Gas prices in the United States reached unprecedented highs in the summer of 2022, creating a significant challenge for consumers and contributing to elevated inflation. Gas prices have become a contentious political issue, sparking debates over who is accountable.

While the urge to find someone to blame is understandable, the reality of commodity prices is often complicated. Simple answers are frequently incomplete or inaccurate.

So, why did gas prices rise? Let’s take a closer look.

1

Where does the money we spend on gas go?

On average, the cost of gasoline breaks down like this.

• Cost of crude oil: 54%
• Refining costs and profit: 14%
• Distribution and marketing: 15%
• Federal and state taxes: 17%

This breakdown may change at any given time, but the differences are usually minor. Sometimes one or more elements of the price will surge and drive higher prices.

3

Why are gas prices different in different states?

The single biggest difference in gas prices from state to state is taxes.

Some states also require specific fuel blends to control emissions, which may be more expensive.

Transport costs also vary. The farther a state is from major refineries, the higher these costs will be. The high cost of piping fuel over the Rocky Mountains adds an additional cost for gas on the west coast.

4

Why is gas more expensive in summer?

Gas is usually more expensive in the summer. There are three reasons for that.

• People drive more in the warm months, creating additional demand for gas.
• The US requires the use of a different fuel blend in the summer to reduce emissions and air pollution. Summer-blend fuel is more expensive.
• The US hurricane season starts in June. Gulf Coast refineries are vulnerable to hurricane damage, which may cause supply interruptions.

The difference between summer blend and winter blend prices is usually three to six cents a gallon, though it may be increased by supply issues or unusually high demand.

5

How are oil prices set?

Oil prices are set in the global market by the global supply/demand equation. Oil prices are based on bids made by traders who buy and sell contracts for future delivery. These traders are constantly trying to anticipate supply and demand when the contracts mature.

There are two basic types of oil prices.

• The spot price is the price that you would pay to buy oil right now, for immediate delivery.
• The futures price is the price you would pay for a contract for delivery in the future. This price may vary with the delivery date: a three month contract might be different from a six month contract.

If a trader buys a contract for a future date and the contract price is lower than the spot price on that date, the trader has made money. If the spot price is lower than the contract price, the trader loses.

Oil traders bid based on the expected spot price when the contracts mature. They look at expected conditions in the future, but not very far in the future. Most contracts are for delivery in three to six months, and that’s the forward horizon traders consider. They are not concerned with conditions years down the line.

7

Why do oil prices change so much?

Oil is a very important commodity and relatively small changes in supply or demand, or even threats to supply and demand, can move prices dramatically.

Oil prices are extremely volatile, ranging from under $20/bbl to almost $140/bbl over the last 25 years.

Oil prices move in cycles. When supply is plentiful prices drop. That encourages oil use, and demand grows. Producers with high production costs stop pumping, cutting supply. Those trends increase demand and decrease supply, and prices rise.

When oil is expensive, users cut back and use less. Producers pump more to take advantage of the high price. That leads to lower demand and higher supply, and prices fall.

Outside of those broad cycles, many factors can affect prices. Political instability or war in producing countries can drive traders to rush to lock in supply, pushing prices up fast. Rapid economic growth can push demand up. Recessions push demand down, as we can see from the dramatic price drop in 2008.

The abbreviation BBL refers to a single barrel of crude oil. One oil barrel is 42 US gallons, approximately 159 liters or 35 imperial gallons.

You may come across these measures as well:

• kbbl or Mbbl – one thousand barrels
• MMbbl – one million barrels
• Gbbl – one billion barrels
• mbpd – million barrels per day

8

Do OPEC or oil companies control oil prices?

The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) does not directly set oil prices. They can influence supply by reducing or increasing output, which affects prices.

OPEC assigns production quotas to member countries. When oil prices are low they reduce these quotas to push prices back up. When prices are high they increase the quotas.

Members do not always follow these quotas if they feel that the quota conflicts with their national interests. Some members are unable to pump enough to fill their quotas.

What Is OPEC?

OPEC is an acronym for the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries. OPEC was formed in 1960 by Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela as an intergovernmental organization with an aim to regulate the worldwide supply of oil and its price. Many economists have cited OPEC as a textbook example of a powerful anti-competitive cartel.

Today OPEC has 13 member countries which in 2020 accounted for 37.13% percent of global crude oil production and 79.87% of the world’s “proven” oil reserves. Saudi Arabia is the biggest producer of all OPEC members, accounting for 9.5 million barrels per day.

A group called OPEC+ was formed in 2016 bringing together OPEC members and 10 non-OPEC oil-producing countries.

Oil companies earn high profits when oil prices surge, and some have accused them of price gouging. It’s true that companies could sell gas for less and still earn a profit. It’s also true that many companies have chosen to put money into share buybacks and dividends rather than expanding production capacity.

At the same time, the oil company business model is built around volatile oil prices. They lose money when prices drop and make up for it when prices are high. Oil companies would say that we have to look at profits averaged over both high and low periods to get a real picture of their operations.

9

Why do we have to worry about OPEC? Can’t we produce our own oil?

Oil prices are set in the global market, and the US price tracks the world price closely. Even if the US doesn’t use any OPEC oil, changes in OPEC production will still move the global price and the US price.

For example, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) produces around 3 mbpd of oil. Almost all of this is sold to Asian buyers. If the UAE stopped producing, the refiners that are now buying oil from there would look for other suppliers. Demand would rise and the price would go up for everyone, even countries that don’t use any UAE oil.

10

Why are oil prices so high right now?

Oil prices were in a cyclic high period from 2010 to 2014, with prices continuously between $80 and $110 per barrel.

Prices crashed in 2014 and stayed in a low band (with a brief spike in 2018) until 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic drove prices to extreme lows. This extended period of low prices drove many producers to reduce both production and investment in new production.

As demand recovered after the pandemic many producers were unable to increase production. Demand soared and supply couldn’t match it. OPEC in particular is pumping roughly 6 million barrels per day (mbpd) less than they were before the pandemic.

This supply shortfall was magnified by sanctions on Venezuela and Iran (which have the world’s largest and 4th largest reserves), export cuts due to political instability in Libya, and Russia’s war on Ukraine.

The US gasoline supply is also being hit by a lack of refining capacity. A large refinery in Louisiana shut down in 2021 after flood damage, and another refinery in Philadelphia closed after a serious fire. US refining capacity is down 1 mbpd from 2019. Refiners are also rushing to produce more profitable jet fuel as air travel ramps up again post-COVID.

12

Why does the US both export and import oil?

The US government does not control the sale and purchase of oil. US producers can sell to any buyer, foreign or domestic. US refiners can buy from any supplier, foreign or domestic. Aside from sanctions on some sellers and buyers, the government has little control.

Different refineries are designed to use different types of crude oil. Many refiners buy different grades of crude oil and blend them to get the ideal mix for their refineries. Some of these grades are not available from domestic producers.

Some refiners also have long-running supply relationships with foreign suppliers that they don’t want to disrupt. In some cases, the links are very close. One of the largest refineries in the US, in Port Arthur, Texas, is owned by Saudi Aramco, the Saudi Arabian state oil company. If they buy from Saudi Arabia they are buying from their own company.

14

Why do US Presidents always ask the Saudis to pump more oil when prices are high?

Whenever prices are high, US presidents ask the Saudis to pump more oil. There are several reasons for that.

• Reserve capacity. The Saudis are one of the only producers with a large reserve capacity. They are now pumping under 10 mbpd. Their official capacity is 12 mbpd. That may not be realistic, but they can certainly pump more than they are pumping.
• Central control. The Saudi government owns the oil industry and can change production levels with a single instruction. The US government can’t tell its producers how much to pump. The Saudi government can.
• Leverage. The Saudis rely on the US for military equipment and defense assistance in a potential conflict with Iran. In theory, this gives the US some leverage over the Saudis. In practice it doesn’t always work: the Saudis don’t always follow US requests.

When the US asks the Saudis to pump more oil, they are not asking the Saudis to send more oil to the US. It doesn’t matter who buys it. If more oil goes into the world market there is downward pressure on prices.

16

Has the cancellation of the Keystone XL pipeline affected US gas prices?

Shortly after taking office, President Biden canceled Keystone XL, a proposed branch of the existing Keystone pipeline. Some say this decision increased gasoline prices. Is it true?

The US currently imports near-record levels of oil from Canada, over 4 mbpd. Much of this oil is heavy, sour (high sulfur) tar sands oil. 

Some of this oil is used by US Gulf Coast refineries that used to use Venezuelan oil, which is very similar to tar sands oil. The rest is exported directly from US ports.

Canada is currently at near-record production levels and its oil is coming to market. Upgrades currently in progress to the existing Keystone and Trans-Mountain pipelines will carry more oil than Keystone XL would have.

Oil prices (again) are set in the global market, and in global terms, the impact of Keystone XL is a small drop in a large bucket, with minimal impact on prices.

18

What could the US do to make gas cheaper?

The US government actually does not have much power to reduce gas prices. The government does not control the oil industry (we’re not Saudi Arabia) and can’t order companies to increase output or open new refineries. Even if US output rose 1 mbpd to match peak levels the impact on global prices would not be large.

The government could reduce taxes, but as we saw above, state taxes are larger than federal taxes.

Dropping sanctions on Iran and Venezuela could increase supply and push prices down but it will take years for these countries to ramp up production. It wouldn’t be a quick fix.

So there’s not much government can do. If there’s one consolation, it is that oil price spikes do pass. High prices encourage producers to ramp up production and provide capital to expand. They also encourage users to cut back and use fuel more efficiently.

If history is any guide, prices will fall, not because of anything government does, but because that’s the way oil markets work.

The post Why Are Gas Prices so High? 18 Questions Answered! appeared first on FinMasters.

The Top Five Recipients of US Aid

The United States provides foreign aid to almost every country on the planet, though the amounts given vary widely. In 2023, for example, the largest recipient of aid, Ukraine, received $16.6 billion, while the country receiving the least aid, Qatar, received less than $16,050.

1. Ukraine

• Military Aid Received: $0 billion
• Economic Aid Received: $16.6 billion

2. Ethiopia

• Military Aid Received: $0 billion
• Economic Aid Received: $2

In 2023, Ethiopia received $2 billion in financial aid from the United States government, with all of the funds going toward economic rather than military purposes.

A plurality of the aid, $1.27 billion, came as humanitarian emergency-response aid.

The US also sent $344.8 million in aid for the country’s food security assistance, and $92 million for basic health, out of which $45 million went towards maternal and child health and $38 million to fight against HIV/AIDS.

3. Jordan

• Military Aid Received: $0.47 billion
• Economic Aid Received: $1.1 billion

Jordan receives the third-most US foreign aid of any country. The majority of the aid that Jordan receives is economic assistance rather than military aid.
The greatest portion of aid the country receives, $910 million, is spent on education, more specifically, $850 million went towards education policy and administrative management and  $63 million towards basic education.

The US also sent $470 million to Jordan for governance aid, including $430 million for security, $40 million for government and civil society expenses.

The remaining amount went towards humanitarian aid ($91 million), health and population ($89 million), administrative costs ($40 million), economic growth ($34 million) and infrastructure ($8 million).

4. Afghanistan

• Military Aid Received: $0 billion
• Economic Aid Received: $1.2 billion

In 2023, Afghanistan received $1.2 billion in financial aid from the United States government. $870 million was spent on humanitarian emergency-response aid, out of which $750 million came in the form of relief coordination, $86 million for material relief assistance and services and $26 million for emergency food assistance.

The next greatest portion of aid, $95 million, went toward the healthcare system, including basic health, maternal and child health and water supply and sanitation. The United States also provided $47 million for infrastructure, $44 million for governance and $43 million for agriculture.

5. Somalia

• Military Aid Received: $64 million
• Economic Aid Received: $960 million

Somalia received $960 in financial aid and $64 million in military aid in 2023. A generous amount of the financial aid went towards relief coordination ($870 million) and emergency food assistance ($90 million).

Out of the remaining amount, $46 million was used for developmental food aid, $22 million for basic education, $17 million for administrative costs, $15 million for agriculture and $11 million for the health sector.

Where Does US Foreign Aid Come From?

The United States has many different agencies that are responsible for providing financial aid to countries around the world.

The US Agency for International Development is the main provider of development aid. The agency’s mission statement includes promoting democratic values and advancing a free world through international development and disaster assistance.

Other agencies, such as the State Department, Peace Corps, and Environmental Protection Agency also provide foreign aid.

The military, through the Department of Defense and the individual branches of the Armed Forces, provides foreign aid in the form of military assistance and disaster relief.

Congress must budget aid funds. Congress typically votes on country-specific packages and on discretionary funds that can be applied quickly in the event of a humanitarian crisis.

Why Does the US Provide Foreign Aid?

There are many reasons for countries, including the United States, to provide financial aid.

Of course, there are altruistic reasons to provide financial aid. The United States is one of the most powerful nations and economies on the planet. It has the money to assist other countries that may not have powerful economies. The various forms of financial aid the US provides can go toward improving things like infrastructure and education in other countries.

However, the reality is that foreign aid is a powerful tool for accomplishing a country’s geopolitical goals.

The Lend-Lease program was one of the United States’ first major financial aid programs, providing nearly $700 billion (in today’s dollars) worth of military assistance to the Allies during World War II. This aid obviously benefited the United States in that it helped win the war.

The later Marshall plan aided reconstruction by providing US funds to badly damaged countries. Those countries gained, but the money also went largely to US industries that provided goods, keeping wartime industries open and productive.

Today, military and economic aid advance American goals in potentially more subtle ways. One way is that the US can promise aid to countries in exchange for their taking certain actions.

For a hypothetical example, the US could promise financial aid to a country that agrees to allow election auditors to ensure its elections are truly fair and democratic or to open its markets to American businesses and goods. This provides American companies with a new market.

Providing military assistance to nations where extremist groups are based can protect the United States by helping those nations prevent the growth of those groups in the first place.

Aid can also help build ties between the United States and foreign countries. In some cases, the US competes with geopolitical rivals to provide aid and help strengthen these ties.

For example, nations that receive significant aid from another country, but not the US, could be more willing to work with that other country in the future. This can mean worse trade deals for the United States and more difficulty developing trade with that market.

By providing aid, the US can increase its influence over foreign governments which can pay dividends down the road.

Ultimately, the United States offers foreign aid for the simple reason that the aid it sends to other countries is paid back in the form of stronger relationships and influence that make the United States more powerful economically or politically.

A clear illustration of how the US uses its aid to increase its influence can be seen in how its aid packages change when a country joins the United Nations Security Council. A 2006 study from the University of Chicago found that the United States offered an average of 59% more aid to nations when they joined the UN Security Council, the organization’s most powerful group. The aid provided by the US returned to normal levels once the nation left the Security Council.

Which Countries Give the Most Aid?

The United States is the top provider of international aid in terms of dollars, providing $54 billion in aid in 2023. Germany provided the next-largest amount of aid at $3.24 billion.

Top donors (in dollars):

• United States – $54 billion
• Germany – $3.24 billion
• European Commission – $2.87 billion
• Japan – $1.44 billion
• Sweden – $1.12 billion

When looking at aid provided compared to Gross National Income, the United States is much less generous than other nations, giving about 0.2% of the nation’s GNI. This is well below the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s recommended target of giving at least 0.7% of GNI.

Top donors (as a percentage of GNI):

• Luxembourg – 1.05%
• Sweden – 0.89%
• Norway – 0.86%
• Germany – 0.85%
• Denmark – 0.67%

Aid can be a controversial topic. Many people question why the government sends aid to developing nations when so many Americans are in financial distress. Foreign policy specialists typically reply that aid is a cost-effective way of extending American influence and that the trade and security benefits outweigh the costs.

That debate is not likely to end any time soon, and there is room for difference among informed opinions. Aid will continue to be debated, but it’s likely to be part of the US budget long into the future.

The post US Foreign Aid Per Country: Who Gets the Most? appeared first on FinMasters.

Facebook groups focused on personal finance attract people from all walks of life. Some of them are managing successful businesses. Others are aspiring digital nomads who aren’t sure how to file their taxes. Most will be somewhere in between. Don’t worry about not fitting in!

The moderators and members of Facebook groups are often not financial experts. Some may claim credentials or experience that they don’t actually have, and some may have ulterior motives. You should be skeptical and do independent research on any recommendations, especially if they involve investments or purchases. When making serious financial decisions, it’s always advisable to consult a professional to avoid misinformation problems.

We reviewed over 100 personal finance Facebook groups and selected 35+ of the best. Many of these can help you if you’re interested in getting better at making, spending, saving, borrowing, and investing money. Some groups offer broader advice in all things finance moderated by experts in the field, while others focus on one specific aspect of personal finance such as budgeting or debt.

Skip to:

• General Personal Finance Facebook Groups 
• Facebook Groups All About Budgeting or Saving
• Facebook Groups on Minimalism and Frugality
• Facebook Groups on Investing 
• Facebook Groups on Retirement
• Facebook Groups Discussing Credit 
• Facebook Groups for Emotional Support 
• Facebook Groups for Making Money

General Personal Finance Facebook Groups 

1. Financial Literacy

The group covers a variety of topics on all things finance, from budgeting to taxes. Be it insurance or the best way to start investing, the group has got you covered.

What makes this group stand out is that it connects personal finance and personal development topics in a single group.

2. The Personal Finance Book Club

For bookworms interested in personal finance, this group suggests great reads on the topic.

Members decide on two books each month and later gather to discuss what they’ve read. The topics may be serious, but the club members are laid back and receptive to your questions and ideas.

3. Dough Rollers

If you are into podcasts about personal finance covering a broad range of topics from earning money to saving and mindful spending, this group’s name might ring a bell.

Dough Rollers is a supportive community of breadwinners big on earning money. You can discuss investing, taxes, saving for retirement, and more.

