If you’re writing for money, chances are pretty good you think about money…a lot.
Right?
But besides paying your bills, freelance writing rates, or the cost of doing business, you can also turn writing for money into your niche writing about money.
Looking to settle into a niche that pays well and offers plenty of opportunities for ongoing work?
If you’re serious about writing for money, there’s a profitable niche you need to consider.
Writing for personal finance markets. It’s a huge industry. For example…
- Consumers spend millions of dollars every year using credit cards and loans, and nearly 95 percent of all Americans use banking services.Â
- There’s also growing interest in web-based financial platforms
- And in the COVID era of financial uncertainty, there’s demand for solid advice on saving, investing, budgeting, planning for retirement, and basically all things related to-money.
No doubt the demand is there for freelancers writing for money who can craft high-quality content on a variety of personal finance topics.
Want some help finding clients, landing assignments, and writing for money?
Check out these 13 outlets to find writing opportunities in this niche.
Writing for money: Cash in on the personal finance niche
Because this industry is so vital to the economy, many of the companies within it are doing well financially, themselves-and can afford to pay fairly.Â
To some extent, how well you earn depends on how much experience you have as a personal finance writer, as is the case in almost any market.
But once you break in and get a few clips in your portfolio, it’s possible to earn a very comfortable living.
In fact, some personal finance writers report earning nearly six figures, so it’s safe to say that this is a profitable niche.
Start pitching to land personal finance assignments
There’s ample writing work available in the personal finance industry, and if you have relevant knowledge or experience, you’ll be well on your way writing for money in this huge market.
To succeed in landing these gigs, you’ll need to:
- Start by identifying potential clients you’d like to write for.Â
- Familiarize yourself with the business or publication and their target audience, as well as the type of content they need.
- Take time to craft your pitch. Then, when you’re happy with what you’ve written, hit send.
- Keep pitching! If you continually follow this process, you’ll be well-poised to break into this stable, well-paying market.
Check out these 13 outlets to find writing opportunities in this niche.
TIP: Before you pitch any publication or website, carefully study the guidelines and familiarize yourself with the content they feature.
1. Doctor of Credit
Doctor of Credit is a personal finance website that features daily deals, money-related workshops, and information about credit cards and banking.Â
They’re looking for guest posts of at least 600 words that cover one of the specific topics described in their guidelines.
Writing for money opportunities? If you can contribute guest posts that are accepted regularly, you can secure ongoing work for this website.
Contact: Contact Editor Will.
Rate: Pays a flat rate of $50 per article.
2. ElitePersonalFinance
ElitePersonalFinance features a website and blog that offers actionable advice on topics like:
- Building credit
- Securing loans
- Preventing identity theft (with a focus on millennial readers. They spend over $100,000 each year on high-quality content.)
Pitch a 1,000-3,000-word post on one of the topics defined in their guidelines. Once you’re in, you might even be able to secure regular, ongoing work.
Contact: Reach out on Facebook or send your pitch to info@eliterpersonalfinance.com.
Rate: Up to $300 per published article.
3. Forbes
Getting an article into Forbes magazine is a huge accomplishment for any writer (Carol would know!).
But if you’re an experienced freelancer with relevant knowledge, it’s definitely worth a shot writing for money for this pub.
In addition to the business and lifestyle topics they feature, Forbes covers issues related to money and personal finance.
On occasion, Forbes also hires experienced news writers to work on a contract basis, and the role is typically remote. You can keep an eye on their job openings for writers here.Â
Contact: Send your pitch to editor Steve Bertoni on LinkedIn.
Rate: $100+ per published digital article.
4. Inc.
Inc. is a very popular business pub geared toward owners and managers of small companies, but they also publish content related to personal finance. Over the past decade, their readership has more than doubled, and they now reach an audience of over 25 million.Â
It’s a big deal to get your work published by Inc., but it’s possible. This publication doesn’t accept one-off pitches; instead, like some of the other markets on our list, they prefer to establish ongoing relationships with contributors. If you’re willing to contribute for at least six months, review their guidelines and send an email with a sample article and your answers to their list of questions.
Contact: Send an email with the information listed above to contributors@inc.com or contact Editor Lindsay Blakely.
Rate: Pay can reportedly go up to $0.33 per word but is partially dependent on ad revenue.
5. Investopedia
Investopedia has been a popular personal finance hub on the web for over 20 years.
Their goal is to help readers feel more confident when managing money and investments by simplifying complex financial information.Â
If you’re interested in writing for money opportunities with Investopedia, you’ll need to apply to become a contributor.
Be sure to include your credentials and clips related to one of the topics they cover.
Contact: View Investopedia’s contributor openings and submit an application here. You can also send a message to Personal Finance Editor Victoria Kagan.
Rate: While Investopedia doesn’t publish their rates, they do state that their pay is competitive. One freelance writer for the company reported earnings of over $50,000 per year (Glassdoor, 2015).
