You can never get too much financial advice. Well, actually, let’s say you can never get too much GOOD financial advice. To help you along, we have gathered a list of the top personal finance publications out there.
Each of these publications has developed a proven reputation for strong information to help you make sound and well-informed financial decisions as well as tracking and reporting on the most important financial or business news of the day.
Just a quick note: We stuck with magazines for this list of personal finance publications with the added bonus of some great blogs you should check out. You probably already subscribe to the Wall Street Journal, right?
When you think about investing for your future, do you feel overwhelmed? Most people haven’t been given enough tools to feel comfortable, so here are some great personal finance magazines that can help on your journey into investments.
Personal Finance Publications
We’ve organized these popular personal finance magazines in groups according to what kind of information you might be interested in reading. The list isn’t exhaustive, but this should give you a good list of where to get started.
Personal Finance
Investopedia : While not strictly a “personal finance” publication, Investopedia stands out as one of the most trusted online sources for understanding how money works. It’s the go-to site when you want clear explanations about financial terms, investing strategies, or the nuts and bolts of credit, loans, insurance, and taxes. With thousands of articles and tutorials, it functions more like a financial encyclopedia than a news publication.
Still, don’t mistake it for dry reading. Investopedia does an excellent job of breaking down complex concepts into simple, everyday language. Whether you’re a beginner trying to learn the difference between a 401(k) and an IRA, or a seasoned investor brushing up on portfolio theory, you’ll find something helpful. It’s a smart stop if you want to build financial literacy one question at a time.
Kiplinger: Kiplinger offers several practical aids for investing beyond the basic magazine – these include the Kiplinger Retirement Report, the Kiplinger Letter, and the Kiplinger Tax Letter. Their regular monthly magazine gives no-nonsense, objective, and practical personal financial advice. At the beginning of every year they offer a list of the best 25 mutual funds in their estimation and, then with the end of the year, they compare their choices to another index fund’s portfolio and offer objective results in comparison.
A strong publication if you are interested in good tips and smart advice about general financial topics. Kiplinger’s real strength, though, is in its bite-size content. Reading through individual articles won’t take much time, but don’t let the brevity fool you. Kiplinger’s manages to pack a lot of great advice into shorter articles.
Money Problem Advice: You may not have heard of MoneyProblemAdvice.com alongside the bigger names, but it’s quickly becoming a trusted destination for people looking for straightforward help with real-life financial challenges. The site focuses on practical issues — like getting out of debt, improving your credit score, how to make more money, and budgeting when money is tight. It’s less about theory and more about step-by-step guidance for people who need solutions now. What’s unique about this site is that it provides a clear and historical explanation of what money is, how it was created and where it is headed to help the readers adjust their views about money
This is a great site if you’re feeling overwhelmed and want simple, compassionate advice without the fluff. The tone is friendly, the tips are realistic, and the articles are written with the understanding that not everyone has a finance degree—or a fat savings account. It’s especially useful for those just starting their financial recovery journey or trying to get back on track.
Business, Finance, Economy, and Markets
Business Week: When politics and business meet, you will read about it in the pages of Bloomberg Businessweek. Businessweek contributors show readers how what happens in Washington creates ripple effects across the world of national and international business. If you want to stay on top of what’s happening and know how it might impact your financial situation, read Businessweek. Publications come out weekly and share information about news, global trends, and insight into what is happening with business and management within organizations all around the world.
US News & World Report: You don’t always need to read a business or finance magazine to learn what you need to know about how to handle your personal finances. US News & World Report has a money section filled with what is happening now both in various markets and economies. You might also find investments that are in keeping with your ethics and politics so you can feel good about how your money is used.
The Economist: The Economist is also NOT a finance magazine, but when it comes to the US economy and what is happening, they fit the title they give themselves as an “authoritative weekly newspaper focusing on international politics and business news and opinion.” Don’t cheat yourself out of what you’ll find in this one.
