Have you ever found yourself listening to NPR, completely engrossed by a story about credit-default swaps, or the banking industry in Iceland?

If so, you have Planet Money to thank. It’s the reporting team that proves economic stories can be educational and fun.

I recently had the privilege to hear Planet Money’s David Kestenbaum and Robert Smith reveal some of their best practices – how they do what they do. And instead of hoarding that knowledge, I figured I’d share it.

1. Prepare, plan, prepare

2. Make your own action

3. ABR – Always Be Rolling

4. React as reporters

5. Get people off balance in unusual situations

6. Take control of your own story

7. Do a rough edit as a group – listen to audio before you write a script

And just as a bonus, here five ways they often approach a story:

1. Find the Person Who Does the Thing

2. Find the Person Strangely Affected

3. Tell the History

4. Explain

5. Solve a Mystery