where it’s totally normal to say: “What’s an ISA vs SIPP?” or “Am I doing KiwiSaver right?” or “Help, my 401k sounds like a robot.” It can be difficult to have these conversations with friends or work colleagues because money is a taboo subject in many cultures.

2020: When the world wobbled and RFS was born 🌋

The markets crashed. Everyone’s finances were in a pickle 🥒. We launched Rebel Finance School to help.

135 people showed up to the first course and we built a Facebook group so we could answer questions about investing, SIPPs, ISAs, emergency funds, and more. The mission was simple:

Bring people together. Break the taboo around money. Build freedom.

2021: “Do we add the new people?” You said yes. We did. ✅

Year two, we asked the RFS Facebook community: should we bring the next cohort into the same group or split it up? The Rebels voted to keep everyone together.

335 people came to the course that year, energy grew, and the Facebook group became the home base for support, success stories, and those “I just opened my first investment account” victory dances. 💃

The Great Pie Tour of New Zealand: meetups, messenger, magic 🥧

In late 2024 we went on a very serious financial education mission that absolutely did not revolve around pies. We called it the Great Pie Tour of New Zealand.

We set up Messenger chats for each area we visited so we could coordinate the meetups. Those chats kept buzzing long after we left, which was the lightbulb moment: people don’t just want content. They want connection.

👉 Read the full pie‑powered review here: New Zealand Tour 2024

We had so much fun that more we are planning another tour for 2026…

Make sure you our on our mailing list if you want to find out about the next meetups…

Guarding the gates: scammers, spammers, and stock tip trolls 🛡️

As the group grew, so did the spam. Dodgy DMs. “Guaranteed” stock picks. Crypto “advisers” with usernames like NotAScammer123. We delete, block, report. Constant vigilance. If you ever see something that feels off, please shout. The Ninjas move fast. ⚔️

If you want to help please message us as we need people to keep their eyes peeled and delete the dodgy stuff when they see it!

Growth mode 🤯

A year ago, in September 2024, there were 11,000 people in the Facebook group. Now it’s crossed 40,000. That’s not just numbers. That’s tens of thousands of humans getting braver with money, cheering each other on, and proving that learning together works.

Katie and I are so proud of the friendly, positive and passionate space we have all created together on Facebook. It is amazing to see the hundreds of questions a day, comments and people working together to improve their finances!

The UK & Ireland Tour: hello WhatsApp, hello local meetups

During this year’s UK and Ireland Financial Freedom Tour, we spun up WhatsApp groups for each area to coordinate logistics. Those quickly evolved into ongoing local communities that organise coffee chats, meetups and even doing their monthly finance meeting together!

Small snag: WhatsApp communities cap out at 2,000 people. We hit it fast and some groups got capped. While we were mid‑course we didn’t have the bandwidth to fix it. But we do now.

Solution time: a proper communities hub 🧭

Katie built a central place to find your people by country or region. If you want to plug into your local group, start here:

👉 All Rebel Finance School Communities

New Zealand: it started with Hilary, fuelled by Ruth the Happy Saver ❤️

This is how community should happen. Hilary in NZ messaged and said, “Can I start a New Zealand Facebook group with you?” We built it together and she helps manage it. She wanted a dedicated space to talk KiwiSaver and NZ investments.

Ruth the Happy Saver discovered the course, shared it across Aotearoa, and the Kiwi audience took off. The NZ Facebook group now has 1,000+ members and it’s thriving. Legends, all of you. 🥝

Ruth is the reason we did the Great Pie Tour of New Zealand and Hilary is the reason we met so many of you on our travels! We have fallen in love with New Zealand and the Kiwis!

USA: different acronyms, same Rebel spirit

We noticed a big US audience joining RFS, then bumping into threads filled with SIPPs and ISAs. If you’re thinking 401k or Roth IRA, that’s a weird vibe.

So we created a dedicated USA Facebook group so Americans could talk in their native retirement language and not feel like they’d wandered into a British acronym convention.

So where should you hang out? 🧭

Pick what fits your life right now.

• Facebook home base: the big, positive, ridiculously helpful global group.
• Local WhatsApp groups: perfect for real‑world meetups and quick chat.
• Country groups: NZ and USA are live and booming. Want one for your country? Help us set it up.

For a full list and links to your local or country group go here. We’ll update the list as we add new groups and communities:

👉 rebeldonegans.com/rfs-communities

How you can help: become a Community Ninja 🥷

We need your help to keep the space safe and friendly.

• See spam or stock tips: report it and tag an admin.
• Have time and good judgement: ask to be an admin in your local WhatsApp chat or FB group.
• Host a meetup: coffee shop, park walk, library session. Keep it simple and friendly.
• Share wins: opened your first ISA, rebalanced your portfolio, negotiated a bill down. Post it. Your win helps someone else win.

The future: we’re testing, learning, building together 🔬

We don’t pretend to have every answer. Platforms change, communities grow, needs evolve. Facebook works well for many. WhatsApp is brilliant for local meetups. We will keep experimenting and scaling what works. If you have a smart idea or want to pilot something in your city or country, tell us. This is a team sport.

The Rebel culture: connection over comparison 🍍

Never compare pineapples. Share success, ask questions, help each other. Money is not a zero‑sum game. My success doesn’t threaten yours and yours doesn’t threaten mine. We rise together.

One of the things we love the most about the stock market is that it doesn’t care who you are. If we invest in the same index fund you will get the same results as me, no matter our gender, race, religion or sexuality!

Your next three steps ✅

1. Join your local or country group: start here
   👉 RFS Communities Hub
2. Say hi: introduce yourself and say what you are working on this month.
3. Show up: pick one meetup or start one. Two people going for coffee counts.

Love you all. Have fun in the communities, keep it kind, keep it curious, and keep building that extraordinary life. Let’s go. 💚

Thanks for reading and being part of the RFS Community. We are so glad you came.

If you want to hear about future meetups, events, courses and more then make sure you join our mailing list. Scroll to the bottom of the page and put your name and email address in!

Peace and Pineapples

Katie and Alan