Financial education – the very thought of it can send shivers down your spine if numbers are intimidating to you, and the thought of learning how to budget, invest, save to buy a house, or put money away for retirement makes your eyes glaze over. But learning about money doesn’t have to be hard, intimidating, or mind boggling. Financial podcasts are a great way to pick up some practical pointers regarding good money management skills while you’re driving, cleaning house, or sitting in the waiting room at the dentist. Short, bite-sized audio sessions on various aspects of how to handle your money are perfect for acquiring some financial skills and we’ve compiled a list of some of our favorites to get you started learning all you ever wanted to know about money management.
1. Best for Finance Beginners: So Money with Farnoosh Torabi. Hosted by a personal finance expert who was rated as the top female-hosted podcast by Entrepreneur magazine, this podcast features weekly conversations with people who know about money management firsthand. This 30 minute podcast covers the basics you need to know to manage your money well, with inspiring strategies and stories straight from today’s top business minds. You’ll learn about their individual financial journeys, how they master their money, their financial philosophies, wins, failures, and habits. On Fridays, Farnoosh answers her listeners’ biggest questions about money, career, guests, you name it. You can even submit a money question at www.SoMoneyPodcast.com.
2. Best for Getting Out of Debt: The Dave Ramsey Show. Take control of your money once and for all! Dave Ramsey is a national best-selling author (Financial Peace University, Total Money Makeover) with one of the most popular financial podcasts in the country. Dave covers systematic methods for saving an emergency fund, getting out of debt, paying off credit cards, managing loans, saving for college, purchasing a house, saving for special events or purchases, planning for retirement, and living on a budget. Dave teaches his listeners all about creating an actionable plan for their finances that puts you in the driver’s seat where your money is concerned. Learn about zero based budgets and take advantage of the Every Dollar budgeting app. For more information, visit www.daveramsey.com
3. Best for Millennials: Millennial Money. Started in 2015 by Grant Sabatier, author of Financial Freedom (https://financialfreedombook.com/). More and more Millennials are realizing that the “old school” retirement narrative isn’t the goal and it’s actually possible to reach financial independence at a young age. Learn how to get to financial freedom sooner than you thought possible with FIRE (financial independence, retire early). Check out his blog at: https://millennialmoney.com/
4. Best for Specific Money Issues: Life Kit. This podcast covers more than just money but has many money-specific episodes. Each episode is a “How-To” on a common issue. Examples include how to pay for college, how to buy a house, how to find money you didn’t know you had. “Life Kit from NPR is a deliberate extension of our public service mission,” said Anya Grundmann, senior vice president for programming and audience development. “Life Kit will inspire, entertain, and give listeners the tools they need to make smart life choices, delivered with journalistic rigor — the NPR way.” https://www.npr.org/lifekit
5. Best For Understanding the Financial World: Planet Money – The Economy Explained. This program has been airing for quite a while on NPR. Less about practicality and more about understanding the world of money and finance, the entertaining format uses narrative stories to illustrate how money and finances impact our lives and other financial truths, and is presented in an engaging and interesting manner. https://www.npr.org/sections/money/
This is by no means an exhaustive list; there are lots of money podcasts and blogs out there that can teach you about finances, but this list is a great place to start. You may find that one of our five picks is more suited to your personal style, or that a certain host or format resonates with you more than another. Any money management learning is better than none at all, so try a few podcasts and see which one(s) help you the most. It’s never too late to start learning!