You know what’s worse than having financial difficulties? Having someone talk down to you about your financial stress and offer advice when they don’t know your situation. Hard times happen, we have all been there (hello, 25 year old self) but instead of trudging through them by yourself, there are some ways you can get help where you are always in control. The best part? It’s right at your fingertips.
Podcasts
For those who are unfamiliar, podcasts are broken into “episodes” and nowadays you can find a podcast for just about anything. Since this is still a growing medium, there are new podcasts all the time. The episodes vary in length and each episode will give a little blurb in the description giving you an outline of the episode before you get too invested listening. The beauty of podcasts, is that you can download the episodes directly to your phone and listen to them when it’s convenient for you. We’ve researched (and listened to these, too) the many financial podcasts out there and found the ones that we think are the best from a user/listener standpoint.
The Dave Ramsey Show
Not just a best-selling author, personal finance expert Dave Ramsey now offers advice on managing your money through his podcast, The Dave Ramsey Show. His show has 4.5 stars and rave reviews. In our search for the best money management podcasts, this show was always included on the list. Episodes run for around 40 minutes and touch on a multitude of topics, so there is something for every situation. (Seriously there was an episode about buying cows on a loan, there’s something for everyone).
The best part of his show is that he takes in actual callers who are just like you and I and then answers the questions directly, so he’s not just talking at you based on what he THINKS people want to know and he takes the time to explain finance and investing terms that are confusing for the average listener. Also, he makes a point not to talk at his listeners, but talk with them and create a conversation. Nobody likes a know it all.
Like a Mother with Emma Johnson
Emma Johnson originally started with her blog, wealthysinglemommy.com, and turned that into an acclaimed podcast that caters to women of all ages, but most particularly, working single mothers. Five stars and episodes range anywhere from five minutes to an hour. Emma touches on topics of personal finance in a one income home, her take on current events, as well as topics that appeal to working mothers. She also frequently features guest speakers to offer more than one perspective. Her podcast and blog are vibrant and full of information that are actually interesting.
The best part of this show is that Emma doesn’t beat around the bush. She knows that your time is valuable and gets to the point. She is also very real and her episodes touch on topics that mean something to you. While she might ruffle some feathers with her commentary, we think her episodes are chalk-full of information for both our personal and financial lives.
Money Girl
For the person on the go, Money Girl, is a great podcast for you. Laura Adam is the creator and host of this show and she made our list for many reasons. First, she responds to questions that actual listeners are sending in. It’s not quite the open conversation dialogue that Dave Ramsey does, but it’s the same concept. Second, all of the episodes are 15 minutes or less. You can get some seriously helpful information in a short amount of time. Tune into an episode during your lunch break or taking a quick walk. Third, her shows are broken down into bite size pieces that are easy to consume.
The best part of this show is that these bite size pieces which Laura calls, “quick and dirty tips,” are actionable items that are relatively easy to put into use in your life. She doesn’t overwhelm you with information and makes becoming financially healthy an easier process by taking it one step at a time while being realistic.
The Clark Howard Show
This show is my personal favorite, for many reasons. Clark Howard is a financial expert but he’s also dedicated to helping consumers avoid bulls*t. His slogan is “Save more. Spend less. Avoid rip-offs.” This is exactly what he does. It also helps that he’s really easy to listen to since he’s got years of experience as a radio host. Not only does he host an (almost) daily podcast, he is also a very successful author. His advice is to help his followers get to a financially steady place regardless of their current budget.
The best part of this show is that the topics are ENDLESS, seriously. Plus, he doesn’t just regurgitate those age-old ways to save money and budget (that we’ve heard a thousand times), but sticks with the times and talks about finances in a way that’s not intimidating. Plus, he also acts as almost a public service announcement by pointing out scam tactics and other ways that people are trying to scam YOU out of money. All of his episodes are over an hour long so it’s a bit of an investment, but well worth the listen. Try once a week while you’re getting ready for work or cooking dinner.
Even if you don’t want to listen to financial advice via podcast, we would encourage to search through the many different channels and find a podcast that you would enjoy. Try swapping out the radio for a podcast during your commute once a week. Who knows, you might learn something new.
For more money management tips, check out our personal finance blog with free resources.