4. Tips For Financial Success

The group members discuss every imaginable aspect of personal finances, be it mortgage, taxes, accounting, managing your credit score, loans or alimony.

The group has been active since 2014, so there’s a huge amount of information here. You may find the answer to some of your burning questions and a wide array of tips on achieving financial success, regardless of what that means for you specifically.

35+ Best Personal Finance Facebook Groups in 2022

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5. Your Money and Your Life

This group was founded by the non-profit media organization NPR. It’s another broad financial group that covers a wide array of topics about personal finance.

Even though the group was founded by NPR, information shared in the group comes mostly from its members and is based on their personal experiences.

6. Financially Intentional

Achieving financial freedom has a different meaning for everyone. Some define it in terms of paying off debt, while others seek to secure their children’s future.

Financially intentional is a community for sharing your financial struggles and achievements as well as learning from others who are also on a similar journey toward financial freedom.

7. Expats & International School Educators – Financial Advice

Managing your personal finances can be confusing, especially if you are working and living abroad. If you’re in this position, even setting up a retirement fund can seem out of reach.

If you are worried about investing and building your retirement account while teaching and living outside of your home country, this group has a lot of valuable insight to offer.

8. First Time Home Buyers Club

If you’re tired of renting, it may be time to dive deeper into what it takes exactly to get approved for a mortgage and buy a new home.

This group is for those who are shopping for a home for the first time and feel lost in a process that can be confusing even for veterans.

Facebook Groups All About Budgeting and Saving

9. Money Saving Hints, Tips and Ideas

Created in 2012, the group has over 300,000 supportive members that are passionate about saving. Expect to be first to know about bargains. You’ll also get plenty of helpful budget-saving ideas as well as a cleaning tip or two.

Members ask and answer various questions concerning budgeting, taxes, and purchases on e-commerce sites.

Struggling to start saving? Start here: Saving Money 101

10. Dollar Tree Projects & Money Saving Ideas

Do you feel crafty but give up after watching YouTube videos on creating $20 tables with $4000 worth of tools?

The members of this Facebook group have got your back. They are never out of ideas on exciting new money-saving DIY projects with affordable supplies from the Dollar Tree store.

11. Busy Budgeters – Cash Envelope System

Dave Ramsey, a personal finance advisor, suggests separating the cash you spend into several envelopes.

For example, your envelopes can be marked as:

• Rent
• Groceries
• Car
• Beauty
• Health

This simple but effective concept is popular with many budgeting groups on Facebook. It works because it makes it easier to see how much you’re spending in each category and what is draining your wallet the most.

Some group members have used this system to pay off massive amounts of debt and save for their future. If you need more ideas on how to personalize the method for your needs or need a community to help you stay on track, this group might be what you’re looking for.

12. Saving Money

Dave Ramsey’s envelope method didn’t work for you? Many other methods can help you save something for the rainy days.

Join this group for tips on saving and find out if there is somewhere you can cut back but may have overlooked while planning or if there’s a budgeting system out there that will meet your specific needs.

13. Budgeting for Women

Women who apply Dave Ramsey’s envelope technique for budgeting may have to add a couple more envelopes when tracking their finances. This is a budgeting group specifically aimed at the unique budgeting and financial needs of women.

If you’re a woman, this group has a lot of valuable info and budgeting ideas that can help take control of your finances and stop living paycheck to paycheck.

New to budgeting and not sure where to start? Read our guide on budgeting for beginners: Budgeting 101

14. Frugal Families- Living Well on a Budget

Managing your finances as an individual is tricky enough, but taking care of a family and staying on budget can require superhuman skills. You’ll have to balance the needs of different family members and make sure that every cent is well spent, and that’s not easy!.

This group is exclusively for frugal families that are looking for support while budgeting. To join the group, you’ll need to provide a photo with your family as proof.

The community you’ll meet there is about more than frugal living. They are committed to saving as much as they are committed to living well, two worlds that are difficult to balance.

Facebook Groups on Minimalism and Frugality 

15. The Minimalist Life

The way you manage your personal finances often has a lot to do with your overall lifestyle and spending habits. Minimalism in finances refers to spending on experiences before things and focusing on purchases that truly bring us value.

The group members remind us that it’s easy to try to fix our issues and problems by buying more and more stuff, but that might not always be the solution to our problems or lead to a fulfilled and happy life.

16. Frugal Money-Smart Minimalists

If you’re interested in minimalism but are on the lookout for a group that focuses strictly on finances, this might be it.

Living frugally and applying minimalist principles to your personal finances can save you a lot of money. Regular discussions with others pursuing the same philosophy can help keep you focused and provide new ideas.

Investment-Focused Facebook Groups 

17. Personal Finance and Investing

Going strong since 2016, the group shares information on different types of investing and ways to manage your personal finances. Considering the group’s versatility, it’s a good start for those who want to start investing but are still exploring their options.

The community is helpful, friendly, and encouraging for those who want to save, invest, or make more money.

18. Investing Ideas

If you want to start investing but don’t know where to start or fear taking a risk in investing, this group will give you plenty of ideas on stock-based investing.

The group is open to your tips and tricks on stocks, but you can also expect valuable information on stock picks and relevant research shared by other community members. Just remember not to get carried away by hot tips.

35+ Best Personal Finance Facebook Groups in 2022

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19. Retire on Dividends

As the name says, the group is all about dividend-bearing stocks, which effectively combine income and appreciation in a single investment.

It’s open to those who are just getting started and those who know their way around stocks.

Members learn from each other and share strategies they believe can even lead to retiring solely on dividends.

20. Stepping Out of Debt – A Women’s Finance Group

There is still a significant gap between the number of male and female investors. Women often avoid risks because they lack confidence in their knowledge of finance. Also, women frequently score much less on the tests that gauge financial literacy.

The group is made exclusively for women who want to regain control over their personal finances. That can mean getting out of debt, accumulating savings, and starting to invest. Members of this supportive community help each other see past the stereotypes about women and finance and gain full control of their financial lives.

21. Intelligent Investing & Budgeting

The group is mainly focused on investing and budgeting. You’ll find many tips on investing. The group also features regular monthly budgeting challenges you can join. At the end of the month, you decide if you want to invest or save the money that is left.

The moderator also shares articles and various resources that go beyond these two topics.

Retirement-Focused Facebook Groups

22. Financial Independence/ Early Retirement

Retiring early may seem like a far-off dream to many, but it is a final step towards achieving financial independence for the members of this group.

This group might be the right one for you if you want to get your personal finances in order and start planning for early retirement.

Learn more about a sure path to how you can retire early: How to Retire Early: The Shockingly Simple Path to Freedom

23. [FIRE] Financial Independence & Retire Early

The F.I.R.E (AKA Financial Independence, Retire Early) movement has gained a lot of traction in recent years. This is another group whose members are dedicated to retiring early, which for many means before the age of 35.

Learn from others who are using frugal living, investing, and saving to pave their way to early retirement.

24. Planning for Retirement

The F.I.R.E. movement is not for everybody. Some start planning for retirement after they are 35. Others may not even begin actively thinking about it until they are 60.

This group can give you a lot of insight on how others plan for their retirement, as well as some ideas you can apply to your own retirement plan.

If you’re looking for a friendly group with a strong sense of community, this will be one of your top picks.

Credit-Focused Groups

25. Credit Repair & Credit Building 101

Your credit situation may be different from the group members, but you’ll notice that there are some recurring questions. Some of these may include the ones you’d like to ask, and if they don’t, you can ask on your own!

The group is about all things credit. Members post the struggles and experiences that helped them repair or build credit, and help each other plan and execute strategies for improving their credit and gaining financial security.

Learn more about how to build credit, how to improve your credit score, or how to rebuild damaged credit.

26. Credit Talk

Whether you’re trying to get a loan, a car, an apartment, or applying for a job position, credit history matters.

This supportive and non-judgmental group is great for any question you may have about your credit report or credit status, no matter how embarrassing it might be.

Groups for Emotional Support 

27. Shopaholics Anonymous

Financial struggles are often caused by excessive spending sprees that feel like they are not under your control. It’s been a difficult year, and online shopping creates a convenient way for impulsive shoppers to indulge in shopping sprees and to hide their habits from others.

Members of the group understand what you are going through because they have all been there. They can provide the advice and support that you need to get your spending under control.

28. Surviving Student Debt

Do you need somewhere to complain about your student debt? You’re not alone. In 2020, 44.8 million students accumulated a debt of $1.64 trillion. With the cost of education rising every year, we can expect this number to increase.

The group members can answer your student debt questions and offer the emotional support that many people caught in the student debt trap need.

29. Mother’s Rights: Custody, Child Support and More

The group supports mothers who are dealing with a difficult other parent, unfair laws that limit their rights following the divorce, and so much more.

While other people in your life may be there for you, it is beneficial to talk about your struggles with someone who has the first-hand experience of the exact thing you are going through.

30. Father’s Rights: Custody, Child Support and More

Divorce is a messy and stressful process that is difficult for both parents. Laws that regulate custody and child support are particularly unfavorable and may be biased against male parents.

This community is for fathers who need support while going through this difficult period in their lives. It’s the place to vent, discuss issues, and receive much-needed emotional support.

Groups for Making Money

Saving and investing are important, but sometimes what you need is a community that will help you diversify your income. The pandemic has reminded us that traditional jobs do not always mean financial stability and job security. Many people have had to find new ways to earn money safely from their homes.

Some of these groups are great for creating an additional stream of income and learning new skills, while others have the potential to become full-time jobs.

Here are a couple of ideas for additional income:

• Teaching English with VIPKid
• Dog sitting with Rover
• Driving for Uber, Lyft, or delivery services
• Hosting Airbnb
• Creating designs for RedBubble, TeeSpring, etc. 
• Selling on Depop

If you’re looking for information on these and other work-from-home options, this group can provide them.

31. VIPKID Digital Nomads

VIPKid is a popular English teaching site where teachers can earn a living or cash on the side doing what they love. It is an opportunity for native English teachers (US, Canada) with TOEFL certificates to teach from home or on the go.

The group is exclusive for ESL teachers who are already teaching, preferably those who travel or intend to do so in the future.

If you want to connect with others who teach and have similar interests (e.g. yoga), there is a VIPKid group for everyone.

Learn more about teaching English with VIPKid.

32. Doordash, Uber Eats, Instacart, Postmates, Shipt Driver Support

The necessity of food delivery services skyrocketed as they replaced dining out in 2020. Demand for delivery drivers soared as well. The group is full of experienced and new delivery drivers that know what you might be going through and can offer you invaluable advice and tips on dealing with customers.

It’s also a safe place for you to let off steam after a hard day at work and share funny or scary stories that took place on your routes.

33. Women Uber Drivers & Women Lyft Drivers Rideshare

In 2020, 27% of Uber drivers were female. On top of regular difficulties of driving professions, women Uber and Lyft drivers have to face stereotypes about female drivers.

The group offers an encouraging environment for women to share their experiences as well as tips and tricks other members might deem helpful.

34. Airbnb Host Community – Vent, Recommend, and Discuss

Being an Airbnb host is a good way to bring in some additional income, but it certainly has its challenges.

This group connects Airbnb hosts from all over the globe in need of discussions, recommendations, and creates a place for them to share their stories of the good, the bad, and the ugly of hosting Airbnb.

35+ Best Personal Finance Facebook Groups in 2022

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35. Redbubble & TeeSpring Designers inc

Are you artistic and looking for a way to use your skills to set up a passive income? Sites for selling prints, such as Red Bubble and TeeSpring, Society6, and many others, are a good place to start.

RedBubble can work for you even if you don’t have prior graphic design experience. High-quality photos from vacation or designs created in Canva can bring you some side income. The good thing about Redbubble is that dealing with customers and putting prints on things is outsourced to their staff.

Not sure if your designs are any good or how to set up your Redbubble or Teespring shop for success? This group might help.

Its members can give you feedback on whether your designs work and give a couple of tips on tweaking your SEO to make your designs rank higher in the search bar.

36. Depop Community

Whether your sales aren’t going well on Depop or you joined one of the groups on minimalism and feel motivated to free up some space in your closet, this group can help.

A supportive community of fellow sellers on Depop can give you some tips on optimizing your profile, setting up the prices, and everything in between.

Which Personal Financial Groups Should You Join?

Your choice of Facebook groups will depend on your needs and goals. There are plenty of groups that cover many different topics. Others focus on one specific aspect of personal finance. Look for the type that suits your interests.

Look for a group where you fit in and feel comfortable. Start by reviewing the existing posts. See if the group feels welcoming and secure. Once you’re participating, assess what you read and the reactions you get. If you don’t feel good about the group, look for another one. It’s normal to try several groups before you find the one that suits you.

Money talk is perceived as inappropriate in many families and social groups. We all still have burning questions we would love to ask. Others have similar questions about finances as well as familiar struggles and worries. Sometimes it’s easier to talk to people that you don’t know and who won’t take your questions or problems personally or judge you for them.

Regardless of the group you send your join request to, you can expect to get advice and a supportive community to help you stay accountable on your path to economic independence. Just remember that your decisions are yours alone. Never assume that someone giving advice on Facebook is an expert working in your best interest! Follow up any suggestions with your own research. Don’t rely on links that are posted or given to you. Look for credible sources with other points of view as well. Consult a financial professional before making investment decisions or other financial commitments!

You can even drop by our Facebook page while you’re at it!

The post 35+ Best Personal Finance Facebook Groups in 2024 appeared first on FinMasters.

That benefit will end in January or February 2023, depending on your state.

That means most SNAP beneficiaries will see their benefits cut by at least $95, and in many cases, more. Recipients who are receiving Social Security payments may see additional cuts to their SNAP benefits.

Note: SNAP benefits used to be called “Food Stamps,” and many people still use that term. Paper stamps are long gone, of course. Today benefits are loaded onto an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card, which recipients can use to buy approved food items.

What Are Emergency Allotments?

Emergency allotments were part of the Federal government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. They were approved as part of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act of 2020, enacted on March 18, 2020.

The initial emergency allotments provided little or no increase in benefits to people already receiving the maximum benefit or close to it, who were typically the neediest recipients. The formula was adjusted by the Biden administration in January 2021, providing additional relief for the poorest beneficiaries.

When Will Emergency Allotments End?

The federal spending bill for 2023 states that all emergency allotments will be discontinued after the issuance of February 2023 benefits. February 2023 is the last month in which anyone will receive an emergency allotment.

Some states allowed emergency allotments to expire in January. In these states, recipients will not get an emergency allotment in February.

Which States Will End Emergency Allotments After January?

The following states will issue their last emergency allotments in January 2023. SNAP beneficiaries in these states will not receive an emergency allotment in February or after.

Residents of all other states will receive their last emergency allotment in February 2023.

How Much Will Be Cut From SNAP Benefits?

To understand the cuts in SNAP benefits, we have to look at how those benefits are calculated and at how much was added to them by the emergency allotments.

SNAP benefits are based on your family size, income, and assets. The formulas are complicated (it’s the government), but we only need to look at the basics.

For each family size, there’s an upper cutoff for income and assets. If your income and assets are above that level, you’re not eligible for SNAP benefits. This level may vary from state to state.

For each family size, there’s a minimum benefit and a maximum benefit. The neediest households with the lowest income and asset levels will get the maximum benefit. The least needy eligible families will get the minimum benefit.

How Large Were the Emergency Allotments?

The emergency allotment rules stated that recipients would get the maximum for their family size or an additional $95, whichever is greater.

A family already receiving the maximum would get an additional $95.

Our hypothetical 2-person family receiving the minimum of $16 would have their benefits boosted to the maximum for their family size, or $459. That’s a difference of $443.

Different states delivered the emergency allotments in different ways, Some people got the full amount at the start of the month, and some received the emergency allotment as a separate deposit to their EBT cards halfway through the month.

The total reduction in food purchasing power from the cuts has been estimated at $2.5 billion to $3 billion, much of it cut from the budgets of highly vulnerable families^[2].

Why Are Emergency Allotments Ending?

Emergency allotments were designed to address temporary food needs during the COVID-19 pandemic. They were never intended to be permanent.

The legislation that created emergency allotments allowed them to continue as long as a public health emergency was in place. The government has extended the public health emergency declaration until April, but they have decided to end emergency allotments earlier.

Some critics have claimed that unemployed beneficiaries stay out of the workforce because they would rather collect SNAP benefits than work. This is claimed to be worsening the labor shortage.

Note: SNAP recipients who are of working age and not disabled cannot retain their benefits if they quit a job or refuse to take one that is offered. They must also participate in employment and training programs.

Others have advocated keeping emergency allotments in place, pointing out that while the impact of COVID-19 may have faded, the rampant inflation of 2022 has had an even greater impact on the food budgets of economically marginal families.

Data support this point: food prices increased 10.6% from November 2021 to November 2022 and are expected to rise another 3.5% to 4.5% in 2023^[3]. This has a disproportionate impact on poor people, who spend a high percentage of their income on food.

Why Will Social Security Recipients See Greater Cuts?

The calculation of SNAP benefits includes Social Security benefits as income. When your income goes up, your SNAP benefits get smaller.

Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) beneficiaries receive a Cost of Living Adjustment, or COLA, every year. Because of the impact of inflation, the COLA for 2023 is relatively large. Benefits will see an 8.7% increase^[4].

Social Security recipients who are also receiving SNAP benefits will see their SNAP benefits reduced because of their increased income. If the COLA increase raises their income above the SNAP qualification threshold, they will lose their SNAP benefits completely.

Will Any SNAP Benefits Rise?

The maximum monthly benefit for each family size will rise in 2023.

Change in Monthly Benefits From Fiscal Year 2022 to 2023

Source: USDA. This applies to 48 states and the District of Columbia; Alaska and Hawaii are calculated separately.

In some cases, particularly for larger households, this increase may be enough to make up for the end of the emergency allotments.

