How to Set Up a Podcast On a Limited Budget

Have you ever wanted to setup a podcast of your own? If so, have you ever wondered how you were going to come up with the thousands of dollars to purchase some good podcasting equipment? If you buy high quality equipment, it really could cost you well over $2000 just to get started with a very basic setup. I am writing this guide that will allow you to get up and running for FREE with a no frills setup or for about $200 for some decent software and equipment.

I’ll start off with the FREE setup first. If you own a computer and have a microphone, you are already halfway there. Most newer notebook computers come with a built-in microphone that can be used to record your podcast. If your notebook or computer doesn’t have a microphone, you can always borrow one or buy one at Target for about $10-$15(not so free, huh?). Once you have your microphone and computer setup, you are going to need some FREE software to capture your audio. One of the best programs is Audacity . It will allow you to record or import your audio file and make unlimited edits. This setup should work fine if you are planning a one person podcast. After you create your podcast Mp3 file, you are going to need some hosting. Podcast hosting packages can cost up to $30 a month. OurMedia.org will host your podcast for free. Just setup your website with an RSS feed and you are ready to go!

The next setup will cost you a little, but the sound quality will be improved. If you have a podcast with more than one host, you will need a multiple mic setup and a huge studio, right? Having a studio would be awesome, but you really don’t need one if you are just experimenting with podcasting with your family or friends. The tools for this setup include a computer, a usb cable, and a Personal Digital Recorder. The micro-cassette recorder is old news these days. They now sell hand held recorders that record upto 500MB of media and output directly to mp3. Most of them also export directly to your computer via a USB cable. The personal digital recorder is the best item to buy on a budget for a multiple person recording session. You can find one for as low as $25-$180 at Circuit City Best Buy. Arrange your hosts around a table or desk and turn on the recorder and you can record for hours. Export the audio(Mp3) file to your computer and use Audacity or another great program called Propaganda . Propaganda($49.99) is an all-in-one software package designed to make your podcasting easy. Import your audio into Propaganda and edit, rearrange, and add background music or sound effects. It will create your audio file and RSS feed and a simple webpage to display your podcast. You are going to need premium audio hosting for your podcast. The hosting package that we recommend is Libsyn.com . You can get a good hosting package for around $20 a month.

That is all there is to it!! Get our there and start your podcast on a budget. The most difficult part is coming up with something interesting to say.

Another option would be to bypass this whole setup and have your parents buy you a mac. Garage Band comes with all of the tools that you would need to create a podcast.

We use Wordpress to host our site.  You can find great podcasting plugins where all you have to do is upload your mp3 file and you are ready to go.

We have found that PodPress works fine for what we needed it for.  Find it here.

Please take the time to listen to our podcast called The Slick Podcast.