It’s one of my goals to make students our age more financially literate. One of the easiest and most entertaining ways to do so is simply listening to podcasts that focus on money, finances and our economy. I’ve brought together my top five podcasts that I think anyone who loves money and economics–and how these things work in our society–should be listening to!
First up is NPR’s own Planet Money Podcast. This podcast from National Public Radio always has interesting and informative shows on how money works in our world. It takes a global approach to many tricky issues and the journalists are all well-informed and highly experienced in economics. It stays entertaining and can turn the most dry concepts, like international trade, into something everyone can relate to.
Next is my personal favorite: the Freakonomics Podcast (based on the book by the same name) seeks to find the hidden side of everything. They take basic concepts of business and put a wild spin on it, turning every show into a truly mind-bending experience. Recent podcasts released include the discussions of Jane Austen being a game theorist, that tipping should be made illegal, and how Bo Jackson and midieval nuns have more in common than you think. If you don’t believe me, do yourself a favor and listen to an episode to get a taste of how Stephen Dubner and Steven Levitt approach economics. Before long, you too will be thinking about everything in terms of opportunity costs.
The MoneyGirl Talks podcast is a great tool for those who are new to finance and wanting to learn the basics. Laura Adams, author of multiple award-winning personal finance books, produces her own easily-digestible episodes that usually involve a “Top 5” format to bettering yourself financially. The only downside is that she often recycles old information and some of her tips may seem like common sense to those with experience in the world of finance.
The Dave Ramsey Show is a consistent, information-filled podcast that takes the best segments of his daily three-hour radio program and edits it into a daily podcast. Dave Ramsay is full of experience and expertise in the field of personal finance, but his conservative perspective on everything can make some of his opinions hard to agree with. For straight-forward, no-nonsense financial wisdom, though, Dave Ramsay is the best in his class.
Lastly, on the other end of the spectrum: APM Marketplace. Money Podcast focuses on current events and news relating to economics and finance. With a slightly liberal slant, the podcast succeeds in delivering everything you need to know about what is going on in the world of money, right now. Definitely the most informative podcast not only for money, but also for how it affects the world around us.
So there you have it. By listening to some of these podcasts daily, you will be a financial guru in no time! Next time you go to listen to music or browse the Internet, opt to find a quiet place, put on a good podcast, and learn something new!