Who Does SNAP Serve?

SNAP is America’s largest means-tested assistance program. Here are a few key SNAP statistics.

• 41.5 million Americans received SNAP benefits in 2021, almost 6 million more than in 2019.
• The number of SNAP recipients fell steadily from 2012 to 2019 and increased in 2020 and 2021.
• Over 66% of SNAP recipients are families with children.
• 86% of SNAP benefits go to a household containing a child, elderly person, or person with disabilities.
• 92% of SNAP benefits go to families living below the federally designated poverty line.
• Only 4% of SNAP beneficiaries also receive welfare (Temporary Assistance to Needy Families or TANF) payments.
• An approximate breakdown of SNAP recipients: 37% White, 26% African American, 16% Hispanic, 3% Asian, 2% Native American, and 16% “race unknown.”
• About 36% of SNAP recipients get the maximum allotment for their family size.

SNAP is administered by the US Department of Agriculture and managed through state agencies. It provides funds that can only be spent on approved food items. It is widely regarded as one of the most efficient and effective public assistance programs in the country.

The post SNAP Benefits 2024: Food Stamps Benefits are Being Reduced appeared first on FinMasters.

Let’s take a closer look.

How Shark Tank Works

Each season, businesses compete for the chance to present their plans on the show. The showrunners select 100 entrepreneurs they want to work with. These investors get to pitch their deal to investors – the “sharks” – who may (or may not) choose to invest.

Owners typically ask the sharks to pay a fixed sum for a percentage of the company’s ownership. The sharks come back with their offers, if they are interested, and owners can make a counter-offer.

Only two-thirds of the selected businesses actually get a deal with the investors, with the average deal netting over $300K. According to Forbes, most of the featured businesses never get a chance to realize their expansion plans due to investors making last-minute changes.

While these figures change from season to season, company owners still flock to the show in hopes of landing a life-changing infusion of capital.

Learn more: Explore 5 effective ways to get money to start a business, helping you turn your entrepreneurial dreams into reality

20 Best Shark Tank Products

After all of the competition on Shark Tank is done, though, how do the companies do? Do the products pass the final test of acceptance in the market?

Let’s look at some of the best 20 Shark Tank products:

1. Scrub Daddy Sponges

• Company: Scrub Daddy
• Owner: Aaron Krause
• Appeared on Shark Tank: 2012
• Investor: Lori Greiner
• Current Valuation: Over $200 million

Aaron Krause essentially invented the Scrub Daddy sponge by accident. Looking for a way to clean machinery, he ordered a tailor-made foam from a German company, later discovering that it had a unique ability to remove even the harshest stains.

Krause’s Shark Tank presentation was well received, kicking off a bidding war among the sharks. The winner was Lori Greiner, who offered Krause $200,000 for 20% ownership of the company.

The business immediately took off, with Scrub Daddy products soon available in Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Kroger, Target, and many more. In 2014, the Scrub Daddy sponge was named the most successful Shark Tank product ever.

Today, Scrub Daddy is the third-largest manufacturer of sponges in the US and has expanded its product range with new offerings. The Company is estimated to be worth well over $200 million, with Greiner’s 20% stake – bought for $200,000, now worth over $40 million.

2. Sleep Styler Hair Roller

• Company: Sleep Styler
• Owner: Tara Brown
• Appeared on Shark Tank: 2017
• Investor: Lori Greiner
• Current Valuation: $130 million

Sleep Styler’s Tara Brown made one of the quickest deals in Shark Tank history. Lori Greiner took one look at her product – rollers made of memory foam and yoga towel fabric that style hair while the user sleeps – and offered $75,000 for a 25% stake in the company.

Within two years, Sleep Styler had delivered $50 million in retail sales and was selling through dominant retailers like Amazon and Wal-Mart, firmly establishing itself as one of the best Shark Tank products.

3. The Ring Video Doorbell

• Company: Doorbot
• Owner: Jamie Siminoff
• Appeared on Shark Tank: 2013
• Investor: None
• Current Valuation: Acquired by Amazon in 2018 for over $1.2 billion

One of Shark Tank’s most successful products comes from a company that walked away from the show with nothing. When Jamie Siminoff pitched his product – a wifi-enabled doorbell that lets you see and talk to whoever is on the other side of the door – on Shark Tank, only one investor made an offer, and Siminoff found it unacceptable.

Siminoff left Shark Tank with nothing, but his luck soon changed. While his appearance on the show didn’t net an investment, it did lead to an estimated $5 million in sales. In 2016, Shaquille O’Neal made an investment, and the company rebranded as Ring, subsequently raised $200 million in private capital.

Ring subsequently introduced a suite of connective home security products. The company was acquired by Amazon in 2018 for a price estimated at between $1.2 and $1.8 billion, a big step up for a company that had failed to make the grade on Shark Tank.

Learn more: Dive into our analysis of the best tech stocks & ETFs, perfect for investors aiming to capitalize on technological advancements.

4. EverlyWell Home Medical Test Kits

• Company: EverlyWell
• Owner: Julia Cheek
• Appeared on Shark Tank: 2017
• Investor: Lori Greiner
• Current Valuation: $2.9 billion

Julia Cheek, the founder of Everlywell, made an appearance on Shark Tank in 2017, looking to sell a 5% stake in her company in return for $1 million. Everlywell is a manufacturer of at-home test kits for a variety of medical conditions.

The sharks balked at that deal, but one of them, Lori Greiner, offered a $1 million line of credit at 8% interest in exchange for 5% of the company, and Cheek accepted the deal.

Two years after the episode aired, Everlywell had recorded $65 million in sales and was available in over 2000 outlets, including CVS and Target. In 2020, the company raised $175 million in Series D funding from a consortium of investors, including fund management titan BlackRock.

Everlywell hit an additional windfall bonanza by selling at-home test kits for COVID-19. In 2021, Everlywell acquired PWNHealth and Home Access Health Corporation, with the combined entity valued at over $2.9 billion.

That means that Lori Greiner’s 5% stake, acquired in exchange for an interest-bearing $1 million line of credit, is now worth roughly $80 million. They call them sharks for a reason!

Learn more: Discover the best healthcare stocks & ETFs to consider for your investment portfolio in our latest financial analysis.

5. Stasher Bags

• Company: Stasher
• Owner: Kat Nouri
• Appeared on Shark Tank: 2018
• Investor: Mark Cuban
• Current Valuation: Acquired for an undisclosed sum

Stasher bags are reusable, airtight, dishwasher-safe and freezer-safe bags designed for food storage. They are made of food-grade silicone and can be microwaved, boiled, and heated up to 400°F. They can be used up to 3,000 times, appealing to consumers concerned with health and the environment.

Founder Kat Nouri packed her bags and took them to Shark Tank in 2018, asking for $400,000 in return for 5% of her company, implying a valuation of $8 million. Mark Cuban offered $400,000 for 15% equity and Nouri accepted, but the deal later fell through.

Nouri didn’t win over a shark, but she found a whale: household brands specialist acquired Stasher for an undisclosed sum in 2019.

6. Simply Fit Board

• Company: Simply Fit
• Owners: Gloria Hoffman and Linda Clark
• Appeared on Shark Tank: 2015
• Investor: Lori Greiner
• Current Valuation: Unknown

Simply Fit Board is an exercise board that is supposed to build core strength and balance.

When Gloria Hoffman and Linda Clark, the inventors of the Simply Fit Board, brought their product to Shark Tank in 2015 they already had over $1 million in sales and were looking for funding to ramp up production.

The company received offers from Kevin O’Leary and Lori Greiner and accepted Greiner’s offer of $125,000 for 15% of their company. Sales took off after the episode aired, and by the end of 2016 over 1 million of the boards had been sold.

There’s no clear valuation available for the company, but purely on the basis of sales, the Simply Fit Board has to be considered one of the best Shark Tank products.

Learn more: Enhance your investment strategy by learning about 12 essential valuation ratios every investor should know.

7. The Original Comfy Wearable Blanket

• Company: Cozy Comfort
• Owners: Brian and Micheal Speciale
• Appeared on Shark Tank: 2017
• Investor: Barbara Corcoran
• Current Valuation: $150 million

Brothers Brian and Micheal Speciale came to the show in 2017 to pitch a “wearable blanket” – an oversized hoodie with a fleece interior and a soft microfiber exterior. Shark Tank’s Barbara Corcoran decided to give Comfy a chance and invest in their clothing line even though they didn’t have any products produced at the time.

Corcoran gave the brothers $50K for 30% of the company. Sales promptly took off, hitting #43 million in 2019 and $65 million in 2020.

Comfy hit hard times in 2021, with supply chain issues hitting inventory and the US Customs Service increasing their bond. CEO Susan Hudson was fired and sued the company, claiming that “the Speciale Brothers and Corcoran continually gorged on the company’s profits.” Both Corcoran and Brian Speciale sold their stakes. Michael Speciale is still in charge of the company and is trying to guide it to a recovery.

Valuation estimates vary, but it’s safe to say that the company is now worth over $200 million.

Learn more: Our post breaks down the average clothing cost per month, giving you insights into typical consumer spending habits.

8. Kodiak Cakes Pancake Mix

• Company: Kodiak Cakes
• Owners: Joel Clark and Cameron Smith
• Appeared on Shark Tank: 2013
• Investor: None
• Current Valuation: $160 million

Kodiak Cakes came to Shark Tank with a new take on a grocery staple: packaged pancake mix. In a nod to modern sensibilities, Kodiak Cakes assembled a pancake mix with whole grains and added protein.

Joel Clark had been building Kodiak Cakes up, with mixed results, since 1997. In 2013, he went to Shark Tank with new partner Cameron Smith, asking $500,000 for 10% ownership of the company. Three different sharks made offers, but they were unable to make a deal and left the show without an investment.

As with several other cases, the exposure the show brought compensated for the failure to gain an investor. Sales skyrocketed. The company diversified its product mix, found new investors, and earned $200 million in revenue in 2020. Kodiak Cakes is now valued at approximately $160 million, and the pancake mix that couldn’t land a shark is one of Shark Tank’s best products.

9. The Squatty Potty By Squatty Potty LLC ($208 million)

• Company: Squatty Potty LLC
• Owners: Bill, Judy, and Bobby Edwards
• Appeared on Shark Tank: 2014
• Investor: Lori Greiner
• Current Valuation: $24 million

Squatty Potty is one of the most-sold Shark Tank products ever. It’s basically a plastic stool designed to support using the toilet in a squatting position, which is believed to relieve constipation, hemorrhoids, and other colon problems.

Squatty Potty made its debut on Shark Tank in 2014. The Edwards family came away with a deal: Lori Greiner offered them $350K for 10% ownership.

In 2021, consumer products firm Aterian acquired Squatty Potty LLC for approximately $24 million.

Learn more: Explore the key differences in sole proprietorship vs LLC to determine the best structure for your business.

10. Plated Meal Kits

• Company: Plated
• Owners: Nick Taranto and John Hicks
• Appeared on Shark Tank: 2014
• Investor: Kevin O’Leary
• Current Valuation: Acquired for $300 million

Plated is a subscription meal kit service serving 80% of the continental USA. Subscribers get meal kits delivered to their door, with prepared and portioned ingredients, most locally sourced, and instructions for assembly.

The service lets customers enjoy home-cooked meals without shopping and prep time, removing time and effort from meal preparation. All you have to do is enter your zip code, get a list of meal options for your area, and order.

Mark Cuban offered $500,000 for 5.5% of the company, and owners Nick Taranto and John Hicks accepted. The deal fell through, but shark Kevin O’Leary subsequently invested. Plated was acquired by Albertson’s Supermarkets in 2019 for $300 million.

Learn more: Learn how stores trick you into spending more and arm yourself with strategies to resist these tactics in our latest post.

11. PhoneSoap Smartphone Sanitizer

• Company: PhoneSoap
• Owners: Wesley Laporte and Dan Barnes
• Appeared on Shark Tank: 2015
• Investor: Lori Greiner
• Current Valuation: $5 million

Wesley Laporte and Dahn Barnes came to Shark Tank, offering a combination phone charger and sanitizer. The device uses UV light to kill bacteria: the founders noted on the show that a typical phone is 18 times dirtier than any surface in a public bathroom.

After some shark debate, Lori Greiner offered $300,000 for 10% of the company, and the owners accepted.

The company is currently the 13th largest Shark Tank company, with annual revenues of around $13.5 million and lifetime sales of $187 million. The estimated value of the company is $5 million.

Learn more: Discover how to make money with your phone using our practical tips and ideas that turn your device into a revenue source.

12. Kitu Super Coffee

• Company: Kitu Life
• Owner: Jordan DeCicco
• Appeared on Shark Tank: 2018
• Investor: None
• Current Valuation: $400 million

Kitu Super Coffee is another example of a company that failed to make a deal with a shark but went on to become one of the best shark tank products anyway.

The founder of Kitu, Jordan DeCicco, developed a coffee-based lactose-free sports energy drink while still in college, after becoming aware of the high amounts of sugar and other additives in sports-related beverage products.

Jordan and his brothers designed and launched an organic coffee drink with coconut oil-based nutritious fats and lactose-free proteins. The brothers promoted their drink on Shark Tank in 2018, asking for $500,000 for 5% of the company. The sharks weren’t impressed with the product or the deal and passed.

Patrick Schwarzenegger (Arnold’s son) saw the episode and later invested, along with other venture capitalists. 2021 sales were around $97 million, and the company was valued at around $ 400 million.

You don’t need to convince a shark to turn a Shark Tank appearance into a deal!

13. Tipsy Elves Sweater

• Company: Tipsy Elves
• Owners: Evan Mendelsohn and Nicklaus Morton
• Appeared on Shark Tank: 2013
• Investor: Robert Herjavec
• Current Valuation: $125 million

Tipsy Elves turned ugly sweaters into handsome profits. Lawyer Evan Mendelsohn got the idea when he saw a spike in searches for ugly Christmas sweaters, and recruited dentist Nicklaus Morton to be his partner.

The company’s line of humorous Christmas-focused sweaters made a splash on Shark Tank, convincing Robert Herjavec to pay $100,000 for a 10% stake in their company.

The company expanded, introduced new designs, and by 2016, was sporting $20 million in sales every year. By 2019, the company was valued at $125 million.

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14. Love Pop Pop-up Cards

• Company: Love Pop
• Owners: Wombi Rose and John Wise
• Appeared on Shark Tank: 2015
• Investor: Kevin O’Leary
• Current Valuation: $130 million

Wombi Rose and John Wise founded Lovepop to create unique pop-up cards using 3D planes and shapes. They made their Shark Tank debut in 2015 and scored a $300K deal for 15% ownership with one of the show’s mentors, Kevin O’Leary.

Since then, the deal secured them over $80 million in sales, with the company’s value now reaching over $100 million.

15. Flowers By The Bouqs

• Company: The Bouqs Company
• Owner: John Tabis
• Appeared on Shark Tank: 2013
• Investor: None
• Current Valuation: Over $100 million

John Tabis came to Shark Tank in 2013 to pitch his fresh flower delivery service. Bouqs simplifies fresh flower shipping by charging a flat fee and offering a subscription service that allows users never to forget an occasion.

Learn more: Discover the steps to successfully sell plants online from home in our detailed and practical case study.

Tabis asked for $258,000 for 3% of the company. The sharks thought that the valuation was too high, and all of them passed: Tabis did not get a deal. Unfazed, Bouqs went on to prosper. In 2016, Robert Herjevac, one of the sharks who passed on Bougs, ordered flowers from the firm and was so impressed that he invested money in the firm three years after its Shark Tank episode aired.

As of April 2022, Bouqs was a thriving business with $59 million a year in revenues, another Shark Tank reject that went on to become one of Shark Tank’s best products.

Learn more: Our guide on the best delivery services to work for highlights top choices for those seeking rewarding courier jobs.

16. Kismet Waves Shirt

• Company: Buttercloth
• Owner: Danh Tran
• Appeared on Shark Tank: 2018
• Investor: Robert Herjavec
• Current Valuation: $15 million

Buttercloth offers a special soft cotton blend that makes dress. After drawing investments from Gary Falkenberg and NBA star Metta World Peace, Buttercloth owner Danh Tran took the shirts to the Shark Tank in 2018.

Robert Herjavec offered $250,000 for 25% of the company, and Tran eventually accepted. As of November 2022, the company was generating $6 million a year in revenue and was valued at an estimated $15 million.

17. Rocketbook Smart Reusable Notebook

• Company: Rocketbook
• Owners: Jake Epstein and Joe Lemay
• Appeared on Shark Tank: 2013
• Investor: None
• Current Valuation: Acquired for $40 million (2020)

Jake Epstein and Joe Lemay launched Rocketbook in 2013, blending old school with high tech with erasable notebooks that can exchange notes with cloud-based services like Google Drive.

Jake and Joe appeared on Shark Tank in 2017, asking for $400,000 for 10% of the company. They failed to score a deal but carried on with the business. In 2016, they raised over $500,000 on Kickstarter, and in 2020, pen maker BIC acquired Rocketbook for $40 million.

18. Bangles By Bala

• Company: Bala
• Owners: Max Kislevitz and Natalie Holloway
• Appeared on Shark Tank: 2013
• Investor: Maria Sharapova and Mark Cuban
• Current Valuation: $52 million

Max Kislevitz and Natalie Holloway built Bala to combine fashion and fitness, selling wearable wrist and ankle weights that don’t look like weights.

All of the sharks made offers, but the winning bid came from Mark Cuban and guest investor Maria Sharapova, who offered $900,000 for 30% of Bala.

In 2023, the company is generating $29 million in annual revenue and is reportedly worth $50 million.

19. ReadeREST Magnetic Eyeglass Holder

• Company: ReadeREST
• Owner: Rick Hopper
• Appeared on Shark Tank: 2012
• Investor: Lori Greiner
• Current Valuation: $4 million

Rick Hopper, the founder of ReaderREST, set out to make money out of the perennial problem of lost glasses. He developed a holder that lets users clip their glasses securely to their clothes.

