7 addictive podcasts that will teach you something about money

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How well do you know your own money?

According to a 2017 survey from finance site GoBankingRates, nearly 40% of Americans can't describe a 401(k) and just 36% of 18-to-24-year-olds know what "CD" stands for (it's a certificate of deposit, by the way). Needless to say, Americans are woefully undereducated about personal finance.

Luckily there's a fairly simple way to start learning the financial basics: Start listening to podcasts. Effort is minimal (plug in some headphones, download on your phone or computer, click 'play') and for personal finance specifically, there's a range of informative and entertaining selections.

Here's our pick for the seven best.

1. The OG: 'Planet Money'

NPR’s Planet Money is a bi-weekly podcast that spun off a highly-lauded 2008 episode of This American Life about the financial crisis. If you’re new to the podcast, start there—you’ve never heard the reasons behind the biggest recession of the last 50 years explained more clearly. Other standouts include a series on following oil from the refinery process to someone's car and another on tracking how a t-shirt is made from beginning to end through the global economy.

2. The new player: 'Bad with Money'

Hosted by comedian Gaby Dunn, Bad With Money explores the social and emotional facets of money, particularly as they relate to a younger generation. Freelancing, social status, how your parents messed up your relationship to money—Dunn isn’t afraid to get personal, and the podcast is all the better for it. Now in its second season (the first had 24 episodes), Bad With Money does an excellent job coupling relevant advice and insight with Dunn's general skepticism and criticism of the financial system we all find ourselves trying to navigate.

While all of the episodes feature fascinating conversations with a range of different people and professionals, don't miss the second episode of the first season, in which Dunn sits down with a financial psychologist.

3. For the investor: 'Exchanges at Goldman Sachs'

Hosted by Jake Siewert, who interviews a rotating cast of Goldman Sachs employees, Exchange isn't exactly for beginners. But if you have a fairly firm grasp on the basics and want to get more into the nitty gritty of investing, this podcast is for you. You're not going to get a story per se, but if you want the scoop on what Brexit means for your portfolio or whether it's a good time to look into socially-conscious ETFs, there are few better sources.