Of all the personal finance publications on this list, The Economist may earn top marks overall. Not only will you receive a detailed analysis of the global economy, but you will also get more in depth information about the American financial markets. While the editorial style can be tough sledding, at times, especially for financial newbies, just keep reading, because the information is consistently outstanding.
Consumer Reports : You had to know this one would be on the list. Consumer Reports has been looking out for the American consumer for decades. Not only will Consumer Reports help you make a smart buying decision on purchases large and small, this personal finance publication also offers detailed information on a variety of investment opportunities.
Investments
Wall Street Journal: When looking for your next good investment or checking on existing ones, WSJ is one of the top magazines/newspapers available. Even if all you do is peruse the front page, you’ll have a good idea of what is happening in big corporations, trends in business, and what businesses seem to be on the verge of a collapse or breakthrough.
Investor’s Business Daily: Investor’s Business Daily is one you’ll want to get once you start feeling like you’ve moved beyond the basics and are becoming a serious investor. Here you’ll find great analysis of stock and markets. That is important when you get to the point that you want to start picking and buying into individual stocks instead of funds and markets.
Do you already subscribe to any of these personal finance magazines? Are there some you feel you would like to start reading? Let us know in the comments section what your thoughts are.
You may not have expected to see this one on the list, but it’s definitely one of the top personal finance publications out there. If you want to keep tabs on daily changes in the markets, and you need to stay on top of buy/sell advice on individual securities, you need to read Investor’s Business Daily.
Barron’s: This is one of the first personal finance publications people choose when they want to keep a close eye on the stock markets. The contributors are excellent, and they offer industry-insider insight into the world of investments. Popular with financial industry pros, Barron’s remains accessible for average investors as well.
Invest Your Time With These Top Personal Finance Blogs
You could Google “top personal finance blogs” and keep reading forever without ever really knowing which is the best place to actually get personal financial advice. That’s an indication of just how many personal finance blogs there are out there online.
But which are the top personal finance blogs? Well, that depends on what you need: what information are you looking for, how much do you already know, and what are you trying to learn? To help you answer some of these questions and sort through all the noise online, we have reviewed several top personal finance blogs that we think you will find useful.
Wise Bread: We all like to have a little bit of spending money time and again, and Wise Bread will help you get more of it. The site’s tagline, “Living Large on a Small Budget” is a great motivator for people with average incomes to live smart while enjoying life. There is a ton of important, if basic, financial advice here from opening retirement accounts to upcycling tips to help you save money.
Money Crashers: As the name suggests, this blog is written and maintained by younger people, who just happen to be, financially, wise beyond their years. And don’t let the name or the approach put you off. Whether you’re a 20-something just starting out in life, you’re in your prime earning years, or you are heading toward retirement, you can find some good advice at Money Crashers.
Consumerism Commentary: Part open letter and part financial advice column, Consumerism Commentary started with the owner, Luke Landes, keeping himself accountable by publicly discussing his financial decisions. That was more than a decade ago, and now the site is a trove of financial advice, product reviews and interesting commentary.
Budgets Are Sexy: This one may take a certain type of personality to enjoy. But if you are a fan of straight talk and not much of a stickler for grammar and polite conversation, then you may have found your new favorite place for financial advice. Site originator, J. Money, works hard to give solid advice about personal finance in a fun, engaging way.
Get Rich Slowly: Since we’re not ranking these “best to worst” we didn’t have to argue with ourselves about whether or not to put this one on top. It certainly deserves consideration. Get Rich Slowly, lauded by Time Magazine and Money Magazine, helps people build solid wealth, long-term. The principles are solid, bedrock financial truth to help you build long-term success: set goals, spend less than you make, pay yourself first… Everything on the blog will be filtered through these universal financial truths, making Get Rich Slowly easily one of the top personal finance blogs you can read.
The Digerati Life: As you may have expected, this site is the brainchild of a “Silicon Valley Blogger” who offers tips for entrepreneurs, the self-employed and those who want to be. This is also a great place to come for investment advice, as well as personal financial tools and information.
There you go, several top personal finance blogs you can add to your daily reading list to help you reach your financial goals.