Hopper brought his product to Shark Tank in 2012 and immediately got the attention of Lori Greiner, who offered a $150K deal for 65% ownership.

ReadeREST sold $13 million worth of products in the next three years, and by 2023 was producing revenues of $5 million a year.

20. Lobster Rolls By Cousins Maine Lobster

• Company: Cousins Maine Lobster
• Owners: Sabin Lomac and Jim Tselikis
• Appeared on Shark Tank: 2012
• Investor: Barbara Corcoran
• Current Valuation: Over $50 million

How well does a lobster do in a Shark Tank? Maine-born cousins Jim Tselikis and Sabin Lomac started out in 2011 with a single food truck in Los Angeles. A year later they took their signature Lobster Rolls to the Shark Tank.

Not all of the sharks were impressed, but Barbara Corcoran made a deal: $55,000 for 15% equity in the business.

By 2016, the company had 20 food trucks in 13 locations, a fast-casual restaurant in LAS, and an e-commerce business shipping lobster products and other items nationwide. In 2023, the company has over 50 outlets and annual sales of $50 million.

Conclusion

As you can see from this list, many of the best Shark Tank products didn’t get an investment from the show. That doesn’t mean their appearance was worthless or wasted. The exposure they got on the show often drove significant sales and attracted other investors.

There are lessons there for people who are put off by the cost of starting a business. Use your imagination, don’t be afraid to ask for investment, don’t give up if you don’t get an offer… and consider appearing on Shark Tank!

Learn more: Explore the often-underestimated role of luck in financial success and why it might be more influential than you realize.

The post The Best Shark Tank Products: 20 That Made It appeared first on FinMasters.

Interest Rates in Borrowing

When you’re borrowing money, the interest rate is the price a lender charges for your use of their money.

The interest rate a lender charge is based on several factors, such as:

1. What is the prime interest rate is
2. The borrower’s credit rating
3. The loan type
4. The lender’s perception of the risk they’re taking

Let’s break these factors down a bit.

1. The Prime Rate

Lenders set their interest rates based on what’s called the Federal Funds Rate. The Federal Reserve sets this rate. This is the rate that banks charge when they lend to other banks.

The prime interest rate or prime rate is the typical interest rate banks charge to the best (least risky) borrowers. In most cases, these are corporate borrowers, and few individuals will qualify. The prime rate is usually around three percent above the fed funds rate. Each bank sets its own rate. The quoted “prime rate” is an average of the prime rates that major banks charge at a given time. As of January 2023, the prime rate is 7.5%.

The prime rate is used as a basis for calculating other types of interest rates, which are often expressed as the prime rate plus a fixed percentage. For example, a variable interest rate may be the prime rate plus 5% or 5% above the prime rate during any given period.

2. The Borrower’s Qualifications

Lenders and credit card issuers base their interests on the perceived risk posed by a borrower. The riskier the transaction, the higher the interest rate will be.

Your credit score is the main tool that borrowers use to evaluate risk, and it has a direct impact on the interest rate you’ll pay. This is true whether you use mortgages, loans, credit cards, or other types of credit. The better your credit score, the better chance you have of paying lower interest rates on the money you borrow.

For example, “subprime” borrowers (credit scores from 501 to 600) paid an average interest rate of 12.93% on car loans in Jan. 2023. Borrowers with “super prime prime” credit scores (781 to 850) paid an average of 3.84%.

Lenders will also consider other factors in their risk assessment, including your education, income, employment history, and debt-to-income ratio.

3. The Loan Type

Lenders charge different interest rates for different types of loans. Secured loans, like a mortgage or car loan, often carry lower rates than unsecured loans, like personal loans or credit cards. That’s because the lender can seize the collateral that secures the loan if you don’t pay. If your loan is unsecured, the lender has fewer options.

Different loans also carry different levels of risk. Most borrowers will prioritize mortgage or car payments over credit card payments, and unsecured loans that can be discharged in bankruptcy carry more risk than secured loans.

For example, the average mortgage interest rate for a 60-month car loan in Jan. 2023 was 4.07%. The average interest rate on a new credit card was 19.07%.

Mortgage Interest Rates

Mortgage interest is a bit different from most other interest rates. A mortgage is one of the only loans that an ordinary borrower with good credit can get at below the prime rate. On Jan. 12, 2023, the prime rate is 7.25% and the average 30 year fixed mortgage rate is 6.25%.

This variance occurs for two reasons:

• Mortgages are long term loans, generally 30 years.
• Mortgages are usually sold in a secondary market, where they compete with bonds for investment buyers.

Because of these factors, mortgage rates tend to be based on bond rates and overall market conditions rather than the short-term prime rate.

Fixed and Variable Interest Rates

Loan companies offer two types of interest rates on loans: fixed rates and variable rates. A fixed interest rate on loan guarantees that you’ll be charged the same interest rate throughout the life of the loan.

If you take on a loan with a variable interest rate, the percentage of interest you’re paying on the loan can (and probably will) fluctuate over time. The interest will usually be the prime rate plus a defined “spread” above that rate.

Many variable interest rate loans offer initial interest rates that you will pay for a fixed period. This rate is usually below the prevailing rate for fixed-rate loans. However, variable rate loans don’t come with the security that fixed rate loans do. When you sign up for a variable rate loan, you’re taking a gamble that the initial lower rate will result in a lifetime of less interest paid. If interest rates go up, the variable interest rate on your loan could go up as well.

Only you can decide if this is a gamble worth taking. Consider the term of the loan: the longer the loan term, the greater the potential for interest rate fluctuations. Also, consider the terms of the variable rate. Most variable rate loans specify the frequency with which your rate can increase, a maximum amount that it can increase at one time, and a maximum rate. All of these factors affect your choice.

Annual Percentage Rates (APR)

When you borrow money or establish a revolving credit line, you may see two figures cited: the interest rate and the Annual Percentage Rate or APR. The APR will be a larger number.

The APR represents the total cost of the credit you are taking on, including the interest and any fees or other costs. If the loan has no costs other than interest, the interest rate and APR will be the same.

You might find two lenders both offering a 5% interest rate on a loan. However, the APR (which must be disclosed on loan papers) for the two loans might be different due to fees and other costs involved with the loan.

It’s important to look at the APR before you sign any loan papers. The APR can give you a more accurate picture of the total cost of the credit you’re applying for.

Interest Rates in Saving and Investing

When you’re saving or investing your money, the interest rate is the money that the bank, bond issuer, or account provider pays you for the use of your money.

If you use someone else’s money, you pay for the use of that money. When someone else uses your money, they pay you for the right to use it.

Interest on Bank Accounts

This occurs when you keep money in a savings account, money market account, certificate of deposit, or other interest-bearing accounts. That money doesn’t just sit in a vault: the bank uses it. They lend it to other people and pay you a portion of their earnings as interest.

Banks charge a higher interest rate for money they lend than the interest rates they pay to deposit account holders. The difference in the two interest rates, called the “spread”, is where the bank earns its profits.

Bond Interest

When you invest in bonds, you are lending money to the bond issuer. The bond issuer pays you interest on the money it has borrowed. Like loan interest rates, bond interest rates are higher when the borrower is perceived as a high risk.

The same distinction applies to corporate bonds. Rating services evaluate a company’s creditworthiness and assign the company a rating from AAA down to D. That rating is essentially the company’s credit score: highly rated bonds pay lower interest than low-rated “junk” bonds.

Bonds usually pay higher interest than bank accounts because you are lending the money yourself and the interest on the loan goes only to you. When a bank lends the money you have on the deposit, you share the interest paid by the borrower, and the bank generally gets a bigger cut.

Remember that stock market investments and many other investments do not pay interest at all. Actual or expected gains that come from appreciation in asset value are not interest and should not be treated as interest.

Annual Percentage Yield

The term APY (Annual Percentage Yield, sometimes called AER or Annual Effective Rate) is essentially the same concept as APR, except applied to savings and investments. The APY describes the actual yield of an investment or interest-bearing account after any fees are deducted. Just as the APR is usually higher than the cited interest rate, the APY is typically lower than the cited interest rate.

It’s important to ask for or look at a contract’s APY before committing to an investment.

Simple Interest

Most installment loans charge what is called simple interest. Your interest payment for a given month is simply calculated from your current loan balance.

The interest rate on a fixed loan stays the same. The balance that the rate is applied to will change as you pay the loan off. Each time you make a payment, your loan balance goes down. Your interest payment each month is calculated on the basis of your current balance, so your monthly interest payment will go down as your balance gets smaller. This process is called amortization.

For Example: If you take out a car loan for $15,000 at a simple 4% interest rate for a two-year loan period, your payment will remain at $651.37 over the life of the loan.

Let’s calculate.

You can (roughly) calculate your interest for that first year by doing some simple math.

$15,000 x .04 / 12 =  $50 in interest per month

It’s important to note that you will only pay $50 of interest the first month you have the loan. That interest amount will go down each month because your loan balance will go down each month.

Here’s an amortization schedule on the fictitious two-year loan that can show you what I mean.

Notice that as payments are made each month, the amount of money going toward reducing the actual (principal) balance of the loan increases. Conversely, the amount of interest you pay decreases.

So, for the two-year term auto loan example above, you can figure out the first month’s interest by calculating $15,000 x .04 ($600) / 365 (roughly $1.64) x 31 = $50.96. 

If it were a 30-day month, the interest you pay during that first month would only be $49.32. And if you made your payments with less or more time between payments, the amount of interest you paid each month would vary as well.

Using calculations like these on simple interest loans or compounding interest investments helps you better determine what you’re actually paying (or earning). You can use our simple interest calculator to help you determine what interest on a given loan or deposit will be.

Compound Interest

Compound interest is interest paid on interest. When an account carries compound interest, the interest amount is added to the balance, and subsequent interest payments are calculated on both the balance and the cumulative interest added.

The interest is added to the balance at regular intervals. Compounding intervals may be daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, annually, or any other interval fixed by the lender.

To calculate compound interest, you need to know three things:

1. The principal amount.
2. The interest rate.
3. The compounding interval.

The higher the rate and the shorter the compounding interval, the faster the interest will accumulate.

Compound interest can work for you if it’s being paid to you, and it can work against you if you’re paying it.

Earning Compound Interest

Most interest-bearing accounts carry compound interest. That means that you will earn interest on your interest payments as well as the balance. Let’s see how that can work.

Let’s say you have $10,000 in a fixed investment account earning a 5% return, compounded annually.

At the end of year one, you’ll have an account balance of $10,500. For year two, you’ll now earn 5% on $10,500 instead of simply your initial $10,000. This annual increase in the balance in which you earn interest can help your investment grow over time. 

Here’s what I mean. 

If you were to not earn compound interest on your $10,000 investment and simply earn your 5% for the next twenty years, you’d have doubled your money by the end of that time. 

You’d have $20,000 after 20 years. 

However, if you factor in compound interest the amount of money you’d have at the end of 20 years changes dramatically. Let’s run those numbers through the FinMasters compound interest calculator and see what we get.

As you can see, compound interest gains you an additional $6,532.98.

Now let’s look at what happens if the interest is compounded daily.

The change in compounding interval earns you almost $650 extra.

The higher the rate and the more frequent the compounding interval, the faster compound interest will accumulate…

Paying Compound Interest, or Why Credit Card Debt is So Dangerous

Compound interest can work for you if you’re earning it, but it can work against you if you’re paying it. This happens most frequently with credit card debt. Credit card debt presents unique risks, which come from the collision of four factors.

• Low minimum payments. Many cards allow you to keep your account in good standing with a relatively accessible minimum monthly payment.
• Revolving credit. Credit cards allow you to keep spending. You can add to your balance faster than you pay it off, and many users do.
• High interest rates. The average US card rate is 14.65%, and if your credit isn’t great you may be paying well over 20%
• Compound interest. Credit cards carry compound interest and the interest is usually compounded daily.

What does that mean in practice?

Summary

Knowing at least a little bit about the different types of interest rates is important. This is true both for investors and borrowers. At the bare minimum, you should understand the following terms:

• Prime interest rate – The rate offered to the best (least risky) borrowers.
• Compound interest – Interest that incorporates previous interest payments into the calculations.
• Simple interest – Interest that is wholly based on the original sum invested or loaned.
• Annual percentage rate – The interest rate on a loan when fees are included.
• Annual percentage yield – The interest rate on a savings account or other investment after accounting for fees.
• Fixed interest – An interest rate that stays the same for the duration of a loan.
• Variable interest – An interest rate that can (and probably will) fluctuate during the time it takes to pay off a loan.

Knowing these different types of interest rates will make financial planning easier, whether you’re taking on debt, paying off debt, saving, or investing.

The post Types Of Interest Rates in Borrowing, Saving & Investing appeared first on FinMasters.

If you’re struggling to break out of poverty, take a moment to see if these habits apply to you. Breaking the cycle takes work, but it’s easier when you can identify the mindsets holding you back.

1. Acceptance

You grew up around people who didn’t have much money, so you assume that’s just how life is supposed to be.

When you grow up in an environment where most people struggle to make ends meet, you likely live under the assumption that this is just how life works.

But that doesn’t have to be true for you.

As a kid, you maybe only saw people scraping by. Maybe your parents constantly talked about how much money your family doesn’t have. And the differences between you and your rich friend were super obvious.

You might have even rationalized this assumption by thinking that people who have money must have stepped on other people’s toes to get it. So even if you begin making more money than the people you grew up with, you start to feel alienated or guilty.

The good news is you can change that assumption to one that better serves who you are today. It takes some serious internal work, but it’s worth it.

2. Impostor Syndrome

You don’t believe you’re worthy of financial success.

Growing up “poor” or “low-income” messes with your self-esteem. A 2019 study found that children who grew up in poverty were more likely to consider themselves worthless^[1]. A big factor in this might be not getting your basic needs met, let alone your wants or desires.

When you inherently don’t believe you’re worthy of financial success, it can subconsciously affect the way you handle your money. It might show up as:

• Feeling like you don’t deserve to put money aside for your goals
• Feeling resistance when you attempt to ask for a raise
• Or thinking that rich people are somehow better than you.

No matter how it shows up in your life, you can likely trace it back to some of the beliefs or struggles your parents or relatives had around money.

Journaling your experiences and the habits that keep poor people poor can be a great way to begin correcting this assumption.

3. Lack of Knowledge

You’ve never been taught how to manage money properly.

One of the biggest hurdles to breaking the habits that keep poor people poor is access to financial education. As of 2023, only 25 states required high school students to take a financial literacy course^[2].

Managing money isn’t a talent. It’s a learned skill. So when you come from a background where you weren’t taught how to manage money, it can be difficult for you to break the cycle.

You may find yourself trying to catch up on knowledge that makes you wonder, “Why didn’t anyone tell me this?”. The bright side is that there are many resources online that can help you learn the basics and fix your relationship with money.

4. Isolation

You don’t have any role models for financial success.

On the other hand, when you have a role model who’s already been where you’re trying to go, it helps give you the courage to pursue your goals.

Your role model doesn’t have to be in your immediate family or friend group. Look for someone with a story similar to yours who’s achieved the level of success you want for yourself—even if it’s just someone online.

Find out the steps and habits they embraced to get there and emulate their behavior.

5. Survivalism

You grew up putting survival before progress.

“Poor people don’t have time for investments, because poor people are too busy trying not to be poor. I need to eat today, not September.”

– Earnest “Earn” Marks, the main character from the hit series Atlanta

When you’re living hand-to-mouth, it’s hard to focus on anything other than your survival. That means long-term planning often takes a backseat to more pressing concerns like putting food on the table or keeping a roof over your head.

As a result, people who are struggling financially tend to make decisions that may provide relief in the short term but ultimately keep them trapped in poverty in the long run. Decisions like:

• Paying half of a bill instead of the full amount just to treat yourself to something small
• Withdrawing money from your retirement account to cover outstanding costs despite a penalty
• Financing a new car you can’t afford instead of paying a $1,500 repair on your old car.

So the decisions you make in survival mode tend to cost you potential gains in the future. Even if you’re making your way out of a low-income environment, you may have trouble with investing or saving without feeling like the money might not be there tomorrow.

6. “The Traps.”

When you’re struggling to keep the lights on, buy groceries, or pay rent, some companies prey on your desperation by offering what looks like a solution.

That’s how people end up in debt traps. These are financial products and services that charge an absurdly high amount of interest to let you borrow money.

• High-interest payday loans
• Predatory credit card offers
• Overdraft fees
• High-interest title loans

These things are designed to ensnare people with money problems. While you might get the initial relief of being able to pay that bill or cover that emergency, you’ll be paying much more in the long run.

Financial products like payday loans can carry a typical APR (annual percentage rate) of almost 400%. But if you’re hurting for money, there might not be many other options at your disposal. That’s the high cost of being poor in America. Avoid these traps at all costs.

7. Sales Are Everything

You overspend on items just because they’re “on sale.”

When you grew up with parents who are struggling to make ends meet, you’re probably familiar with routinely perusing the clearance section or weekly shopping sales on a shoestring budget.

This behavior likely saved your parents money on things you needed, but it also builds a sneaky little habit that could cost you way more in the long run: buying things just because they’re on sale.

It’s hard to bring yourself out of a scarcity mindset when you’ve been there for years. These habits kept you alive and kept your parents alive.

But it often means there’s a leftover thought of “you never know when you might need it” or “you’d better get it now before it’s gone.” Even when you don’t need the item or it’s not in your budget, you may be tempted to buy.

It’s a scarcity mindset, and it can be challenging to break it. Once you exit survival mode, it’s important to recognize the role this behavior had in keeping you safe while also replacing it with a better mindset.

8. Lifestyle Creep.

Wanting more is natural. Wanting too much is destructive.

