You can get your financial advice from books, friends, life experience or Investopedia. Finance documentaries and movies are also a great way to gain insight and knowledge. Or, you can flip on the television and find a show about investing in stocks, saving for retirement or increasing your business savvy. With so many programs to choose from, it can be a daunting task finding the show that’s right for you, but rest assured that show is out there.
No article about finance programming would be complete without mentioning financial guru Suze Orman. Unfortunately, she ended her 14-year CNBC show in 2015. She’s now developing “Money Wars,” a new daily show where she will help friends, families and couples solve disputes they have over money. We imagine she’ll be the Judge Judy of money. Until that one premieres, there are plenty of shows to flip on when you’re in the market for some money advice. Here is a look at eight of the best television shows about finance.
Mad Money with Jim Cramer
This one is hosted by—you guessed it—Jim Cramer, and his main goal is to help people become better investors. It airs weeknights on CNBC, so you have plenty of chances to tune in during the week. “My job is not to tell you what to think, but to teach you how to think about the market like a pro,” Cramer says in his mission statement. He teaches you how to analyze stocks and looks down on the notion of get rick quick tips. “Mad Money is all about breaking into the country club,” says Cramer. So it’s for people who want to save for retirement or their kids’ college fund, not for people who think of it as a game and won’t lose sleep if they lose a chunk of change. There are guest interviews, viewer calls and Cramer’s opinions about which stocks to watch and which ones to avoid. Find air dates/times here.
Your Money
This one airs on CNN on Saturday mornings. It’s hosted by Christine Romans, and she breaks down the business news of the week and shows you how it impacts your bottom line. You’ll find out what costs are on the rise and what’s on the decline. There are man-on-the-street interviews about the price of parking tickets and segments on everything from education to saving for retirement to cell phone deals. Romans’ Twitter bio calls her the CNN “explainer-in-chief of all things money.” Find dates/times here.
Squawk Box
This CNBC show has been called the ultimate premarket morning news and talk program. Big namesin business and politics share their stories and offer insight. It’s anchored by Joe Kernen, Becky Quick and Andrew Ross Sorkin. Quick has interviewed financial heavy hitters like Warren Buffett, Bill Gates, Alan Greenspan, T. Boone Pickens, Jamie Dimon and Charlie Munger. Kernen had a 10-year career as a stockbroker before switching careers, so he knows his stuff. Sorkin is financial columnist for The New York Times and the editor-at-large of "DealBook." He’s also the author of Too Big to Fail: The Inside Story of How Wall Street and Washington Fought to Save the Financial System—and Themselves. If you’re up early Monday through Friday, check it out. Find dates/times here.
Shark Tank
ABC’s Shark Tank isn’t a straight-up finance show, but it will teach you about smart investing if you watch closely. It also teaches how to pitch to investors, what not to say and how to make your product irresistible. It’s all about entrepreneurship. On the show, real-life inventors and entrepreneurs pitch their products to real-life investors, the so-called sharks. If the sharks believe in the product, they invest their own money. Sharks include billionaireMark Cuban, real estate mogulBarbara Corcoran, “Queen of QVC”Lori Greiner, tech innovatorRobert Herjavec, fashion and branding expertDaymond John and venture capitalistKevin O'Leary. It’s a must-watch for any budding entrepreneurs out there. Find dates/times here.
Money Matters
RLTV is a cable network and online hub aimed at the audience it calls “Generation 50+.” The host of “Money Matters” is Jean Chatzky, an award-winning journalist and bestselling author, and the financial editor for NBC’s “TODAY Show.” She is also the personal finance contributor for "Newsweek" and "The Daily Beast."Find dates/times here.
Charlie Rose
Not a traditional finance show, but still a great source for information on the economy and the state of the world. On Charlie Rose’s iconic PBS show, the master interviewer has talked to movie stars, heads of state, authors and finance gurus. You’ll have to check upcoming schedules to see when finance whizzes and entrepreneurs like Bill Gates or business guru Tom Peters are on, and you can watch older episodes online. Chances are, you’ll probably learn something. Find dates/times here.
The Profit
Like Shark Tank, CNBC’s The Profit is all about investing and entrepreneurship. Financial whiz Marcus Lemonis hosts, and he helps people transform their struggling businesses into thriving ventures. Whether it’s a hamburger joint, a cosmetics companyor a drum maker, Lemonis teaches them how to build their business. It’s entertaining but also very educational, especially if you’re trying to start your own business. Find dates/times here.
The Bottom Line
There are plenty of television shows out there if you’re looking for some solid financial advice. You can also usually catch older episodes online. Check them out—you’re bound to learn a thing or two about money.
