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.
301
Ask Paula: What Do I Do With Free Money?
73 min
302
How to Not Let Your Feelings Hijack Your Decisi...
79 min
303
Ask Paula: How to Optimize Your Investments Alo...
81 min
304
Invest Anywhere: 4 Benefits and 5 Challenges of...
70 min
305
Ask Paula: Should I Take a Higher-Paying Job if...
71 min
306
How I Discovered The 4 Percent Retirement Rule,...
59 min
307
Ask Paula: How Should My 64-Year-Old Mom Handle...
58 min
308
The 2X Rule (and Other Wealth-Accelerating Advi...
59 min
309
Ask Paula: How Can I Minimize My Taxes?
43 min
310
Invest Anywhere: The 5 Ways Real Estate Makes M...
64 min
311
Ask Paula: I’m 33 and Want to Retire at 45 – Wh...
51 min
312
What’s the Point of Happiness, Anyway?, with Dr...
#371: Psychology professor Bill von Hippel explains the evolutionary science behind how we’re hardwired as humans. We’re wired to be social, to connect, to communicate and cooperate. We’re wired to want to learn and teach, to build a collective...
57 min
313
Ask Paula: My Income Is Dropping From $190,000 ...
#370: Kristen is 32, and she and her husband want to retire in less than 20 years. They make too much to contribute to a Roth IRA. Should they use back door Roth conversions to speed along their path to early retirement? Michelle makes $190,000 and is...
67 min
314
Why Does the Stock Market Crash? | Stocks 101 E...
#369: To answer these questions, we need a deep, tree-trunk understanding – a core, fundamental understanding – of how the stock market operates. What, exactly, IS a stock – and how are stocks valued? What’s the difference between the Dow...
59 min
315
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
316
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
317
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
318
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
319
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
320
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
321
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
322
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
323
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
324
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
325
Ask Paula: Should I Invest in Index Funds More ...
71 min