If you’re in a financial position to get yourself and your family out of poverty, you probably have a reasonable income. If you’ve put in some hard work, you might even be looking at a bonus or a promotion with a salary increase.

There’s nothing wrong with treating yourself – within reason – for a job well done. That can even motivate you to pursue other goals. The issue comes in when you begin to gradually increase the costs of your lifestyle alongside your income.

Make small improvements to your lifestyle where it’s needed. But use the extra money to generate additional income or create an emergency fund with interest-bearing accounts or investment vehicles.

Summary: The Habits That Keep Poor People Poor

Poverty is continued through inherited habits, but wealth is passed down through a set of inherited habits as well. When you’re determined to become a first-generation cycle breaker, you’ll have to exchange the habits that kept you alive while you were poor for the habits and assumptions that will bring you financial success. Then you have the responsibility of passing on your new knowledge to the next generation.

The post 8 Inherited Habits that Keep Poor People Poor (and How to Break Them) appeared first on FinMasters.

Whether you are wondering how others apply common financial advice to pay off debt or get rich, or you’re just nosey about other people’s financial reports, there is a blog for you. Different blogs have different personalities, so it’s worth looking at several before settling on the ones you find informative, entertaining, and helpful.

Remember that you’re always responsible for your own choices, so verify any recommendations independently before making financial decisions. If you aren’t sure, consulting a qualified financial advisor is always a good idea.

Let’s jump right in. Here are our top picks for the best finance blogs, in no particular order.

Best Finance Blogs

1. FinMasters
2. JLCollins
3. Financial Panther
4. Money Smart Guides
5. Reach Financial Independence
6. Myfabfinance
7. Clever Girl Finance
8. Beating Broke
9. Good Financial Cents
10. Get Rich Slowly
11. Making Sense of Cents
12. Miranda Marquit
13. Logical Dollar
14. Lazy Man and Money
15. Well Kept Wallet
16. Our Next Life
17. Fitnancials
18. Simple Thrifty Living
19. What Mommy Does
20. Investmentzen
21. My Money Wizard
22. Invested Wallet
23. The Frugal Toad
24. Financial Samurai
25. Mr. Money Mustache
26. Passive Income M.D.
27. Rich and Regular
28. Bitches Get Riches
29. Arrest Your Debt
30. Clever Dude
31. Jackie Beck
32. Retire Before Dad
33. The Diary Of A Frugal Family
34. A Wealth of Common Sense
35. Three Thrifty Guys
36. Disease Called Debt
37. Investment Moats
38. A Purple Life
39. Her First 100K
40. Physician on Fire
41. Cash Flow Diaries
42. Budgets Are Sexy
43. Marriage Kids and Money
44. Women Who Money
45. Penny Pinchin Mom
46. Saving Freak
47. The Savvy Couple
48. Frugal Woods
49. Route to Retire
50. Wallet Squirrel
51. The Financial Diet
52. Debt Free Guys
53. Money Pantry
54. Money Saved Is Money Earned
55. Frugal Confessions
56. Root of Good
57. Don’t Mess With Taxes®
58. The Mini Millionaire
59. Curious Cat
60. Broke Rich Girl
61. Financial Residency
62. The Frugal Farmer
63. Monevator
64. Time in the Market
65. Bigger Pockets Blog
66. Your Personal Finance Pro
67. Save Spend Splurge
68. Newlyweds on a Budget
69. Suburban Finance
70. Money Under 30
71. Make Money Your Way
72. Turtle Investor
73. Financial Ducks in a Row
74. Thrifty Nomads
75. Len Penzo
76. Radical Fire
77. Blogging Away Debt
78. Frugal Asian Finance
79. Modern Frugality
80. Blonde and Balanced
81. The Blunt Bean Counter
82. The Insurance Pro Blog
83. Life Happens
84. Gathering Dreams
85. FinanceBuzz
86. I Pick Up Pennies
87. Financial Best Life
88. VitalDollar
89. The Outlier Model
90. Money Ning
91. Retire by 40
92. 1500 Days
93. Dinks Finance
94. Busy Budgeter
95. The College Investor
96. NerdWallet
97. Just Start Investing
98. Money Crashers
99. Wallet Hacks
100. The Balance

1. FinMasters

www.finmasters.com

Not to brag, but we are pretty awesome

FinMasters was launched in late 2020, and since then, we have published over 600 articles covering a broad range of financial topics.

If you ever wondered how inflation works, how much it costs to die, or why gas prices are so high, we have the answers.

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2. JLCollins

www.jlcollinsnh.com

You might know James L. Collins as the author of “The Simple Path To Wealth” in which he talks about the road to financial independence. But did you know that he also has a blog called JLCollins – The Simple Path To Wealth which he started in order to teach his daughter about what worked for him and what didn’t.

On his blog you can find articles related to money, life, travel and business which will help you pave your way to financial independence.

J.L. Collins is also known for his Stock Series which you can not afford to miss if you’re looking to start investing.

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3. Financial Panther

www.financialpanther.com

Kevin is an attorney and blogger who understands the gravity of student debt. He was there himself after graduating in 2013 with over $86,000 in debt.  

Getting rid of the debt by 2016 enabled him to regain his financial freedom and remodel his career path in tune with his definition of happiness. 

He has been experimenting with a variety of side hustles, blogging his earning reports and sharing his wisdom.  

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4. Money Smart Guides

www.moneysmartguides.com

Jon spent 15 years in the finance industry, gathering valuable insights into the way people manage their personal finances. 

His blog touches upon investing, retirement, saving money, building wealth, and getting rid of debt. 

Some of the best content on his blog draws on his personal story with debt while offering concrete advice and real-world steps you can use to do improve your finances. 

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5. Reach Financial Independence

www.reachfinancialindependence.com

Pauline’s blog speaks to people who yearn for travel and adventure. Originally from Paris, France, she has traveled the world and lived in Guatemala, Spain, the UK, and Morocco. 

The blog has valuable information on managing finances for freelancers bitten by the travel bug. 

Besides blog posts about the cost of living in Guatemala, there are a plethora of guest posts and topics she is personally curious about, such as should you borrow money from parents. 

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6. Myfabfinance

www.myfabfinance.com

Tonya has been inspiring Millennials to stop living paycheck to paycheck since 2013, the year she started rewriting her money story and never looked back. 

Money lessons from her father and her mother highlight that the way our families manage money has a lot to do with our financial decisions in adulthood.

She also understands that we associate money talk with shame, guilt, and stress. Changing your mindset can bring you a couple of steps closer to achieving your monetary goals. 

100 Best Finance Blogs and Their Best Content (2024)

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7. Clever Girl Finance

www.clevergirlfinance.com

Bola Sokunbi, a Certified Financial Education Instructor, started her blog to empower women and encourage them to budget, invest, get rid of debt, and more. 

More women work than ever before, but there is still an existing gender pay gap. Read all about it in her blog post.  

The blog is diverse and covers topics from recession-proof job ideas to having a will in your 30s. 

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8. Beating Broke

www.beatingbroke.com

Melissa is a writer and mom who shares her insights on saving, cutting back expenses, and frugal living in a family context.  

She draws from her own experience when writing about personal finance and has a lot to say about topics such as how to feed hungry teenagers while staying on a budget. 

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9. Good Financial Cents

www.goodfinancialcents.com

Jeff Rose, a certified finance professional, started a blog on personal finance to answer FAQs from his clients and share lessons from his personal financial journey.

Now the website Good Financial Cents covers topics from every aspect of finance and keeps growing article by article. 

The website covers basics, but there are also interesting reads such as posts on whether you should invest in cryptocurrency and how to make your first $1000 selling ebooks.    

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10. Get Rich Slowly

www.getrichslowly.org

J.D. Roth started the blog to document his journey towards financial freedom in 2004. At the time, that meant getting rid of debt he had been accumulating for 15 years. 

After following his three-year plan to get out of debt, he became a debt-free man. 

His approach to finances is holistic, and he acknowledges that fostering a money mindset and slowly working towards change is just as important as getting the math right. 

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11. Making Sense of Cents

www.makingsenseofcents.com

Michelle is a Finance MBA graduate who created a blog to track paying off her student debt, which she did in only seven months. 

She has been living her best life since, traveling full time and blogging about her life on a sailboat and RV.  

Her blog is a motivation to readers to live life on their own terms. 

Plus, you’ll find some great blogging tips. 

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12. Miranda Marquit

www.mirandamarquit.com

With over 15 years of experience as a freelance writer in the finance niche, Miranda has garnered vast knowledge of personal finance, writing craft, and freelancing. 

Her blog is a valuable resource for both inspiring writers, people who define their freedom in the terms of a freelance career, or anyone interested in investing.  

However, her crème de la crème content includes this deeply personal post on ruined credit.  

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13. Logical Dollar

www.logicaldollar.com

Like many financial bloggers, Anna Barker graduated with debt that got her interested in all things finance. She started the blog to make personal finance information accessible to a wider audience. 

The blog covers budgeting, investing, saving, and making money. 

What makes her blog stand out is that she occasionally writes posts for teens, a group that is frequently left out of money talk.   

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14. Lazy Man and Money

www.lazymanandmoney.com

The blog Lazy man is an anonymous journal that has been active since 2006. Besides passive income reports, the blogger shares his experiences with investing, saving, and more. 

What makes his content unique is the consumer protection category on the blog. 

Some products may not have a scam written all over them, but they can hurt one’s finances and sometimes even health. This is where “the lazy man” comes to save the day. 

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15. Well Kept Wallet

www.wellkeptwallet.com

Deacon Hayes’ story of how he started the blog will sound familiar: like many other blogs on finance, he wanted to get rid of his debt and document the journey to becoming debt-free.  

The combination of his experience with managing his own finances and his work as a financial planner make his blog a valuable and informative resource on everything personal finance. 

You’ll find out where to get free stuff on your birthday, how much money to keep in your 401k, get passive income ideas, and much more.     

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16. Our Next Life

www.ournextlife.com

Tanja and Mark embarked on a journey towards early retirement in 2015. They wanted to leave their stressful careers and retire by the end of 2017. 

Blogging helped them to retire early. It came with accountability, encouragement, and proof. Now their blog dispels myths about early retirement with a day-to-day account of what it is like in practice.    

Following successful early retirement, life presented them with new challenges. Find out which ones they didn’t expect and what they learned one year into early retirement.   

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17. Fitnancials

www.fitnancials.com

Fitnancials is a blog started by a Millennial woman who wanted to pay off her debts.

It’s been active since 2013 and it has transformed into more than just a blog: it inspires women worldwide to take control of their finances. 

Find out what you can change by following the budgeting, saving, and making money tips from the blog for a single month.  

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18. Simple Thrifty Living

www.simplethriftyliving.com

The blog shares financial advice from the perspective of a psychologist, journalist, finance expert, and regular folk who contribute. 

They cover loans, insurance, investing, money-saving tips, and more. 

Read the articles that weigh the risks and benefits of virtual banking or comparison between rentals for vacation and hotels.   

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19. What Mommy Does

www.whatmommydoes.com

Lena, a stay-at-home mom and CPA, started the blog to share her couponing and playdate tips with other parents. 

As the blog grew, she learned a whole lot about blogging, extra income, and managing finances as a parent. 

Need ideas for your kid’s school market day or advice on the best things you can do for your finances as a parent? She’s got you covered. 

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20. Investmentzen

www.investmentzen.com

Spending less, earning more, and investing what’s left is Investmentzen’s financial philosophy in a nutshell. It’s that simple and that intricate at the same time. 

Interested in personal stories of people who manage their finances or want solid advice on investing, real estate, credit cards, saving money, or retiring early? They’ve got it.  

Read the post on how a million dollars can buy happiness or how much you need to have saved up in your retirement fund. 

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21. My Money Wizard

www.mymoneywizard.com

Money Wizard is all about saving and earning money. The blog shares the exact net worth and monthly financial reports of its anonymous owner. 

Starting in 2016 with $127,259 saved up towards the early retirement fund, the net worth currently counts $526,651 and it’s only going up.  

It’s motivating to follow the progress and watch how it’s possible to accumulate wealth by setting money aside and diversifying your income.  

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22. Invested Wallet

www.investedwallet.com

Todd learned how to manage his money the hard way. After losing his job in 2014, he was left in debt and had to educate himself on personal finance. 

He has now paid his debts and learned the ins and outs of personal finance, and his blog reflects that, with a category for every aspect of personal finance. 

This blog is a resource for both beginners and the money savvy. You can start with basics such as the differences between debit and credit cards or how to recognize a toxic work environment. 

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23. The Frugal Toad

www.thefrugaltoad.com

Started by a personal finance enthusiast, this blog has been growing since 2011 and currently covers personal finance for beginners, travel, frugal living, and more. 

The blog’s interpretation of frugality is aligned with minimalist philosophy in that it’s not about depriving yourself and becoming an extreme cheapskate, but about buying only essential things. 

Therefore, travel can be a part of your life because the goal is to live a fulfilled, financially free, and happier life. Frugality can help you get there.    

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24. Financial Samurai

www.financialsamurai.com

The blog was born amid the economic chaos of 2009. Its goal was to create a place to get away from the chaos and make sense of it. 

Run by a financial expert with over 20 years of experience in the finance industry, the blog is informed by both personal experience and vast theoretical knowledge. 

Learn about real estate, stealth wealth, taxes and more, all in one place.   

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25. Mr. Money Mustache

www.mrmoneymustache.com

Living frugally and within his means enabled Mr. Money Mustache to retire in his 30s and live a calm family life. 

The blog is fun and informative and covers frugal family life, life in early retirement, how to do the math and retire early, and where you can cut down your expenses.   

As a parent, he also shares his insights on education and passing down his values and money lessons. 

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26. Passive Income M.D.

www.passiveincomemd.com

Peter is a Los Angeles-based anesthesiologist who started his blog to document his journey towards financial freedom. 

The key to his financial freedom was passive income, so you’ll learn a lot about stocks, real estate, saving, and more.  

What makes his content unique are true doctor stories that cover finances in the medical field.   

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27. Rich and Regular

www.richandregular.com

Kiersten (corporate ladder escapee) and Julien (marketing and culinary expert) started the blog after discovering the F.I.R.E. (Financial Independence, Retire Early) movement in 2017. The movement emphasizes extreme frugality, high savings, and investment.

The blog is deeply personal as the couple shares both financial and life updates. 

They share how to handle difficult conversations like a pro, how to eat good food on a budget, their financial plan, and more. 

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28. Bitches Get Riches

www.bitchesgetriches.com

As you might have concluded from the blog’s name, this is not your regular blog on finance.  

Kitty and Piggy (not their real names) write blog posts that are unfiltered, honest, hilarious, and offer valuable life lessons. 

The blog covers debt, making and saving money, social issues, navigating careers, wellness, and relationships.     

Read why you should stop supporting Amazon, how to avoid financial scams, or how to live life on your own terms.  

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29. Arrest Your Debt

www.arrestyourdebt.com

Police lieutenants need to manage their finances too. Ryan Luke, who is also a financial advisor when off duty, started the blog to share the financial lessons he learned the hard way. 

He’s now debt-free, saving towards his retirement, and sharing all that he did to get rid of debt. You can do it too, whatever your salary.  

With budget templates and multiple categories that cover different aspects of money management, any first responder – or anyone else – can use the information to become financially free. 

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30. Clever Dude

www.cleverdude.com

Brock, a software engineer, has been blogging on personal finance since 2006. Frugal living is a major part of his lifestyle. 

Besides novel ways of cutting back expenses, he has been sharing his journey towards a debt-free life and tools and tricks that can help you get there yourself. 

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31. Jackie Beck

www.jackiebeck.com

Jackie is a debt expert, but she hears your debt woes because she’s been there herself. 

Tracking money was the key to her becoming debt-free, and she believes that paying off debt and enjoying life shouldn’t be mutually exclusive.    

In the blog, she shares how to get rid of debt, how to manage the money you have, and recover your credit score while you’re at it.  

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32. Retire Before Dad

www.retirebeforedad.com

Creating a better life by learning from their parents’ mistakes and retiring at 55 to have more time for the family and travel are the goals of the investors writing this blog. 

Multiple streams of income have been the key strategy for reaching these goals, but as the author gets closer to retirement the blog posts increasingly explore life beyond finances. 

Read why you should avoid following the money when choosing your career path and how to form a healthy relationship with money.  

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33. The Diary Of A Frugal Family

www.frugalfamily.co.uk

The blog is a journal for the entire family. It keeps you updated and also gives you valuable advice on frugal living. 

Keeping to a budget as a family is not always easy. The blog offers tips on how to introduce frugality into every corner of your home can give you a lot of ideas on where to cut back. 

Their guide for frugal Christmas is an interesting read. 

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34. A Wealth of Common Sense

https://awealthofcommonsense.com/

Ben Carlson started “A Wealth of Common Sense” in order to explain the complexity of finance and its intricacies in a way that every reader could understand. He believes that in the world of money, common sense and self-awareness are highly undervalued qualities.

On his blog, he touches on topics such as wealth management, investments, financial markets and investor psychology.

Here are some of the articles that really caught my attention:

• How Long Does It Take For Stocks To Bottom In a Bear Market? (very well explained by Ben who is a specialist in stocks and managing portfolios)
• The Present and The Past Of Inflation (shows a great overview of how inflation fluctuated over the years)

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35. Three Thrifty Guys

www.threethriftyguys.com

Charlie, Eddie, and Aaron are a power trio of writers who combine their money and life lessons in blog posts about finance and lifestyle. 

The blog has the usual finance categories such as retirement, making and managing money, saving, retirement, and more. 

Read what changed Aaron’s opinion on universal healthcare or how to reduce a vet bill. 

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36. Disease Called Debt

www.diseasecalleddebt.com

Determined to pay off the debt they accumulated on their credit cards, this couple started a blog to document the process of getting out of debt. In a short 22 months, they paid off a debt of $65K. 

