I listen to a lot of podcasts, heck I even produce my own! So, to say I’m a fan is an understatement. But many are still scratching their head as to what one even is and why they should even be interested?

I’m telling you that you really SHOULD be interested, they are the most exciting thing to happen in media since, well, books!

Definition of a podcast

“A digital audio file made available on the internet for downloading to a computer or mobile device, typically available as a series, new instalments of which can be received by subscribers automatically”. Google Dictionary

Have you ever caught the tail end of a radio interview and wished you could have heard the beginning? Well, podcasts are basically stories, interviews, courses or shows that you can listen to whenever you want, as many times as you want and even at whatever speed you want. Whatever your area of expertise or topic of interest there WILL be a podcast out there that someone has produced for you to listen to. If not, maybe your could create your own?

I drive a lot of places where there is intermittent radio reception and it drives me bonkers and I also get sick of just listening to music so instead I play podcasts and the audio never drops out. I listen to them when I’m driving, walking the dog, out in the garden or when I can’t sleep at night. I actually look forward to a long car journey now!

You can learn so much useful information and also a whole lot of stuff you probably didn’t need to know BUT it was interesting anyway! AND it makes you appear absolutely clued up when out and about regalling your mates with fascinating facts. Personally, I could always be heard saying “I was listening to the radio and I heard…” but now it tends to be “I found a new podcast and I heard...”

All you need is to download the app onto your phone (just go into the app store on your phone and search “podcast app” or you can also play them direct from their own websites and an important point to mention as well is that they are FREE to you. Most podcasts will run one or two short ads and that is how they get paid for the work they produce. When I am at home on my WiFi I download a heap to my phone and I have hours and hours of content to listen to whenever I like. If you find one you enjoy you will be offered suggestions of other similar podcasts and that way you can keep discovering new content.

Podcasts tend to be produced in a series, much like a TV show. So, you might discover a great one that runs for 12 episodes and then stops, takes a break and then runs another series. Sometimes the wait is agonising! If you ‘subscribe’ to the podcast each time they release a new episode it will automatically download to your device.

I listen to a wide range of content including:

• What it is like to be in prison
• I’ve listened to a guy document his journey of walking the Te Araroa Trail
• A woman who walks up to people and asks them “where are you going” and a fascinating story unfolds
• How to start a side hustle
• A BBC comedy show
• A parenting show where you get a good laugh too
• How to become a minimalist
• And how to prepare for a triathlon (I have barely attempted to put anything that I have learned from these last two into action, but I still enjoyed learning that I COULD if I wanted to!)

There are a hundred genres you could choose from but my absolute favourite and one I never tire of is to learn how to be better with money. So, to get YOU started I have put together my top six favourite podcasts where they talk about money:

The Happy Saver

• A podcast where I talk to a bunch of different New Zealanders and ask them a heap of questions about the money in their lives. Each reveal their struggles and their successes in getting ahead and becoming financially independent.

The Pineapple Project

• Australian based but well produced and really interesting, it covers a different money topic each week. It helps that the presenter is a comedian and also uses a lot of personal examples so you can really relate to the people you hear about.

Choose FI

• An American podcast where they interview some really interesting people and discuss debt, saving, investing and how to live a good life.

Cooking The Books

• A Kiwi podcast where each week she explains a money related topic and pulls in experts to help her. I pick and choose which ones I listen to as not all are relevant to me.

Dave Ramsey

• I can guarantee some of you will listen to this and become hooked. Others will be completely turned off! This self described hillbilly multi millionaire christian from Tennessee gives straight talking financial advice on his radio show about getting out of debt and staying out of debt.

RNZ: Your Money With Mary Holm

• Every other week the extremely clued up Mary Holm speaks with Radio NZ about a money related topic.

Final tips for you are to listen to them on 1½ speed and also to ask your friends what they are enjoying at the moment. I’m forever getting new suggestions from other people and I find that is one of the best ways to discover content that I never ever would have discovered before.

I hope that among the above list you will find something that works for you and I guarantee you that each podcast will lead you onto discovering another new one and before you know it you too will be having a coffee with a friend and will catch yourself saying “I was listening to this great podcast the other day and…”

Happy Saving and Happy Listening!

Ruth

The information contained in this article is of a general nature and should not be taken as advice. It reflects the opinions of the writer only and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of NZHL (New Zealand Home Loans).