Newsletters are having a moment.
With the twin explosion of newsletter platform Substack and the increasing speed of hot takes cycling through social media, there’s a new (old) way of getting the most important news of the day. A really well-done newsletter arrives in your inbox with a consistent voice, plenty of expertise, and actionable advice. Ideally, it will also speak to your specific financial situation.
Whether you’re a newbie investor, a money diary voyeur, or looking to ingest more smart perspectives every week, there’s a newsletter to suit your interests. And don’t forget to sign up for our own newsletter, NextWeekly, which arrives in your inbox every Tuesday with inclusive info on saving money, managing debt, buying a home, and more.
Now let’s find your perfect read.
Best Personal Finance Newsletters of 2021
- She Spends
- The Budgette
- The Myth of Money
- Morning Brew
- Dollar Scholar
- Jill on Money
- The Hustle
- Behavior Gap
- The Wall Street Journal Six-Week Money Challenge
- I Will Teach You to Be Rich
She Spends
Read it for: Truly addictive money diaries
Written by She Spends founder Alicia McElhaney, this weekly digest contains news links and original essay explainers (like this great one on the GameStop saga), delivered in a clear, accessible, and self-described “unapologetically feminist” voice. And you’ll be tempted to speed over to the anonymous money profile in every issue. Reading about the saving and investment plans, debts, and spending victories of real readers can shed light on your own experiences and future goals.
The Budgette
Read it for: Financial advice for single people
Plenty of financial advice is geared toward people who are partnered or have two-income households — and that’s where The Budgette comes in. Aimed at solo income earners, this relative newcomer on the newsletter scene is published every other Tuesday and aggregates the best advice for lone earners, and features interviews with financial experts. Written by personal finance journalist Renee Sylvestre-Williams, The Budgette is smart, snappy, and no-nonsense (as evidenced by this breakdown about the misconceptions around passive income).
The Myth of Money
Read it for: News spanning the spectrum of finance and technology
If you go to sleep at night dreaming of Bitcoin, this one’s for you. Created by Forbes columnist Tatiana Koffman, this weekly newsletter’s dissection of money and technology is read by 10,000+ newbie and veteran investors. To get started, you might be interested in the only Bitcoin resources list you’ll ever need or this recent explainer on the cryptocurrency’s volatility. When you’re constantly looking toward the future, it’s nice to have someone show you the way.
Subscribe to The Myth of Money
Morning Brew
Read it for: A bird’s-eye view of business
No time to skim the headlines every morning? Morning Brew brings you the daily news — from Wall Street to Silicon Valley, they say — with a lack of jargon and a dose of wit. It covers every financial topic under the sun, from trading and commodities to energy and a “what’s next” calendar of events. Drink up the brew for a comprehensive picture of what’s going on in the world of business.
Dollar Scholar
Read it for: Millennial money advice
“Money is messy. Let’s figure it out together” is the tagline for this delightful weekly newsletter written by MONEY senior writer Julia Glum, aimed at demystifying confusing money topics by consulting experts and finding clear takeaways. Recent issues shed light on all your burning stimulus questions and what the new Biden administration means for your wallet. It’s not all serious, though. The “Internet gold” section provides a dose of pop culture, and fluffy reader pets get their time to shine in the too-cute recurring 401(K)9 series.
Jill on Money
Read it for: Money enlightenment from an expert
Jill Schlesinger is a pro. As a CBS News business analyst, CFP, author, radio host — and NextAdvisor contributing writer — she’s well-known for breaking down complicated financial concepts and explaining them to a general audience. One highlight of her weekly newsletter is the reader question (and her to-the-point answer) and you’ll soon appreciate her deep expertise on saving, retiring, and more essential topics.
The Hustle
Read it for: Business and tech news on the regular
The Hustle’s business and tech newsletter is read by — no joke — over a million people every day. What keeps them coming back? Maybe because it’s a one-stop shop for news, filtered through entertaining and sharp writers. Maybe it’s because of the promise that you can read it in five minutes or less. Or maybe it’s because they read everything else so you don’t have to. No matter the reason, it’s an invaluable macro take on how money moves in business and through the world.
Behavior Gap
Read it for: An illustrated take on money matters
If you’re more of a visual learner, take a peek at Behavior Gap from New York Times Sketch Guy columnist and certified financial planner Carl Richards. He breaks down complex financial ideas into his signature digestible drawings, which also touch on creativity, happiness, and health. Quick, enlightening, and often personal, there’s a lot to learn from this weekly newsletter.
The Wall Street Journal Six-Week Money Challenge
Read it for: Easy money exercises
Self-knowledge is power, and this recent series, created by writers Bourree Lam and Julia Carpenter, wants you to become as powerful as possible. Sign up and for six consecutive weeks you’ll receive a new prompt (aka challenge) in your inbox, nudging you to learn more about your own money. Don’t worry, these exercises won’t break your brain (or bank). Just think of it as going to the finance gym.
Subscribe to the WSJ Six-Week Money Challenge
I Will Teach You to Be Rich
Read it for: Mindset tips and money behavior shifts
Ramit Sethi really, really wants you to live a rich life. His huge readership (over 275,000 subscribers) receives multiple emails a week to help them explore what a rich life means to them, as well as advice and scripts on investing, saving, and case studies from real people. Sethi doesn’t harp on cutting back on $3 lattes, but rather urges you to focus on “big wins” — things like learning how to negotiate your salary or earning money on the side. And in 2021, bigger sure sounds better.
