One of the reasons why podcasts became so insanely popular is the fact that many of them are available for free. You don't have to pay a single cent. You don't even get drawn into a ?subscription promo? or whatever marketing ploy that tries to get money through the backdoor. This is honest to goodness, no strings attached, free.

Don't believe us? Check the web. Type ?free podcasts? and you'll be directed to several sites. Most of them fall under these types?scour them for the best free podcasts or advice on where to go.

A is a listing of many, sometimes thousands of different podcasts. These podcasts are organized by topic or category. Think of them as the Yellow Pages of the web.

Now, as a warning, not all podcasts in podcast directories are free; some links will lead you to paying sites. But you have great chances of finding free podcasts here, especially if the directory lists the largest and most popular sites.

The advantage of visiting podcast directories is that you can browse through the list and compare the kind of material that's available?sort of like window shopping. Even if you eventually decide to pay for a podcast subscription, you do so as an informed consumer, who's seen the prices and maybe checked out the free stuff and decided that you're ready to pay for more in-depth material. In any case, some of these paying sites will offer free samples, which they'll post on a podcast directory. Do check these out before forking over your hard-earned money!

If you're looking for a podcast on say, parenting, you should go to a major parenting site and look for any articles or links on podcasts. Chances are you will get a few great leads, and even suggestions on which websites offer free downloads.

The advantage of checking out related websites for information on free podcasts is that you can get the advice of peers and experts in that topic. Podcast directories are not governing bodies?they just list all sites, regardless of how credible or relevant that podcast material is. But a parenting website would be very careful about which podcasts they'd endorse. And if members in that community tell you that they've used this free podcast, then they can also tell you whether or not it was good. (and that matters as much as whether it was free or not).

You are one of millions of podcast aficionados. There are a lot of people like you who have scoured the web for the best podcast sources, and they converge at websites dedicated to podcasting fans. Here, they share tips and ideas, and review many other podcasting services. Get their advice, and even ask for their help if you're having problems downloading. You'd also probably enjoy talking about the free podcasts you've found, and what you thought about the content. Your inputs would probably help other podcast aficionados looking for the best free podcasts on the web.