Lauren Passell

Horror freaks, October is your time to shine. This is the month for planning your Halloween costume, terrifying your neighbors with unsettling decorations, and mainlining scary podcasts.

That kind of chemistry can't be faked. Great podcasts are all about great chemistry between the hosts—and who has better chemistry than people who grew up together and know each other inside and out?

It's time to up your Thanksgiving game. There are food podcasts that are funny, food podcasts that are chatty—and then there are the food

From tiny towns, to tiny dinos, to a deep dive into viral fame, these are my most memorable listens of the year.

These are the shows I couldn't stop texting my friends about. True crime is consistently the most popular genre in podcasting, which makes it really tricky to narrow it down to a best-of list.

My picks include Death, Sex & Money, Tosh Show, Bullseye with Jesse Thorn, and Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso, and more.

Guaranteed to make you look like a weirdo for seemingly laughing at nothing in public.

January is a great time to start budgeting, invest in your HSA, or even just conquer the fear you feel every time you look at your bank statement. These podcasts offer the mix of deep dives, diverse interviews, quick and applicable tips, and breakdowns of financial news that will help you make changes in your life and your work, and will help you make sense of everything from Wall Street to bitcoin. The best part? They're free. Look at you, saving money already!

Get your love life in shape this year. The new year is a good time to get yourself in shape: your finances, your body, your mind.

They're no substitute for therapy, but they can help. There are plenty or reasons to be anxious and depressed about the world in 2025.