Afford Anything
You can afford anything, but not everything. We make daily decisions about how to spend money, time, energy, focus and attention – and ultimately, our life.
How do we make smarter decisions? How do we think from first principles?
On the surface, Afford Anything seems like a podcast about money and investing.
But under the hood, this is a show about how to think critically, recognize our behavioral blind spots, and make smarter choices. We’re into the psychology of money, and we love metacognition: thinking about how to think.
In some episodes, we interview world-class experts: professors, researchers, scientists, authors. In other episodes, we answer your questions, talking through decision-making frameworks and mental models.
Want to learn more? Download our free book, Escape, at http://affordanything.com/escape. Hosted by Paula Pant.
251
Ask Paula: Talk Crypto To Me
#368: Grace wants to buy a manufactured home for rental income. Should she calculate her returns differently for a manufactured home? Alex is curious about cryptocurrency. How should she analyze the returns promised by different platforms and where...
60 min
252
The Roots of Procrastination, Inattention and A...
#367: Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, many commentators have remarked that we’re living in an “epidemic of anxiety.” More than 40 million Americans suffer from anxiety, and countless millions more notice themselves “acting out”...
59 min
253
Ask Paula: How Do I Invest For My Parents' Reti...
#366: Micheal’s parents just sold their home to pay off debt and fund their retirement. How should he invest the profits? Ryker would like to understand what it would take for cryptocurrency to be considered as a good investment option for a...
66 min
254
Inflation, Explained
#365: Nearly every financial news story for the past several months has centered around inflation – but what, exactly, is inflation? What are its causes? What are its effects? How is it measured? What notable inflationary events have unfolded...
57 min
255
Ask Paula: No Spouse, No Family - How Do I Fina...
#364: Our first caller is curious about whether he should keep his 30 year term life insurance policy or let it lapse with 12 years left on the policy? Anonymous is wondering which financial products would work best for to cover her older age care and...
69 min
256
Two Types of Intelligence, with Harvard Profess...
#363: In our 20’s and 30’s, we have high levels of fluid intelligence, or raw intellectual horsepower. We can ace tests, impress people with our memory and recall, and analyze facts, documents and data. But in our 40’s and 50’s, we have higher...
62 min
257
Ask Paula: Okay Seriously, Why Hasn’t Anyone So...
#362: David is questioning how to better manage his spending. He’d like a stronger framework to think through budgeting challenges. Elisa and her husband bought a home, and now they’re saving extra income every month. She has a pension and her...
85 min
258
The GameStop Revolution, One Year Later — with ...
#361: Wall Street Journal columnist Spencer Jakab marks the one-year anniversary of that weird time when the subReddit Wall St Bets pumped shares of meme stocks like GameStop and AMC Theaters, triggering a short squeeze that forced several hedge funds...
66 min
259
Ask Paula: I’m Worried My Parents Are Getting R...
#360: I’m worried my parents are getting ripped off by their financial advisor. What should I do? My wife is trying to qualify for student loan forgiveness … but we might lose a bunch of tax benefits in the process. Is it worth the risk? I’m...
55 min
260
The Four Quadrants of A Successful Life, with A...
#359: Money, relationships, health and purpose: life is running smoothly when all four of these elements are working together in tandem, like wheels on a car. But how can we make spending and investing choices that facilitate stronger relationships,...
64 min
261
Ask Paula: Should I Invest in Index Funds More ...
71 min
262
Practical Investing and the Efficient Frontier,...
#357: Discussing advanced investing topics with me is former financial planner Joe Saul-Sehy. You may recognize him from the Ask Paula episodes, but we discuss financial topics shared in his new book " " - co-authored with Emily Guy Birken. Subscribe...
65 min
263
Ask Paula: FIRE vs. FOMO -- How Do You Balance ...
#356: How do you find balance between smart money management vs. missing out on opportunities? Should you pile money into investments or take that dream trip to Tanzania? What should you do when your heart leads you to a decision that doesn't make...
51 min
264
A Hospice Doctor's Advice on Financial Independ...
#355: When Jordan Grumet realized he has achieved financial independence, he fell into a deep depression. He didn’t know who he was anymore, he says, and he didn’t know what should come next. He learned about how to deal with us by observing his...
59 min
265
Ask Paula: How Do I Make Sure I Don't Spend the...
#354: Charlie in Cali has enough money saved to pay cash for a house, but she and her husband decided to finance their home, instead. They’d rather invest the money and arbitrage the spread. But one problem: how can they keep themselves from...
62 min
266
The Secret to Perfect Timing
#353: Daniel Pink joins us to discuss an unusual theory: (1) that our energy rises, falls, and then rises again; (2) that this pattern plays out across our days (morning energy, afternoon slump, nighttime second wind); (3) this also plays out across...
81 min
267
Ask Paula: Should I Pull Money from My Emergenc...
#352: Anna and her husband have volatile income, but Anna thinks that having 18 months of living expenses is unnecessary. She’s torn between paying off her student loans ($30,000) or investing the money. Mentally, she always figured she would pay...
68 min
268
The Six Myths of Productivity
#351: Geoff Woods, Vice President of The ONE Thing and host of The ONE Thing podcast, is an expert on ruthless prioritization, habit development, and goal setting. The simple framework he presents allows you to focus deeply and commit to the actions...
73 min
269
Ask Paula: How Much Should We Spend on a Wedding?
#350: Anonymous and her husband have set themselves on the path of saving for retirement. But an old mistake haunts them: a financial planner convinced them to buy a mix of whole and term life insurance, which costs them $700 per month. Do they need...
62 min
270
A Candid Conversation with Mr. Money Mustache &...
#349: A frank and candid conversation about life, dead-lifting, and enjoying the hell out of doing meaningful work. For more information, visit the show notes at
66 min
271
Ask Paula: How Should We Invest to Retire By Ou...
#348: Aja’s mom is 75 and has to take required minimum distributions from her IRA. She doesn’t need the money. Where should she put it? Anonymous from MA is flummoxed by HSA-compatible health plans. His copay and deductible are awful, and even...
70 min
272
The Radical Invention of the Index Fund, with R...
#347: Back in the 1960’s, Jack Bogle thought that actively-managed mutual funds performed better than a passive indexing strategy. He pseudonymously published a paper saying so. But academic data from the University of Chicago challenged his...
54 min
273
Ask Paula: How Can We Reach Financial Independe...
#346: Pensions make Chad uncomfortable, to the point of quitting his job to roll his $175,000 over to an IRA. Is the 12 percent match his employer offers good enough to beat the two percent growth of his pension? Or should he leave and never look...
60 min
274
How to Understand Your Medical Bill, with Marsh...
#345: Let’s talk about one of the biggest expenses you might ever encounter: health care costs. When you get a hospital bill, do you understand it? After all, it looks like it’s written in code (and sometimes it literally is). How do you know if...
47 min
275
Ask Paula: I’m Bored at Work, and I’m 14 Years ...
#344: Russell’s job offers the option to contribute to a 457 plan. Since he’s in the highest tax bracket, should he take advantage of the tax deferral offered through the 457 or invest within a taxable brokerage account? Anonymous is on track to...
58 min