Their financial goals have expanded since and you can read about saving and building wealth as well as the things you say that keep you in debt.  

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37. Investment Moats

www.investmentmoats.com

Kyith, a software engineer by day and blogger by night, has been sharing his experiences with money-making, saving, and investing since 2009. 

Investment Moats now features dozens of posts that elaborate on all things personal finance. 

Free calculators that help you predict how long it might take you to build wealth or pay off a car are helpful for both those just getting started and for spreadsheet enthusiasts.    

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38. A Purple Life

www.apurplelife.com

The early retirement movement has been on the rise since 2010,particularly among Millennials. But what happens after you save enough money to pay bills and leave work? 

This blog follows a Millennial who has been sharing her plans for early retirement and her progress toward reaching those goals since 2015. 

In 2020, she successfully retired, but is early retirement meeting her expectations?  

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39. Her First 100K

www.herfirst100k.com

Tori has a knack for personal finances and entrepreneurship (she started her first business at the age of nine). She now helps other women to get their finances in order one blog post at a time. 

She helps other women to get their finances in order one blog post at a time.

Need some side hustle ideas or want to learn how to save $100K? Tori is your woman. 

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40. Physician on Fire

www.physicianonfire.com

Leif is an anesthesiologist who retired early, at the age of 43. He discusses finance topics and shares all the tips that led him to achieve the final phase of the F.I.R.E. movement.

However, there are also medicine-related topics such as how to deal with burnout as a doctor and a tale of four physicians that explores how lifestyle affects your personal freedom.  

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41. Cash Flow Diaries

www.cashflowdiaries.com

Alexander’s definition of financial freedom is living off passive income. His goal is to get to $100K a year. 

The blog is a journal that follows his progress and milestones on the road to financial freedom. He shares monthly net worth from property renting and blogging for all of you nosey people out there. 

As the primary focus is real estate, you’ll find a lot of tips on home renting and renovation loans. 

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42. Budgets Are Sexy

www.budgetsaresexy.com

The blog has been around since 2008. J. Money started it to track his goal, hitting  $1 million. After 11 years, he succeeded and let Joel take over the blog. 

Joel is an early to bed and early to rise makes a man retire early type of person. His blog posts on personal finance are fun yet informative to read. 

Find out what is the difference between successful and unsuccessful investors, how to manage time and money, and more. 

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43. Marriage Kids and Money

www.marriagekidsandmoney.com

Andy Hill started this blog in 2016 to share thoughts and experiences involving family finances. It has since developed into a business with accompanying podcasts. 

It took five years for his family to pay off their mortgage and ten years to become millionaires. 

Young families who are still figuring out how to manage money, pay off the mortgage, and budget can find a lot of helpful posts that can help them achieve their goals. 

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44. Women Who Money

www.womenwhomoney.com

Vicki and Amy are personal finance veterans who joined forces to create a blog for women who want to manage their money more effectively. 

They share advice and resources that can help you get a hold of your finances whether you are a beginner or just getting started. 

Find out whether you’re following the right advice on paying off credit card debt or if you’re unintentionally committing tax fraud. 

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45. Penny Pinchin Mom

www.pennypinchinmom.com

Tracy managed to get out of debt and her blog is a collection of her advice on finances, family matters, and lifestyle based on her own experiences and the lessons she learned along the way. 

She understands how your finances change with children, how to get rid of debt, and what makes artificial Christmas trees better for your family and your budget. 

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46. Saving Freak

www.savingfreak.com

Paul and Amy have a lot of ideas on where to cut back your expenses. They are a power couple who know their personal finances and want to share their experiences with others. 

Whether your goal is to save for the future, learn about investing, or seek new ways to contribute with extra income in your family, they’ve got you covered. 

Read about low-risk investments, which jobs for beginners pay $20 an hour, or which restaurants are your go-to if you want free meals for kids. 

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47. The Savvy Couple

www.thesavvycouple.com

Kelan and Brittany make finance approachable and fun for families. They have been publishing regular blog posts on earning, saving, and investing since 2016.  

Their blog has since grown into a full team of experts on finance and hundreds of posts that answer every finance question imaginable. 

Find out all about building generational wealth and whether you can afford a dog.  

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48. Frugal Woods

www.frugalwoods.com

This blog is for families who are always on the lookout for ways to make their financial lives simpler and less stressful. 

Take a peek at the spending of a frugal family or more tips and tricks on how to live a financially independent and simple life, which can apply even to your credit card. 

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49. Route to Retire

www.routetoretire.com

Does your job feel like an endless Groundhog Day? Every day is the same and you spend a lot of time daydreaming about projects you never got around to doing? 

Jim has been there. 

Despite financial hurdles such as credit card debt and student loans, he’s currently enjoying his early retirement with his family in Panama. 

Find out his secret to early retirement and what’s he up to lately. 

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50. Wallet Squirrel

www.walletsquirrel.com

Adam and Andrew are best friends who can help you to bring your A-game to the challenge of making money.

They share fresh ideas on how to earn more, their monthly income reports, and blogging advice.  

Since they started the blog in 2016, they’ve been testing many creative ways to get that extra income. Find out which ones don’t pay peanuts here.  

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51. The Financial Diet

www.thefinancialdiet.com

What started as Chelsea Fagan’s humble blog for budget tracking in 2014 developed into a company run by eight women who can offer you a solid financial framework and elaborate how well Rachel Green’s budget from Friends would hold up in 2021. 

They understand that our impulses can inform our spending patterns and the role our mental health has in managing personal finance.    

Make sure to check out their YouTube channel for adulting tips, lifestyle hacks, financial insights, and more.

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52. Debt Free Guys

www.debtfreeguys.com

David and John are husbands who empower the LGBTQ community with the fabulous financial tips they learned after accumulating debt and living beyond their means. 

They found their key to financial freedom in getting rid of debt and creating the lifestyle they always dreamed about. 

How to manage your finances and time to achieve that? 

Check their posts on how to build wealth or the list of budget-friendly gay cities.  

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53. Money Pantry

www.moneypantry.com

Whether your goal is to earn money, save money, or plan your finances, blog posts featured on this site can help.  

Read which sites can pay you for something you’d be doing anyway or which low-stress jobs that pay well you should consider. 

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54. Money Saved Is Money Earned

www.moneysavedmoneyearned.com

Sebastian and Tawnya are two hard-working bloggers that share all the financial lessons they’ve learned in a blog covering saving, earning, developing the right mindset and more.  

The blog covers topics for beginners such as interest 101 and travel tips such as what to do in Vegas cost-free. 

Sebastian’s and Tawnya’s personal stories with debt, prejudice, and paving their path to financial freedom are good reads as well. 

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55. Frugal Confessions 

www.frugalconfessions.com

Amanda, a certified financial instructor, writes a blog on how to make money management simple. She’s all about money systems that will teach you how to work smarter and not harder. 

Read how to turn common money mistakes into your advantage or how to organize your monthly bills. 

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56. Root of Good

www.rootofgood.com

Wonder how early retirement works in practice? This blog will tell you, along with personal finance advice, regular life updates, and various money hacks. 

After accumulating enough wealth to leave his daily job and retire, this financially independent man has been sharing what it’s like to enjoy life with his family. 

This is everything he did to achieve early retirement at 33.   

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57. Don’t Mess With Taxes®

https://dontmesswithtaxes.typepad.com/

Don’t Mess With Taxes® was founded in 2005 by Kay Bell, a journalist from Texas who also happens to be a tax geek. She writes extremely useful tax-related articles where she offers tips on how to handle and master taxes. She covers pretty much everything that is tax related from tax tips, credits, deductions, and refunds to state taxes and politics/laws.

If you struggle with taxes, check out her blog where she will show you how to avoid larger penalties even if you missed Tax Day and options if you can’t pay your tax bill in full.

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58. The Mini Millionaire

www.theminimillionaire.com

Besides multiple posts on finance gathered on the site since 2014, there are a variety of posts that cover more than saving and making money. 

Find out how to negotiate house prices, how to get paid for shopping, and how to start a Lego business while being your own boss.     

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59. Curious Cat

investing.curiouscatblog.net

This blog shares various posts on investing and economics, and various financial literacy topics. 

Their investing dictionary and resources such as books on investing can save you a lot of headaches when trying to understand the world of economics or get your finances in order. 

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60. Broke Rich Girl

www.brokegirlrich.com

Mel started the blog to hold herself accountable for saving and learn about finance management. 

The blog covers earning, travel, school tips, frugal living, and stage management (her profession).

Find out how to calculate your net worth or what to do in case of a workplace accident.  

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61. Financial Residency

www.financialresidency.com

If you’re a physician who missed their personal finance college courses (perhaps because there weren’t any), this blog has all the information you need to get you started. 

Whether you want to retire, buy your first home, escape that student debt, organize your finances, or feel clueless on where to start in general, there is a blog post here that will help you.    

Read how to mend your relationship with money, manage taxes as a physician, or start your practice.   

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62. The Frugal Farmer

www.thefrugalfarmer.net

Whether you’re thinking of living off the grid and wondering if that is the right life for you or you’re already there and need some insight on farming and finance, this blog can help. 

The content is mostly about finances: making money, retiring, saving, etc. However, you can also find survival tips and gardening tips. 

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63. Monevator

www.monevator.com

Two bloggers share their approaches to investing and earning money. They understand that money is a valuable resource and share their tips on how to be smart with it. 

Find out what makes investing overseas beneficial for your portfolio, how rich stay rich, or who’s your Star Wars hero?   

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64. Time in the Market

www.timeinthemarket.com

Armed with a degree in Finance, the guy behind the blog puts complex financial lingo into simple terms and shares his advice on how to manage your money to live well. 

For him, financial independence is not about extreme frugality, it’s about not having your options restricted when you reach the retirement age. 

Find out how to eat well, travel far, and set your financial goals. 

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65. Bigger Pockets Blog

www.biggerpockets.com/blog

The blog is part of a larger website that covers various aspects of personal finance for both rookies and professionals. Their specialties are investing and passive income. 

You’ll find a lot of advice on investing in real estate and making a better life for your family, which includes your pets. 

Read how to rent your house or what you should expect from tenants with pets. 

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66. Your Personal Finance Pro

www.yourpfpro.com

The blog is run by money-making and saving enthusiasts. It’s been up since 2012 and it focuses on making money, becoming financially stable until retirement, and everything in between. 

Find out what you can learn from minimalist living, what affects the value of a painting, or which day of the week should you quit your job? 

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67. Save Spend Splurge

www.savespendsplurge.com

Sherry blogs on money and lifestyle and encourages readers to splurge on the things that matter. 

She values high-quality items, making time for things that enrich your life, and travel experiences. 

Find out how to budget for travel, what’s in her closet, and whether there’s hope for you to become filthy rich.   

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68. Newlyweds on a Budget 

www.newlywedsonabudget.com

The blog covers different financial worries that particularly affect newlyweds. 

Have you been wondering if: 

• newlywed partners should have a will? 
• there’s the best way to split the wedding cost? 
• you can have a honeymoon without breaking a bank? 

You know where to go to find those answers. 

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69. Suburban Finance

www.suburbanfinance.com

The blog covers personal finance topics and tips and tricks for changing your habits and lifestyle to achieve your goals. 

Find out how you can support local businesses, protect your bank account from hackers, and what makes private health insurance better. 

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70. Make Money Your Way

www.makemoneyyourway.com

Pauline started this blog in 2013 to share ideas on how to earn more. 

She doesn’t believe in get-rich-quick schemes but has many suggestions on how to hack your career and earn that coin, whether online, through passive income, through investing, or by side hustling. 

Read how to become a successful business owner, how to achieve a 10% savings rate, or how to manage a crisis at work.   

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71. Money Under 30

https://www.moneyunder30.com/

David Weliver has founded Money Under 30 in order to document his efforts to pay off $80,000 of debt in three years and to help young adults to make smart decisions regarding where their money goes.

What’s great about this blog is that the writers are all people who have gone through the same financial problems as the readers and they know exactly what struggling with debt at a young age feels like.

The website is full of useful resources for people who don’t know much about finance. You can learn how to choose a credit card (super useful in order to prevent debt in the first place), or if you struggle with banking, you can check their 101 Banking Guide to refresh your memory on this subject.

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72. Turtle Investor

www.turtleinvestor.net

Kevin started his blog to share his knowledge of investing. 

While the blog has plenty of valuable information on this front (for both new and experienced investors), you’ll also find posts that cover early retirement, travel, and multiple streams of income.

Take a sneak peek into his financial plan, income reports, or frustrations with cryptocurrency.     

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73. Financial Ducks in a Row

www.financialducksinarow.com

Finance planner Jim helps people get their finances straight by blogging on IRAs, social security, income tax, and everything in between. 

Does he recommend a 401(k)? 

Which earnings count towards the annual earning test?  

What is the underpayment penalty all about?  

Find out in the blog. 

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74. Thrifty Nomads

www.thriftynomads.com

Created by travel enthusiasts, the blog focuses on travel guides and managing your finances before and while you travel. 

It’s all about affordable travel and not depriving yourself of life-changing experiences like travel.  

Read what you can do for your finances while you’re still at home, which travel destinations are worth the hype, or all about budgeting in the name of travel. 

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75. Len Penzo

www.lenpenzo.com

Alive and kicking since 2008, this finance blog will turn you into an economically responsible individual, or at least give you the resources to work towards being one. 

Find out what is your millionaire neighbor hiding from you, which wedding gifts he doesn’t hate 25 years after (is it a swan-shaped chip and dip set?), or all about mortgage basics. 

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76. Radical Fire

www.radicalfire.com

In 2018 Marjolein decided to become financially free. She’s been building her dream life ever since and has a blog to prove it. 

So far, she has saved most of her income, increased her salary, started investing, and traveled while still hitting her financial goals.  

Get inspired by her story, or check out her posts on saving, making money, or which jobs are introvert-friendly the most. 

100 Best Finance Blogs and Their Best Content (2024)

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77. Blogging Away Debt

www.bloggingawaydebt.com

Tricia’s need to pay off $36,000 in debt inspired this blog in 2006. After she paid her debt off, she passed the baton to the next blogger to share her getting out of debt journey.  

Current members of the getting out of debt relay team are Rebekah, Sara, Elisabeth, Ashley, and James. 

Follow their journeys to get inspired or check out their comprehensive guide to leaving that debt behind (without having to change your identity and leave the country) here. 

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78. Frugal Asian Finance

www.frugalasianfinance.com

Frugality, finances, family matters, this blog has it all. Started in 2017, this blog is steadily turning into a complete business, as Mrs. Frugal Asian Finance shares in her earnings reports. 

Besides blogging tips, check out posts on whether you should live with your in-laws, which pricey items are worth it, or common financial expectations in Asian families.       

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79. Modern Frugality

www.modernfrugality.com

Jen got rid of her $78,000 debt in two years and she’s been helping others to get their money makeovers ever since. 

Her approach is frugal and infused with a minimalist philosophy. 

She has a lot of frugal tips that can save your wallet from getting sad, recommendations for the best places with free furniture, how to handle having to pay for your parent’s financial mistakes, and more.   

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80. Blonde and Balanced 

www.blondeandbalanced.com

Rachel is a Millennial writer who shares her ideas on all things finance. 

She knows why you always need more money, all about the cost of handmade soap, and how to sell stuff on Craigslist fast.  

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81. The Blunt Bean Counter

www.thebluntbeancounter.com

Written by an accountant, this blog has been challenging the myth of the boring accountant since 2010. 

He covers different tax conundrums such as how long you should keep your tax records, elaborates on how much money you need to retire, and reminds you that your kids are likely to fight over your real estate. 

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82. The Insurance Pro Blog

www.theinsuranceproblog.com

Licensed insurance agents Brandon and Brantley have been sharing their wisdom on insurance matters since 2011. 

They’re great at explaining and demystifying insurance for beginners, but they also discuss specific in-depth topics such as converting your 401K into life insurance. 

There’s also this handy life insurance calculator. 

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83. Life Happens 

www.lifehappens.org/blog

For life insurance beginners, the blog offers 101 guides that deliver relevant information about life insurance, disability insurance, and long-term care insurance. 

Find out why even single people need life insurance, which insurance words are frequently misinterpreted, or more about the existing gender gap in life insurance.   

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84. Gathering Dreams

www.gatheringdreams.com

For Sara, regaining her financial freedom meant she could free up time for things that truly matter in life. 

After working hard (60+ hours weekly), she learned how to work smart to take control over her resources and regain control over her money and time. 

Read all about expense tracking, saving up for world travel, or get some recipe ideas for summer.   

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85. FinanceBuzz 

https://financebuzz.com/

FinanceBuzz was founded by Greg Van Horn, Ryan Van Horn and Christine Yaged who embarked on a mission to help people get ahead with their finances. Their goal is to make financial independence accessible for everyone.

On their blog, you can learn how to make $10,000 a month and read about how much should music lovers of each genre budget for concerts this summer? How cool is that?

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86. I Pick Up Pennies

www.ipickuppennies.net

This blog is about celebrating our imperfections, frugal money management, and mental health. 

It also includes a spending diary for all of you nosey people. 

Read how every penny you save adds up to a significant amount over time, what are your rights if you get a ticket after being caught by a traffic camera, and all about the challenges of frugal living with depression. 

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87. Financial Best Life

www.financialbestlife.com

Lauren shares advice on how to earn, save, pay off debt, and more. She had serious debt issues after college due to her shopping addiction and understands that money is more than numbers in your bank account. 

Her posts help others to take control over their finances and find the motivation to turn money into a useful tool that enables us to live our best life instead of being a major source of stress. 

Check out how to overcome a shopping addiction, whether you can earn money blogging, or how a balance transfer can help you out with debt.   

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88. VitalDollar

www.vitaldollar.com

Marc launched the blog in 2008 to improve his finances. Today the blog covers every aspect of financial management. 

