Five ways podcasts have saved me money

In a recent New York Times story, tech writer David Pogue wrote about how technology doesn't just cost a lot—it can save us a lot.

I'm not much of a tech junkie (though I did buy my iPhone back when it was $600, and justifiably called a chumpPhone), but I agree with his point. Because in my 9-to-5 life I write a lot about personal finance, I'm constantly trying to figure out ways to trim costs for everyday items. And the podcasts I listen to have saved me some serious dough. Here are just a few:

1. Travel. Even though I live in Minneapolis, I'm a huge New Yorker magazine fan. So huge, in fact, that in 2004, I convinced my mom to go with me to Manhattan for a weekend in October at the annual New Yorker Festival. We watched some fantastic authors, cartoonists, and musicians share their work and their ideas. But cheap? Not so much. I spent close to $1,000 for just a few nights in New York, and while I don't regret it, I definitely can't do that every year. For the past couple years, I've simply downloaded the podcasts of the shows. True, I don't get the wine they serve at the show, but that's about the only difference. I've also downloaded podcasts from the amazing Aspen Ideas Festival. It's a fantastic free way to get access to the most interesting speakers and ideas.

2. Education. I used to work at a college, and as one of the benefits, I was allowed to take classes for free. I loved it. I took classes on creating radio shows, the history of sport, and economics. But when I left to go freelance, that perk also went away. And I found out that auditing classes—you don't even get credit—can cost hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars if at local colleges and universities. Instead of ponying up the cash, I've headed to iTunes U, a fantastic spot to learn about almost everything you can imagine. I've tested out courses on logic, astronomy, and history taught by some of the country's best professors. MIT offers a huge portion of its course catalogue via iTunes, as do several other universities. You can work as much or as little as you want and get almost the same education as those sitting in the classrooms.

3. Fitness. In 2007, I grudgingly joined a gym when I injured myself and couldn't run seven days a week. I still belong and go regularly, but when I travel several times a year, I'm often confronted with a $15 or $20 charge to have a day's access to a hotel gym. Total. Drag.  Instead of adding the charge, I've used the podcasts from Fat Free Fitness and Ford Models Fitness to design workouts I can do in my hotel room. They're not perfect, but they do the job until I can get back home.

4. Deals and Discounts. I get restaurant coupons texted to my cell phone, store discounts sent to my e-mail address, and grocery store deals mailed to my house. When I can find bargains via podcast? Even better. The two most useful podcasts in that respect have been Wall Street Journal's Your Money Matters and Brian Preston's Money Guy podcast.  Your Money Matters shares ideas about how to slash cost on everything from taxes and insurance to clothes. And the Money Guy podcast, while ostensibly about investing, has offered some great savings ideas. A pre-black Friday podcast that included info on the best websites to find every store's best deals (like www.TGIBlackFriday.com) and tip on how to get retailers to honor the price door-buster bargains of their competitors is going to be something I use for years.

5. Energy. Few people are as un-green as I am. I like to keep the house at a toasty 72 degrees when the weather outside is frightful, I always forget to turn off lights, and I leave my computer on at night. I know, what a jerk am I? But I have gotten some great tips from the EnergyStar podcasts on reducing energy use, like how to actually program my thermostat, and how cleaning out the burners on a stovetop can help save energy.

Are there other smart ideas I'm missing? Let me know in the comments.