Reality star’s controversial money advice sparks backlash from followers.
Love Island star Sam Gowland has faced fierce criticism after advising fans to spend £20,000 on a mentor rather than putting it towards buying a house.
The 29-year-old, who appeared on Love Island in 2017 and later on Geordie Shore, told his 94,000 TikTok followers that people are making a mistake by putting savings into property.
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“Buying houses to live in is where people go wrong in life,” he said in a viral clip.
“That pot of money you had, you should have invested that in yourself. Pay a mentor, get an ecom course, do something to better yourself which is going to generate you an income.”
He argued that a deposit ties people to decades of debt.
“Now yes, you’ve got a house to live in which is great but you’ve now also got a debt of £180,000 that you’re paying off for the next 25 years,” he explained.
“If you just wake up one day and think ‘I want to move to Dubai or Bali’, you can’t do it. There’s so many obstacles in the way.”
Sam, who describes himself as a property developer and online business coach, claimed investing in personal growth would give people greater freedom than buying a home.
But his advice has not gone down well with viewers. “Being on the property ladder is more important than getting a mentor,” one critic wrote.
Another branded him a “plank,” while others questioned where people are supposed to live if they don’t buy a home.
One commenter pointed out the obvious flaw in his logic: “If only you could somehow sell your house and move to Dubai.”
Another added: “The normal working person won’t be able to save to go on a course or invest in something else. They need a house for their kids.”
Despite the backlash, Sam has continued to share his views on business and finance online – though not everyone is buying into his version of financial freedom.
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