Read how he earned $1 million blogging, his top passive income ideas, or how to save money.  

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89. The Outlier Model

www.outliermodel.com

Allen got on the personal finance train after realizing that he lacked financial literacy. 

For him, money management is all about recognizing your needs and prioritizing them over your wants.  

You’ll get some ideas for summer entertainment on the budget, get a grasp of the financial steps you should take in your 20s, and find great side hustles for teachers.

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90. Money Ning 

www.moneyning.com

The blog has been covering frugal lifestyle, investing, and the general intricacies of money management since 2007. 

David has a lot of tips on retiring early, finding the right savings account, and explores subjects such as who should finance an engagement ring.  

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91. Retire by 40

www.retireby40.org

Early retirement has been Joe’s major financial goal ever since he launched his blog in 2010. 

After successfully retiring, he has been sharing his monthly financial reports from multiple streams of income. 

Find out what he has to say eight years after retirement. 

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92. 1500 Days

www.1500days.com

The goal was to retire early 1500 days after the start of the blog. The blog is a collection of the experiences, lessons, and financial milestones along the road to achieving the goal. 

Investing has been a major part of the financial journey, along with the realization that there is more to life than work and money. 

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93. Dinks Finance

www.dinksfinance.com

The blog is currently written by money enthusiasts James, Gina, and Melissa. It covers financial management in relationships, building wealth, and ways to make money. 

Find out what makes getting rich difficult, what you should know about prenups, and whether his money strategy is smart or selfish.   

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94. Busy Budgeter

www.busybudgeter.com

Rosemarie is all about saving money, budgeting, and enjoying your life while you’re at it. 

She has not always been good with money, but she got rid of debt and her finances are under control. 

Now she inspires others to do the same by sharing posts that will organize every corner of your home, from your paperwork to your pantry. 

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95. The College Investor

www.thecollegeinvestor.com

Robert Farrington started this blog on personal finance in 2009. It grew into a business and a major resource for personal finance enthusiasts. 

The site features expert advice on various aspects of personal finance, but student loan debt is their forte. Learn how to save for college, how much college costs, how student loans work, and more.

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96. NerdWallet

www.nerdwallet.com/blog

NerdWallet started as a credit card comparison site in 2009. Now they cover every aspect of personal finance. 

On the site, you can read the basics of banking, credit cards, mortgage, investing, loans, insurance, and travel. 

There are also in-depth articles that tackle specific questions such as purchasing crypto with a credit card or entrepreneurs’ from rags to riches stories and lessons they learned along the way.   

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97. Just Start Investing

www.juststartinvesting.com

This website launched with the idea of making investing accessible and easy to understand, but it explores topics beyond investing. 

You’ll find 101 guides on investing, banking, budgeting, and credit cards as well as step-by-step guides that break down complex topics such as investing in index funds.

The blog on the site dissects the net worth of different celebrities, such as Will Ferrell’s and John Legend’s, while offering insight into how they have built their wealth.

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98. Money Crashers

www.moneycrashers.com

What began in 2009 as a passion project to compensate for the lack of financial education developed into a full-time job for the founders of popular site Money Crashers. 

This major personal finance blog covers all facets of managing your personal finance, including banking, loans, investing, and small businesses. 

It’s a valuable resource for the basics of personal finance, but some of their best content sheds light on managing money with your roommates, significant other, or family.  

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99. Wallet Hacks

www.wallethacks.com

Wallet Hacks is another personal finance blog that grew post by post and became a major resource. They cover standard personal finance categories such as loans, investing, making, and saving money. 

They also get personal and some of their best content includes articles on managing anxiety caused by our expectations and success and crucial financial decisions that will make the next Jeff Bezos out of you.  

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100. The Balance

www.thebalance.com

The Balance has been publishing finance content for over 20 years and currently counts over 9000 articles. 

A team of professional finance writers covers every aspect of personal finance imaginable. You’ll find information on budgeting, credit cards, banking, investing, loans, and more. 

The site has the answers to all of your burning finance questions, be it guidelines on writing a check or which US president accumulated the highest debt.  

Are you interested in starting your own finance blog? Building a successful blog is often a long process but you have to start somewhere. Our friends at DomainWheel have written a great guide on how to start a finance blog which will get you off to a quick start.

Are you a financial blogger stuck for ideas on what content to create next? Here are some topic suggestions to help you fill up your content calendar.

100 Best Finance Blogs and Their Best Content (2024)

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What I Learned After Visiting 100 Blogs? 

Personal finance is personal. Very personal indeed.

We come from different backgrounds and sometimes may not even understand why we spend impulsively, splurge when we cannot afford it, or how to be financially responsible adults. Monetary troubles sneak into every part of our lives and affect our relationships, mental health, and often the overall quality of life. 

Our personal finances include others. Whether we want to collaborate with them, share living expenses, or need their help, personal finance gets most complex when there’s more than one person involved.  

Bloggers’ stories have patterns: most bloggers are either about getting out of debt or retiring early. I’ve been amazed over and over how fast people can get out of debt simply by creating a plan and following it religiously.

There are also a lot of successful blogs whose target audience is women of all ages, reminding us that gender disparities in finance still exist.

Generational differences also stuck out. Many of the blogs on the list are run by a specific generation, the Millennials, and reflect anxieties they have over their financial futures. Millennials were hit very hard by the 2008 financial crisis, and the experience of coping with that impact inspired many to record their experiences.

Many blogs were inspired by the eagerness to get rid of debt or find alternatives to nine-to-five jobs. In many cases, the blog ended up being their full-time job. Every post is a journal entry that collects their thoughts and creates accountability since people read and follow their content. 

Many also share how many management practices learned from their families got deeply ingrained in their adult selves. 

It’s going to be interesting to see how the next generations, raised by more financially literate parents, handle finances as adults and in what way will they define their financial freedom. Will it be in terms of early retirement, traveling, living debt-free, or something entirely new? 

Did your blog get featured on our list? Show off with a badge:

The post 100 Best Finance Blogs and Their Best Content (2024) appeared first on FinMasters.

Check out the best personal finance YouTube channels:

1. TruFinancials

Subscriber count: 72.2K.
Best for: Young adults interested in fintech solutions.

Run by Denis Trufin, TruFinancials is a relatively small channel with a loyal following. Starting in 2017, the channel initially offered generic advice on saving money, managing sudden wealth, and budgeting. However, it’s now evolved to offer comprehensive reviews of some of the most commonly used banking apps, platforms, and fintech solutions.

You’ll find quick yet valuable reviews, walkthroughs, and tutorials for popular financial apps, learn the basics of applying for loans and credit cards, and even get easy explanations of how crypto investing works.

2. The Financial Diet

Subscriber count: 998K.
Best for: Beginners trying to get ahold of their finances.

The Financial Diet is one of the longest-standing personal finance YouTube channels, launched in 2015 by Chelsea Fagan and Lauren Van Hage. The two are far from finance experts, but they often collaborate with some to deliver relevant, accurate content on personal finances.

The channel is filled with videos covering topics budgeting and handling student debt to avoiding common financial scams, and much more. The best thing is that the videos are neatly organized into unique categories, so you can easily find the topics you’re interested in. Some of the most popular playlists include “Making It Work,” “Living with Debt,” “The Lifestyle Fix,” and “The 3-Minute Guide”.

3. Ask Sebby

Subscriber count: 269K.
Best for: Those interested in learning more about credit cards.

Run by Sebastian Fung, Ask Sebby is an excellent channel for learning all there’s to know about credit cards. Sebastian creates insightful credit card guides and reviews, giving you all the information you may need to choose the best card for your needs.

Though most of the content is designed to help you improve your traveling budget with smart card choices, you’ll also find plenty of videos on cards suitable for everyday shopping and grocery expenses, for instance. You can learn all you need to know about different types of bank accounts, popular finance apps, and more.

Sebastian keeps things informative and entertaining, so you might find his videos interesting even if you don’t need any assistance with personal finances.

4. Millennial on Fire

Subscriber count: 2.06K.
Best for: Those interested in obtaining financial independence and retiring early.

Millennial on Fire is a relatively new channel, started in May 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s not a traditional personal finance channel where you get specific instructions on attaining wealth. Instead, it’s a channel that presents the story of a typical middle-class American couple on their path to obtaining financial independence and retiring early (FIRE).

The videos on the channel are essentially diary entries where the couple shares their passive income plans, lifestyle, saving strategies, and more. Of course, that doesn’t mean you can’t learn from the content created. The videos are surprisingly insightful and inspirational, filled with practical advice, great tips, and effective saving strategies.

5. BeatTheBush

Subscriber count: 369K.
Best for: Those who want to retire early and work on projects they enjoy.

BeatTheBush might be one of the most entertaining personal finance YouTube channels. Run by Francis, a retired engineer, the channel offers a great amalgamation of financial tips, career advice, credit card reviews, and budgeting strategies with a pinch of comedy stirred in between.

Francis believes frugality, smart spending, and credit card churning can only deliver positive outcomes.

6. Careers and Personal Finance by Khan Academy

Subscriber count: 44.8K.
Best for: Those interested in career development.

Khan Academy has been posting educational videos on YouTube since 2017. However, as a non-profit organization, it’s been in the industry much longer – since 2008.

The main mission of the academy is to give everyone worldwide access to free, quality education. That’s why you’ll find countless tools, resources, and content covering an array of different topics directly on its website.

As far as its YouTube channel is concerned, Khan Academy has dozens of videos dedicated to professionals across industries. You’ll learn all about different professions, how much you can expect to make in different types of jobs, and how you can budget and plan for the future based on your occupation.

Khan Academy is more focused on education than entertainment, and its offerings are presented in an educational format.

7. Next Gen Personal Finance

Subscriber count: 6.19K.
Best for: High schoolers and young adults who lack basic financial education.

Many teens and young adults complain about the lack of financial education in US high schools. While the top high schoolers can easily do complex equations or quote Shakespeare from memory, few know how to file their taxes or start building their credit history. Next Gen Personal Finance aims to change this.

Designed to introduce personal finance courses in schools across the US, Next Gen Personal Finance is primarily a teacher resource. However, its YouTube channel offers insightful information on the basics of finances, making it a great tool for teens and young adults trying to grasp complex financial concepts.

Most videos are under 5 minutes long, but they are highly informative and present complex concepts in easy-to-understand language.

8. Jumpstart YOUniversity

Subscriber count: 12.7K.
Best for: Those interested in career development in the financial industry.

Jumpstart YOUniversity isn’t so much of a YouTube channel focused on teaching you how to better manage your personal finances as it is a channel teaching you how to get into personal finances. Still, plenty of golden nuggets of financial advice are scattered throughout the videos.

The channel was started in 2013 by Dominique, a certified financial planner with years of industry experience.

All the videos are conveniently compiled into playlists, so you can easily search for the topics that interest you. Examples include personal finance and investing tips, interviews with industry experts, job interview advice, and more.

9. Graham Stephen

Subscriber count: 4.19M.
Best for: Those interested in building passive income.

Graham Stephen is one of the most popular YouTubers in the personal finance field. He created the channel in 2016 and has been sharing advice on an array of financial topics for over seven years, with the cumulative views on his videos exceeding 499 million.

Though he’s primarily interested in real estate, he has hundreds of videos on passive income opportunities, retirement planning, boosting your credit score, and much more.

10. Debt Free in 30

Subscriber count: 8.36K.
Best for: Young adults trying to minimize debt.

Debt Free in 30 is a small YouTube channel that started in 2018. Though it has only around 8.36 thousand subscribers, it deserves many more.

The videos cover various topics, from tips on building your annual budget to advice on using your credit cards, applying for loans, prioritizing expenses when you’re short on cash, and more.

With most videos lasting about half an hour, this channel isn’t something you can check out during your 5-minute break. However, the videos are perfect for longer commutes as they offer entertainment and education simultaneously.

11. Grant Cardone

Subscriber count: 2.31M.
Best for: Those interested in building up personal wealth.

Grant Cardone is a controversial character with as many haters as loyal followers. Still, there’s no denying that he can offer some great advice on personal finances. After all, there’s a reason why his subscribers number in the millions.

Cardone is an author, public speaker, sales trainer, and real estate mogul. His videos cover many topics, and you can easily find the topics you’re interested in by looking at his playlists. Some of the most helpful playlists include “How to Increase Your Income,” “1-on-1 Coaching with Grant Cardone”, and “Grant Cardone Motivational Tips.”

This is one you’ll either love or hate, but it’s worth a try to find out which!

12. Money Talks News

Subscriber count: 46.6K.
Best for: Money-saving strategies.

Money Talks News has a simple purpose: making it easier to save money. The channel was started in 2007 and has since accumulated a relatively small but loyal following.

You’ll find valuable videos on saving for retirement, building up your credit, and identifying saving opportunities. You’ll even find content on how to boost your savings with your pets.

Most of the videos are a bit long, lasting a little over half an hour, but you’ll be thoroughly immersed every minute.

13. Finance Tube

Subscriber count: 63.1K.
Best for: Those interested in building basic financial knowledge.

Finance Tube is all about making basic finances easier to understand. It’s the perfect channel for beginners who are utterly confused about budgeting, developing fiscal responsibility, starting their own business, and more.

Though Finance Tube is an Indian channel, the tips and advice offered are universal, regardless of your location. You’ll learn everything from building your wealth to starting your own business and making an elevator pitch.

14. Debt Free Millennials

Subscriber count: 61.4K.
Best for: Young adults who need to pay off their student loans and live debt-free.

It’s all in the name. Debt Free Millennials is a YouTube channel for all those 90s kids who’ve suddenly found themselves drowning in student loan debt.

Starting the channel in 2017, Justine wanted to share advice with her peers on how she managed to pay off thousands in student loans with a $37,000 income within just a couple of years.

Her videos are ideal for young people worried about inflation, buried in student debt, struggling with home ownership, trying to make ends meet, and accumulating enough wealth to start families of their own.

15. Side Hustle Nation

Subscriber count: 23.9K.
Best for: Those interested in boosting their income through side hustles.

Started in 2011 by Nick Loper, the Side Hustle Nation channel explores all the imaginable and unimaginable ways you can increase your income through side hustles.

Nick is an author, podcaster, and entrepreneur with plenty of inside information on the best side hustles you could start.

Regardless of your interests, preferences, and skill sets, you’ll find valuable advice on how you can start making more money. Whether you have a 3D printer you don’t know what to do with, a TikTok account you don’t know how to monetize, or a blog you’re struggling to lift off the ground, you’ll find great advice on making your side hustle pay off with Nick.

16. You Need a Budget (YNAB)

Subscriber count: 118K.
Best for: Those stuck in the paycheck-to-paycheck loop.

You Need a Budget (YNAB) is a multi-platform budgeting platform that has been operating since 2008. Their YouTube channel shares videos on improving your budgeting and financial management skills.

The channel provides valuable tips on making the most out of the money you have available, cutting your costs, and making better financial decisions. You’ll find plenty of simple yet useful rules you can follow to get out of debt and break out of your paycheck-to-paycheck cycle.

17. His and Her Money

Subscriber count: 232K.
Best for: Families trying to get out of debt.

His and Her Money is a diverse channel where a couple, Talaat and Tai McNeely, talk about everything related to improving your finances and your life as a small family. You’ll gain valuable small business advice, tips on improving your credit, and even lifestyle tips on managing your relationship and finances as a married couple.

His and Her Money is a wholesome channel that will educate and entertain you while helping you find better ways to get out of debt and become financially independent together.

18. Nate O’Brien

Subscriber count: 1.29M.
Best for: Young adults struggling with productivity.

Nate O’Brien takes a unique approach to improving personal finances, focusing primarily on changing your mindset.

You’ll find countless videos on credit, making better financial decisions, and even investing. However, Nate places the strongest emphasis on teaching you how to be more productive, embrace the concept of minimalism, and develop healthier habits that will help you build financial stability.

19. Nick True – Mapped Out Money

Subscriber count: 54.2K.
Best for: Young adults who want to save money and pursue their dreams.

At first glance, Nick True, the creator of the Mapped Out Money YouTube channel, wouldn’t strike you as even remotely financially savvy. He has somewhat of a hipster look, lives in a camper with his wife and pets, and travels the country.

However, you’ll be surprised to see just how insightful his videos are.

He offers advice based on his personal experiences, helping you better plan your budget, identify the best side hustle opportunities and even figure out the lifestyle that suits your habits, interests, and unique lifestyle.

20. Andrei Jikh

Subscriber count: 2.19M.
Best for: Adults looking for better career opportunities and trying to save money during a recession.

With over 2.19 million subscribers, you can rest assured that Andrei Jikh knows what he’s talking about. Starting his channel about six years ago, he’s been devoted to sharing practical financial tips and advice that can help you obtain financial independence ever since.

Andrei covers various topics, some on investing, others on budgeting, embracing the principles of minimalism, and learning to set goals and retire by 30.

Final Thoughts

Personal finance is a concept that’s relevant to us all, regardless of age, gender, or background. That’s why you’ll find so many books, podcasts, and YouTube channels covering related topics.

However, in the sea of personal finance content available online, it’s critical to determine which is best suited to your needs, unique situation, and overall lifestyle. Not all the advice out there is relevant to you, and some of it is just plain bad!

The YouTube channels mentioned above offer thousands upon thousands of hours of useful content that can help you manage your personal finances better. Check them out and see whether they suit your personal style and financial philosophy!

The post 20 Best Personal Finance YouTube Channels to Follow in 2024 appeared first on FinMasters.

Long gone are the days when studying meant spending hours in front of a textbook. Today we have a multitude of online and offline resources that allow us to learn everything we want to know about almost anything.

Podcasts are an excellent example of that. You can listen to them at home, in a car, when walking, and even while waiting in a queue. That’s why they quickly became widely popular, and now you can find podcasts on all kinds of topics, including finance.