6. First Quarter Finance
First Quarter Finance exists to provide readers with helpful advice related to earning, investing, spending, and saving money.Â
They don’t accept one-off pitches. Instead, they strive to establish long-term relationships with reliable freelance writers. If you secure this gig, you can expect to receive one assignment per week on an ongoing basis.
Contact: Carefully review the required application questions and send an email to the human resources department or contact Editor Emily Perschbacher.
Rate: Averages $80.00 per article.
7. Money Crashers
Money Crashers is a well-known personal finance website that covers topics like:
- Investing
- Money management
- Retirement
- Estate planning
- Tax preparation
Writing for money opportunities? They regularly hire writers to contribute engaging, high-quality posts related to these issues, and they often like to publish longer, detailed articles of around 3,000 words. Instead of submitting a pitch, you’ll need to fill out an application and provide links to writing samples.
Contact: Submit a contributor application here or reach out to editor Kelly Gurnett.
Rate: Negotiable; averages $0.05 per word.
8. The Dollar Stretcher
The Dollar Stretcher aims to help people live better lives on a frugal budget. Their articles focus on saving money, managing money, and conquering debt.
Note that this publication is currently only paying for articles published in their print newsletter and not for stories that appear on their website. Send a query with a specific idea related to one of the topics they cover, and plan to include real statistics or quotes from experts in the field for the best chance of having your pitch accepted.
Contact: Email editor Gary Foreman. Be sure to indicate whether you’re submitting for the printed version or for the website in the subject of the email.
Rate: $0.10 per published word.Â
9. The Economist
The Economist is a weekly magazine that’s published in both print and digital formats.
It’s been around for a long time (since 1843!) and today reaches a global audience.
Their finance and economics section features in-depth articles that give readers insight into how their personal finances may be impacted by international or local events.Â
Writing for money opportunities? When crafting your pitch, plan to write not only about something current and relevant, but also explain the importance of the topic by providing analysis and context.
Contact: Email Finance Editor Rachana.
Rate: Pay rates vary widely, ranging from $0.20/word to more than $1 per word, depending on the content and your experience.
10. The Motley Fool
The Motley Fool regularly seeks out writers to contribute content to their network of websites. Instead of pitches, they’re looking for writers who are flexible and able to cover a variety of finance topics regularly.
To write for The Motley Fool, you’ll need to fill out a short application and provide links to three writing samples.
Contact: Fill out the writer application or send a message to Editor Michael Douglass.
Rate: Typically $140 for published articles.
11. The Penny Hoarder
The Penny Hoarder aims to provide readers with advice on topics like:
- Budget management
- Homebuying
- Saving and investing
- Retirement
Pitch a relevant, informative article, and plan to incorporate an interview from an expert source into the piece.
Contact: Send a message to Editor John Schlander.
Rate: Rates are determined upon acceptance of a pitch and typically average $0.07-$0.09 per word.
12. Wise Bread
Wise Bread is one of the leading personal finance blogs on the web. It provides advice for living well on a limited budget and features how-to articles on topics like:
- Frugal living
- Debt management
- Investing
- Retirement
They hire experienced personal finance and credit card writers who can offer advice in an easy-to-understand way.Â
To write for this website, you’ll need to submit an application with three sample posts of at least 500 words along with five pitches for future posts.Â
Contact: Send your completed application to recruiting@wisebread.com or contact Editor-in-Chief Lynn Truong.
Rate: Pay varies and is partially dependent upon ad revenue, but writers report earning about $25,000 per year for the content they contribute.
13. Working Money
Working Money is a magazine geared toward readers looking for information on how to invest money wisely.
Their most popular articles offer:
- Financial planning strategies
- Tips for choosing mutual funds
- Tutorials related to investingÂ
Your pitch is more likely to be accepted if the editors feel confident in your ability to craft content relevant to readers. This publication looks for in-depth stories that span three pages and feature graphs, charts, or figures when appropriate.
Contact: Send an email to the editor.Â
Rate: Flat payment of $180 per published article.
Ready to land some personal finance writing gigs?
Before you send a pitch to any of these markets, make sure you closely review the writer’s guidelines.
NOTE: Failing to follow a pub’s requirements can lead to your pitch or application being immediately tossed out, which is a waste of time for both you and the editor.
You’ll also want to familiarize yourself with each publication’s current content to get a strong sense of their style and tone, as well as the kinds of topics they need writers to cover.
And remember: While this list offers a great starting point to help you find markets in the personal finance sector, there are plenty of other opportunities-both B2B and B2C-available in this niche.
So no matter the result of your efforts, don’t stop here. Keep hustling!
What personal finance markets do you recommend? Share in the comments below.
Christin Nielsen is a freelance writer based in Virginia. She specializes in writing for digital and print publications as well as nonprofit organizations.
