Written By: Laura Hendrix, Ph.D, AFC®; Associate Professor - Personal Finance and Consumer Economics

Over the years, you may have followed a favorite radio program or television show, read a weekly newspaper column, or subscribed to a magazine. Podcasts have the sound of a good radio broadcast while offering a quick and easy way to learn about topics of interest.  Think talk radio but with your favorite shows and topics available anytime you want them. You can listen to a comedian, learn a language, or gain new knowledge. For those who work in personal finance, podcasts are a great way to catch up with the latest buzz. Make the most of the convenience by using podcasts to pass the time during your workout or commute.

Podcasts have been around since the mid-2000’s but listening is easier than ever.  Use your smartphone or other electronic device. Listen on a smartphone app or whatever you use to listen to music. Most apps that stream music also stream podcasts.  My Spotify account and the iTunes podcast app give recommendations based on my listening habits. If you listen to personal finance topics, more finance-related podcasts will show up on your home screen. Subscribe to your favorite podcasts to receive notifications when new episodes are released.  Shows typically release new episodes weekly. Most podcasts are audio but some are also video. 

There are hundreds of podcasts related to personal finance and economics.  As with any other modern media, consumers need to be aware that not everything available is reliable information.  Most of today’s popular money management personalities will have a podcast; for example, Dave Ramsey, Suze Orman, Jim Cramer, and Jean Chatzky all host podcasts. Khan Academy, long known for short educational videos, offers a Banking and Money podcast. However, although it is offered as an audio podcast, it doesn’t translate well without the video portion. Authors spin money-related best-selling books into podcasts like The Rich Dad Radio Show, Freakonomics, and The Tim Ferriss Show. You can find subject-specific podcasts on almost any topic related to personal finance including real estate, investing, credit, retirement, money management for women, money management for older adults, money management for millennials, and more. Counselors and educators might also be interested in podcasts about psychology or behavior change such as You Are Not So Smart, The Good Life Project, The Art of Charm, The Shrink Next Door and Change Agent. Here’s a quick review of some popular money-related podcasts:

  • Millennial Gaby Dunn hosts the podcast Bad with Money.  Gaby authentically owns her own story of financial mishaps and seeks to save her peers from money mistakes by sharing knowledge and skills she learned.  Gaby interviews other personal finance experts including other millennials.
  • NPR’s Planet Money covers a variety of money and personal finance related topics beyond personal finance.  You may hear about public policy, visual merchandising, economics, health care costs or surfing (risk). Planet Money is interesting, provides reliable information, and is well-produced.  Planet Money has a newsletter for those of us who still like print media.
  • The BiggerPockets podcast features weekly guests who tell their personal story about building financial security. The podcast is part of a larger online community for real estate investing. BiggerPockets includes podcasts for business, real estate, and general personal finance.
  • Preston Pysh and Stig Brodersen host The Investor’s Podcast. They claim to study billionaires and share strategies others can use to build wealth. Recent topics include Bitcoin, value investing, and commodity stocks.

Looking for reliable, research-based information?  Check out podcasts from institutions of higher education and the Extension Service. Here’s a sample:

  • Nothing Funny About Money is a University of Georgia podcast hosted by Dr. Michael Gene Thomas and Dr. Matt Goren. Michael and Matt create a fun, safe space to learn the basics of personal finance. They not only inform but also entertain while educating listeners.
  • Family Financial Feuds is from the University of Illinois Extension. A team of educators address financial topics that might come up for discussion or even disagreement in families.  The team includes Sasha Grabenstetter, Kathy Sweedler, and Camaya Wallace-Bechard.
  • Dr. Barbara O’Neill and Molly Herndon host MoneyTalk with MFLN Personal Finance as part of the Military Families Learning Network. Monthly episodes present a variety of topics that are helpful for personal finance counselors and educators. Each podcast has runs 15-20 minutes.

Professional development, inspiration, or entertainment – listening to podcasts can enrich your day.  With so many options, listening has never been easier.

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