Here are our 35+ best picks for 2024.

35+ Best Finance Podcasts Right Now

Finding a high-quality podcast isn’t easy, especially now when there are so many on the market. We took the time to research different finance podcasts and single out only the best ones for you.

1. Freakonomics Radio

Freakonomics Radio is a weekly podcast that takes a deep dive into the hidden side of everything, using economics as a framework for understanding and analyzing human behavior.

The show is hosted by Stephen J. Dubner, co-author of the Freakonomics books, and features many guests, including economists, psychologists, and social scientists. The show covers a wide range of topics, including economics, psychology, and social science, and aims to make complex subjects accessible and engaging to a general audience.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify.

2. Planet Money

Planet Money is a podcast by NPR that aims to make economics engaging and accessible to a general audience. The show covers many topics, including the global economy, personal finance, and business, and uses storytelling and humor to make complex issues easy to understand.

Each episode focuses on a specific theme or issue and features interviews with experts, policymakers, and everyday people to provide a well-rounded perspective on the topic at hand.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music.

3. The Tim Ferriss Show

The Tim Ferriss Show is a podcast in which host Tim Ferriss interviews successful people from a wide range of fields, including finance, business, and investing. The show aims to provide listeners with insights and strategies for achieving success by exploring successful individuals’ habits, routines, and mental frameworks.

Each episode features an in-depth conversation with a guest and covers topics such as productivity, time management, and personal development, all crucial elements of finance.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify.

4. Smart Passive Income

Smart Passive Income is a podcast that focuses on helping entrepreneurs and small business owners grow their businesses using online marketing strategies. The show is hosted by Pat Flynn, an online entrepreneur and marketing expert, and covers social media marketing, content marketing, and email marketing.

The episodes feature interviews with successful online business owners and industry experts and provide practical tips and strategies for growing an online business.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify.

5. The Stacking Benjamins Show

The Stacking Benjamins Show podcast focuses on personal finance and money management topics. Hosted by Joe Saul-Sehy, this podcast covers various issues related to saving, investing, and budgeting. The show also features interviews with experts in the field and often has a light-hearted and humorous approach to the topics.

The Stacking Benjamins Show covers everything from basics such as budgeting and saving, to more advanced topics, such as retirement planning, investing, and debt management. New episodes publish every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, so this podcast is an excellent pick if you’re looking for one with frequent uploads.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube.

6. The Tony Robbins Podcast

The Tony Robbins Podcast is hosted by Tony Robbins, an entrepreneur, bestselling author, and life coach, who shares his knowledge, insights, and teachings on success, relationships, and life. He interviews some of the world’s top thought leaders, businesspeople, and influencers and provides listeners with inspiring stories and actionable advice.

The podcast has been running since 2018 and is one of the most popular and highest-rated podcasts on Apple Podcasts. It is an excellent resource for anyone looking for motivation, inspiration, and advice on becoming successful.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts, YouTube.

7. The EntreLeadership Podcast

The EntreLeadership Podcast, hosted by George Kamel, is an educational podcast that aims to help entrepreneurs and business leaders grow their businesses and reach their goals. It covers leadership, team building, marketing, finance, and many other topics. Each episode features an interview with a successful business leader or expert in the field.

The podcast also includes success stories from successful entrepreneurs who have implemented the strategies discussed. The EntreLeadership Podcast is a must-listen for any entrepreneur or business leader looking to take their business to the next level.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube.

8. The Ramsey Show

The Ramsey Show is a podcast by Dave Ramsey, a financial guru and bestselling author. The show focuses on helping individuals and families learn how to manage their money and make financial decisions that will lead them to financial freedom.

The show features interviews with experts, practical advice, and inspiring stories from those who have achieved financial success. The podcast covers budgeting, saving, investing, debt reduction, and other topics.

Listen on: Google Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube.

9. ChooseFI

ChooseFI is a podcast created by Brad Barrett and Jonathan Mendonsa that focuses on personal finance and financial independence. The two hosts discuss budgeting, investing, and saving money and provide their personal experiences and interviews with experts in the field.

The podcast caters to those looking to make positive changes in their financial lives. It’s also perfect for those already on the path to financial independence. Brad and Jonathan provide actionable advice anyone can apply to any financial situation.

35+ Best Finance Podcasts to Listen to in 2024

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Listen on: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify.

10. The Art of Charm

By listening to The Art of Charm podcast, self-motivated individuals gain insight from the company’s experienced coaches, Johnny and AJ. With 11 years of experience hosting clients from all over the planet at their boot camps in Los Angeles, the duo share their stories, best practices, and knowledge on their weekly podcast.

The Art of Charm equips people with the tools to become more successful in their personal and professional lives, from becoming higher performers to better partners and coworkers.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify.

11. BiggerPockets Money Podcast

The BiggerPockets Money Podcast is a popular podcast focusing on personal finance and investing topics. Hosted by Scott Trench and Mindy Jensen, the podcast offers numerous helpful tips and advice for anyone interested in improving their financial situation.

BiggerPockets Money Podcast is an excellent resource for anyone looking to learn more about investing, budgeting, and other money topics. If you’re looking for a easily accessible way to learn more about managing your money, the BiggerPockets Money Podcast is worth checking out.

Listen on: Spotify.

12. Money for the Rest of Us

Money for the Rest of Us is another fantastic podcast that provides practical and actionable advice on personal finance. Hosted by J. David Stein, it covers topics such as investing, retirement, taxes, and more.

J. David Stein brings a different guest every time who shares their personal experience with money and provides insight into how to manage it best. The guests are often industry professionals who offer valuable advice and information.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify.

13. Brown Ambition

Brown Ambition is currently the leading business and finance podcast for women by women. As a weekly podcast by two successful women of color, Brown Ambition aims to help women achieve their financial goals.

The hosts are Mandi Woodruff, a journalist, personal finance expert and MandiMoney Makers founder, and Tiffany Aliche, an awarded financial educator and New York Times bestseller author. They team up to help their listeners make savvy career decisions, invest wisely, and learn to save money, all on their own terms.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube.

14. The InvestED Podcast

InvestED, hosted by hedge fund manager and New York Times best-selling author Phil Town and his daughter Danielle, is the perfect stock market education for beginners. On the podcast, the duo discusses 80-year-old investing strategies utilized by gurus like Warren Buffett and provides real-life examples and tips weekly to all their listeners.

Considering Phil Town wrote Invested, Rule #1, and Payback Time, all of which are New York Times best-selling investment books, The InvestED Podcast is undoubtedly an excellent podcast choice if you’re looking for investment education.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify

15. It’s Not About the Money

This podcast is ideal for all female entrepreneurs ready to make more money, invest it, and unlock new levels of wealth. The show is hosted by Catherine Morgan, an author, speaker, and financial coach.

It’s Not About the Money helps ambitious women create wealth, grow their businesses, and build healthier relationships with money. As a result, listeners become more confident with their finances and move away from a scarcity money mindset.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify.

16. So Money with Farnoosh Torabi

So Money with Farnoosh Torabi is an incredible resource for anyone interested in personal finance and financial independence. Farnoosh interviews leading experts in the field on the show and shares her journey to financial success.

By listening to this podcast, followers can get helpful advice on starting, growing, and protecting their wealth. The show is entertaining, informative, and inspiring and can help anyone on their journey to financial freedom.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts, Stitcher.

17. The School of Greatness

The School of Greatness podcast is an inspiring podcast by Lewis Howes, an author, speaker, and entrepreneur. The podcast is devoted to helping people find their unique greatness and encourages guests to share their stories of success and failures.

The podcast features impressive guests from all walks of life and covers topics such as achieving goals, finding purpose, developing meaningful relationships, and becoming financially successful. It is a must-listen for anyone looking for the best finance content for inspiration and guidance.

Listen on: Google Podcasts, Spotify.

18. How to Money

Joel and Matt, best friends and co-hosts of How to Money, are on a mission to provide people with unbiased, jargon-free personal finance guidance. Through their show, they provide the knowledge and tools necessary to succeed in debt payoff, DIY investing, and other complex financial areas.

They talk about everything related to money and finance in a way everyone can understand and benefit from once they apply the tips. They teach you that you can start living a rich life by handling your money purposefully and thoughtfully in a way that works for your lifestyle.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify.

19. Frugal Friends

Finance isn’t all about stock markets and investing. Sometimes, taking control of your finances means learning when and how to spend your money. That’s what Frugal Friends talks about weekly.

On Frugal Friends, Jen Smith and Jill Sirianni help their followers gain control of their finances through frugality and a few laughs. The duo discusses various topics like saving money, reducing spending, minimalism, paying off debt, and achieving financial independence.

If you want to get a grip on your spending habits without worrying too much about investing, this podcast is for you!

Listen on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube.

20. Money Girl

The Money Girl Podcast is an award-winning show that has been helping people manage their finances since 2008. Hosted by financial expert Laura Adams, this podcast shares information on personal finance topics such as budgeting, saving money, investing, and retirement planning.

The Money Girl also provides free resources and tools to help listeners take control of their financial situations.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts, Stitcher.

21. The Money Nerds Podcast

The Money Nerds Podcast provides its listeners with weekly stories and tips to help them pay off debt and reach financial independence more easily. The podcast’s host is Whitney Hansen, who interviews everyday people with unique and exciting money stories.

This show is excellent for people just starting their journey to financial freedom and those already on their way. Whatever the case for you is, you’ll find practical advice and inspiring stories to motivate you toward success.

Listen on: Apple Podcast, Stitcher.

22. The His & Her Money Show

The His & Her Money Show is a finance podcast focusing on discovering the harmony between managing your finances, marriage, and other life aspects. The podcast’s hosts ensure everyone striving for financial independence receives a helpful guide leading their way.

The primary mission of The His & Her Money Show is to help people get out of debt and build wealth. As such, it discusses essential topics, including getting out of debt, budgeting, investing, saving money, improving credit, and other finance-related issues.

Besides that, the podcast is perfect for learning more about creating strong family foundations with good organization and time management.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts, YouTube.

23. Money Matters with Ken Moraif Radio Show

Money Matters with Ken Moraif is a weekly podcast by a certified financial planner. In each episode, Ken interviews guests from the financial world and provides advice on developing and maintaining a healthy economic lifestyle.

The podcast covers topics ranging from retirement planning to investment strategies, and provides insight into managing your money best. Additionally, Ken shares his experiences and offers relevant and practical advice to help listeners achieve financial security.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts.

24. Afford Anything

The philosophy behind the Afford Anything podcast is that we can afford anything but not everything. As such, the podcast mainly focuses on making wise decisions regarding money, time, energy, focus, and attention.

Instead of simply talking about money and investing, Paula Pant, the podcast’s host, pays a lot of attention to exploring the psychology of money and thinking correctly when budgeting and spending.

Paula Pant talks with many world-class experts on the podcast to answer the listeners’ questions and discuss ways to make smarter choices and live more meaningful lives.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts.

25. The Art of Money Saving

Every Wednesday, The Art of Money Saving podcast publishes a new episode about a story from inspirational people around the globe. The show’s host is Joshua from London, the UK, who is an opera singer.

On The Art of Money Saving podcast, Joshua discusses various financial topics, including investing, personal finance, student loans, the FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) movement, and more.

Additionally, Joshua regularly has guests on the podcast, so listeners get a unique opportunity to hear interviews with knowledgeable people in the world of finance.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify.

26. The Investing for Beginners Podcast

There’s no doubt the stock market is overly complicated. Many people want to reap the rewards but don’t know how. That’s where The Investing for Beginners Podcast comes in handy. The podcast is oriented toward value investing, growth investing, dividend growth investing, and trend following.

By drawing lessons from these successful stock market strategies, followers of this podcast can learn a lot about investing and capitalizing on the market.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify.

27. The Money Maze Podcast

Getting a better understanding of the financial world is easy with the right resources by your side. The Money Maze Podcast is one such resource, helping individuals grasp the complexities of investing. The show’s hosts are two experienced industry veterans who explore different aspects of the financial world and provide helpful insights along the way.

Everyone can benefit from the discussions with masters of The Money Maze Podcast, from current and aspiring professionals to everyday investors and students.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify.

28. The College Investor Audio Show

There aren’t many daily podcasts, so The College Investor Audio Show truly comes as a refreshment. This podcast is a fantastic resource for college students and recent graduates looking to make the most of their money.

The podcast by Robert Farrington provides helpful tips and advice on getting out of student debt and using the available funds for investing, budgeting, and saving money. It also features interviews with finance industry experts so that listeners can learn from experienced professionals.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify.

29. Money in Motion with Klaas Financial

Klaas Financial is a financial services firm that specializes in helping people get the most out of their money by providing them with the best retirement plans. With Money in Motion, clients can access financial planning and investment advice, tax services, and debt management.

As a result, listeners of this podcast can make intelligent and informed decisions regarding portfolio management and retirement planning. In addition, Money in Motion listeners can access comprehensive financial and asset management services to get the most out of their money.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts, Deezer.

30. Millennial Investing – The Investor’s Podcast Network

The Millennial Investing podcast from The Investor’s Podcast Network is an essential resource for anyone looking to learn more about investing. Hosted by Robert Leonard and Rebecca Hotsko, the podcast dives deep into investing strategies, tips on picking stocks, and the importance of taking a long-term view of your investments.

With a wide range of guests, the Millennial Investing podcast offers a unique perspective on the investing world. It gives listeners the knowledge and confidence to make the best decisions for their financial future.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify.

31. The Compound and Friends

The Compound and Friends podcast is an entertaining and informative show about technology and digital innovation. Hosts Downtown Josh Brown and Michael Batnick bring together thoughtful conversations and interviews with inspiring guests from the business and finance industry to talk about different topics related to investing and making your money work for you.

They publish a new episode of The Compound and Friends podcast every Friday. Therefore, you can stay up to date with the latest news in the world of finance by following this podcast regularly.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Stitcher.

32. The Rational Reminder Podcast

Benjamin Felix and Cameron Passmore are Portfolio Managers at PWL Capital. However, they’re also the hosts of The Rational Reminder Podcast.

Similarly to other podcasts on this list, The Rational Reminder Podcast deals with financial decision-making and sensible investing for anyone who wants to take control of their finances and start making better financial decisions. If you’re one of those people, The Rational Reminder Podcast might be the perfect fit.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube.

33. The Retirement Answer Man

Roger Whitney hosts a top retirement podcast called The Retirement Answer Man. On this podcast, Roger Whitney dives deep into retirement’s financial and personal aspects to help his listeners retire confidently.

Roger’s podcast covers topics like creating a paycheck and managing taxes and healthcare and has been recognized twice as PLUTUS winner for best retirement podcast/blog and the best financial planner blog.

In addition to retirement plans, The Retirement Answer Man talks about retirement travel, finding a balance between living well and feeling secure about retirement, and other non-financial topics.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify.

34. Maven Money Personal Finance Podcast

Andy Hart, the host of the Maven Money Personal Finance Podcast, leads one of the UK’s best personal finance shows. However, it isn’t your ordinary finance podcast about investing. Namely, Andy Hart talks about creative and unconventional strategies you probably haven’t heard about before regarding wealth creation and financial planning.

Not only can listeners learn how to take complete control of their money and simplify complex topics into actionable steps, but they can also learn that through exciting and engaging podcast episodes.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify.

35. We Study Billionaires

We Study Billionaires is one of the world’s leading stock investing podcasts. The Investor’s Podcast Network publishes it, while Stig Brodersen, Trey Lockerbie, and Clay Finck host it.

The hosts cover various topics that offer insight into the investment strategies of renowned financial billionaires, such as Warren Buffett, Ray Dalio, and Howard Marks. They help listeners apply the tips to their stock market endeavors and reach financial success.

This podcast also includes the Richer Wiser Happier series by William Green and the Bitcoin Fundamentals series by Preston Pysh.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify.

36. Financial Independence Podcast

Another outstanding choice for a finance podcast is the Financial Independence Podcast. The show is hosted by the Mad Fientist, who interviews some of the most influential figures in personal finance. Some of his notable guests were Mr. Money Mustache, JL Collins, and Ramit Sethi.

With this podcast, the Mad Fientist aims to uncover the secrets of financial independence and early retirement, delving into various topics regarding investing, tax avoidance, entrepreneurship, travel hacking, and real estate.

Financial Independence Podcast is an excellent pick if you want to learn the strategies these experts used to achieve financial freedom and retire before their peers.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify.

37. The Investor Mindset

Are you looking for a podcast that aims to help busy professionals, real estate entrepreneurs, and passive investors make the most of what they have? You don’t have to look further because The Investor Mindset will teach you everything about creating financial and time freedom.

The podcast’s host is Steven Pesavento, an active real estate investor and the founder of VonFinch Capital, a real estate private equity firm. The Investor Mindset features interviews and solo shows, so there’s no way learning about finance will be boring to you from now on.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Deezer.

38. Financial Freedom with Grant Sabatier

Financial Freedom with Grant Sabatier is a podcast that explores the concept of financial freedom and provides listeners with practical strategies for achieving it. The show is hosted by Grant Sabatier, the founder of the personal finance blog Millennial Money, and covers topics such as saving and investing, budgeting, and entrepreneurship.

Each episode features interviews with financial experts and successful individuals who have achieved financial freedom. It provides actionable advice for listeners looking to take control of their finances and build long-term wealth.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify.

Final Thoughts

The internet is filled with high-quality, engaging, and creative podcasts dealing with finance. That makes choosing one or several to follow overwhelming.

Do you need help determining which podcasts are worth listening to or choosing a podcast with the right topic? This list of 35+ best finance podcasts to listen to in 2024 will equip you with everything you need to know to find the perfect podcast for your needs.

The post 35+ Best Finance Podcasts to Listen to in 2024 appeared first on FinMasters.