50+ Personal Finance YouTube Video Ideas for 2026 (With CPM Data)

Personal finance YouTube channels earn 3-5x the CPM of entertainment or gaming channels. The reason: financial services advertisers (banks, brokerages, fintech apps, insurance companies) have high customer lifetime values and pay premiums to reach people actively thinking about money. In 2026, average CPM for personal finance content runs $15-22 for general budgeting topics, $20-35 for investing content, and $25-40 for credit card and mortgage-adjacent topics. RPM (what you actually keep after YouTube's cut) typically lands at 45-55% of CPM, so a 100,000-view video on 'best high-yield savings accounts' might earn $900-1,800 just from ads. The highest-paying keywords in 2026 include: 'best brokerage accounts' ($38 CPM), 'how to invest in index funds' ($32 CPM), 'credit card rewards maximization' ($29 CPM), and 'Roth IRA vs 401k' ($26 CPM). Geography matters: US viewers earn 4-6x more per view than viewers from India or Southeast Asia. Use YouTube Analytics to track where your audience is coming from and tailor content accordingly.

Budgeting content is the entry point for most personal finance audiences. These viewers are earlier in their financial journey, which means slightly lower CPMs but much higher search volume. Proven title formulas: '50/30/20 Budget Rule: Does It Actually Work in 2026?' — this evergreen format gets 40K-200K views on mid-sized channels. 'I Tracked Every Dollar for 30 Days — Here's What I Found' — personal experiment videos consistently outperform pure educational content. 'Zero-Based Budgeting for Beginners (Step-by-Step)' — how-to videos with clear steps rank well on YouTube search. Debt payoff ideas: 'Debt Snowball vs Debt Avalanche: Which Paid Off My $47,000 Faster?' — use real numbers in titles, they drive 23% higher CTR. 'How I Paid Off $30K in Credit Card Debt in 18 Months' — debt payoff stories are among the most-watched personal finance content. 'Dave Ramsey Baby Steps: Honest Review After Following Them for 2 Years' — opinion/review content gets strong engagement. For budgeting apps: 'YNAB vs Mint vs EveryDollar: Honest 2026 Comparison After Using All Three' — comparison videos capture high-intent searchers. 'I Deleted All My Budgeting Apps and Did This Instead' — contrarian takes get clicks. Production tip: Use FluxNote to generate voiceover scripts with a structured outline, then add your own real numbers as b-roll text overlays.

Investing content commands the highest CPMs in the personal finance space because brokerage and financial advisor advertisers compete aggressively for this audience. Index fund and ETF ideas: 'VTI vs VOO: Which S&P 500 ETF Should You Buy in 2026?' — ETF comparison videos routinely hit 500K+ views on established channels. 'How to Build a 3-Fund Portfolio (Simple Investing for Beginners)' — beginner investing videos have massive search volume year-round. 'I Invested $500/Month for 5 Years — Here Are My Real Returns' — transparency with real numbers builds trust and gets shares. '10 Dividend Stocks I'm Buying Every Month in 2026' — dividend investing has a dedicated, highly engaged audience. Retirement account ideas: 'Roth IRA Contribution Limits 2026: What Changed and What to Do' — timely tax/contribution updates spike in January-February each year. '401k vs Roth 401k: Which Should You Choose? (With Tax Math)' — tax math videos perform well because people genuinely need help deciding. 'How to Open a Roth IRA in 2026 (Complete Step-by-Step)' — how-to videos capture searchers ready to take action. Stock market ideas: 'S&P 500 Historical Returns by Decade — What 2026 Might Look Like' — data visualization videos work great for this topic. 'What Happens to Your Investments During a Recession?' — fear-based questions get enormous search traffic during market volatility.

Credit card content is the highest-CPM sub-niche in personal finance. Card issuers pay $30-50 CPM because a single credit card application is worth $200-800 in affiliate commissions. Video ideas: 'Best Cash Back Credit Cards 2026: I Tested 12 Cards for 6 Months' — in-depth reviews with personal testing outperform generic listicles. 'How I Earned $4,200 in Travel Rewards Last Year Using 3 Credit Cards' — specific income numbers in titles are proven CTR drivers. 'Chase Sapphire Preferred vs Preferred Reserve 2026: Is the $550 Fee Worth It?' — specific card comparisons are high-intent search. 'Best Credit Cards for Beginners 2026 (No Annual Fee)' — beginner content has the highest volume even if CPM is slightly lower. Side income and earning ideas: 'I Tried 5 Side Hustles for 30 Days — Here Are the Real Numbers' — experiment/transparency format works across all personal finance sub-niches. 'Passive Income Ideas That Actually Work in 2026 (With Real Income Proof)' — passive income is perennially among the top personal finance searches. 'How I Make $2,000/Month on Etsy Selling Digital Products' — platform-specific income proof videos convert well for affiliate income. High-yield savings: 'Best HYSA Rates Right Now — February 2026 Update' — monthly rate updates are easy to produce and capture urgent search intent. 'I Moved $50,000 to a High-Yield Savings Account — Here's What Happened' — personal case study format. Production tip: For any video involving real numbers or rates, add a disclaimer card at the start. This increases trust signals and reduces negative comments that hurt your channel's standing.