Here’s my dilemma: I want to learn more about money — so I can make smarter investment choices — but I find most financial advice incredibly dull. I’ve tried watching finance shows on cable news and my eyes always glaze over. I've skimmed investment sites and just end up more confused. I’m too old to admit that I don't know the difference between an IPO and an ETF, and I don’t have the attention span for the hard work on learning.
The solution: podcasts. If you’re like me, your podcast preferences lean toward celebs, sports and music. I listen to podcasts to be entertained, to distract my brain during commutes or workouts. But you could be using that time with a pod that not only keeps you amused but is also slyly educating you about finances.
Here are six money podcasts perfect for the guy who would rather be doing anything but learning about money.
How to Money
Listen if: You think money advice goes down better with a beer.
Joel Larsgaard and Matt Altmix are lifelong best friends from Atlanta who love shooting the sh*t about money almost as much as discussing their favorite craft beers. They do both in equal measure here, chatting about microbrews while offering laid-back guidance on everything from using a 401(k) to pay off debt to building wealth on a small income to whether you should spend all your money before you die. My favorite segment is when they highlight people who’ve had big financial wins, like finally paying off a mortgage they thought they’d be saddled with for life.
Death, Sex & Money
Listen if: You’d rather be listening to celebrity interviews.
Money isn’t the only topic on the table — host Anna Sale delves into all sorts of uncomfortable subjects with her guests, from ageism to losing a spouse — but it always gets to the dollar signs eventually. Celebrities and regular joes share the juicy details of their financial highs and lows, whether it’s Trevor Noah on how too much productivity can trigger his depression, John Waters on his work-life balance and being meticulous with his taxes (apparently you can’t deduct movie clothes if they have pockets), or how Pulitzer Prize-winning Broadway playwright Lynn Nottage quit her job and cashed in her 401(k) to pursue her dreams.
The Stacking Benjamins Show
Listen if: You want financial advice disguised as comedy.
If you miss the “morning zoo” era of talk radio, and you’re also pissed off by the high cost of groceries lately, this podcast is right in your sweet spot. Joe Saul-Sehy, who quit his job as a financial planner at 40 to become a high school teacher, hosts every episode from his mom’s “half-finished basement,” along with a rowdy roundtable of guests and recurring characters, with names like The Other Guy (“OG”) and My Mom’s Neighbor Doug. Saul-Sehy says he wanted his pod to be similar to the beloved radio show Car Talk, “where it didn’t seem like you were learning anything about cars.” Within all the comedy — and there are episodes devoted just to puns — you’ll end up learning something, whether it’s tips on tipping, why side hustles are a waste of time, or how the stock market actually works.
This Is Awkward
Listen if: You want your financial guidance with a hint of schadenfreude.
Hosts Chris Browning, a financial analyst, and Allison Baggerly, a teacher, get listeners to call in with some truly cringeworthy money tales. From relatives who always “forget their wallet” when it comes time to pay a restaurant tab to the ethical dilemma of hiding money from a spouse who can’t stop spending, it’s amazing to hear what people are willing to confess to strangers. And even if you’ve never suspected your in-laws of stealing from you, there’s always a financial lesson to be learned in the hot gossip.
Million Bazillion
Listen if: You want money explained to you like you’re 10.
Sure, it’s a pod made specifically for kids, introducing them to complicated money topics in a way that’s fun and unintimidating. But there’s no shame in listening to it as an adult, especially if you’re not 100 percent clear on what cryptocurrency is, or what’s happening with inflation, or even why things cost what they cost. Never fear, hosts Bridget Bodnar and Ryan Perez don’t speak with the slow cadence of kindergarten teachers, and you might even forget it’s written for people not yet old enough to have a job.
The Clark Howard Podcast
Listen if: You want a financial expert who’ll respond to you personally.
Clark — who, let’s be honest, looks like the guy at the neighborhood block party who can’t wait to tell you about his Tesla — is refreshingly non-douchey with his advice. In fact, he has a “Clark Stinks” segment every Friday, where he responds to listeners who think his advice is BS. He never presents himself as infallible and is eager to interact with his audience, regularly answering questions from listeners on topics ranging from getting a mortgage if you’re self-employed to beating winter heating costs to whether it’s cheaper to buy groceries or eat out.
David Weissberg
Follow Article Topics: Money-&-Career