12 Best Personal Finance Podcasts to Make You Smarter About Money

Everyone wants to know these days: What are you listening to?

We still love a good book recommendation and a deep-cut Netflix tip, but what we’re all craving in 2021 is a podcast we can beam to our Airpods while we power-walk away our quarantine 15.

While true-crime stories and celebrities discovering WFH life dominate much of the podcast scene, the beauty of the medium is the variety at your fingertips — nearly all of it absolutely free to consume.

If you have money on your mind, there’s a podcast to help, whether you want education or commiseration.

12 Best Personal Finance Podcasts in 2021

Next time you’re clipping your coupons and working on your budget, tune your ears to one of these personal finance podcasts.

1. Planet Money

A perennial favorite, this long-running NPR segment and podcast Planet Money has a way of turning even the most complex or mind-numbing facets of economics into clear, often fun explanations about how money rules our world.

It won’t tell you how to budget or where to invest, but you can tune in for the short, 15- to 30-minute episodes twice a week to learn something that’ll make you sound smarter at a cocktail party.

2. HerMoney

Financial journalist and entrepreneur Jean Chatzky’s half-hour interviews in HerMoney dig into money issues with women in mind but without the froufrou lady branding. Topics range from expert tips to discussions on the psychology of money, all with the philosophy that “women need financial advice specifically for them.”

3. Bad With Money

Through interviews with experts and personalities, Bad With Money host Gaby Dunn answers some of our most personal and most pressing questions about money. Expect a lot of personality from the host, too, who is a journalist-actor-comedian.

From paying for mental health care to for-profit prisons to student loans and investing, you’ll find something to illuminate your relationship with money in this podcast, now in its seventh season. Episodes tend to hit the 45-minutes mark.

4. So Money With Farnoosh Torabi

In this thrice-weekly podcast, you’ll get everything from interviews with entrepreneurs to personal stories of financial success to personalized money advice from a journalist, author and personal finance expert.

In her popular So Money segment “Ask Farnoosh,” host Farnoosh Torabi answers questions from listeners about nitty gritty topics like taxes, retirement accounts and investing. Episodes run 30 to 50 minutes nad focus on how your relationship with money can help you live a richer, happier life.

5. Motley Fool Answers

One of a suite of podcasts from personal finance site The Motley Fool, Answers helps listeners make smart money moves. Hosts Alison Southwick and Robert Brokamp answer personal finance questions from listeners and break down timely money topics.

Most episodes are focused on investing — including maximizing your retirement accounts — as that’s the company’s specialty. But you’ll find plenty to learn about budgeting, saving, paying down debt and more.

6. The Clever Girl Knows

The Clever Girl Finance site is on a mission to pay down debt, save money and build wealth. The Clever Girl Knows podcast is its companion for your ears.

Host Bola Sokunbi, founder of Clever Girl Finance and a Certified Financial Education Instructor (CFEI), is dedicated to helping women take control of their finances. She cops to the money mistakes she made in her past, and she wants to help others like her overcome similar challenges and achieve financial wellness.

7. Frugal Friends Podcast

Hosts Jill Sirianni and Jen Smith (a former The Penny Hoarder writer) are the Frugal Friends. Through fun and accessible conversations and guest interviews, they share practical tips to help you spend less money.

From meal planning to travel hacking, you’ll find something to help you tighten your belt and still love life. Bonus: Every episode includes a listener-submitted “Bill of the Week,” where the hosts and audience get to celebrate a listener’s financial win.

8. Queer Money

Partners David Auten and John Schneider, the personal finance bloggers behind Debt Free Guys, host Queer Money to help LGBTQ listeners live debt free, be money conscious and enjoy life.

With expert guests, they cover money basics like what to do with your 401(k) when you change jobs, and intersectional topics like transgender health care and coming out at work.

9. Millennial Money

Certified financial planner Shannah Compton Game talks about the nitty-gritty of setting yourself up for financial success. Millennial Money is instructive with a tough-love approach, mixing interview episodes with 20-minute monologues from Game.

10. Paychecks & Balances

Host Rich Jones promises to make conversations about work and money fun, relatable and informative. Paychecks & Balances calls itself “money with a millennial spin,” but you don’t have to be a ’90s kid to find yourself nodding along with this show.

11. Brown Ambition

Brown Ambition is a weekly 60-minute show hosted by finance and business reporter Mandi Woodruff, and “The Budgetnista,” Tiffany Aliche.

The financial experts answer listeners’ pressing money questions on career, success, building wealth and navigating money in relationships.

12. Afford Anything

Host and founder of Afford Anything Paula Pant interviews money experts, entrepreneurs and celebrities, and answers listener questions about money, business and financial independence. Weekly episodes run about 90 minutes.

Dana Sitar (@danasitar) has been writing and editing since 2011, covering personal finance, careers and digital media. 

Lisa Rowan is a former writer for The Penny Hoarder.

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