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.
401
How to Stop Screwing Up Our Finances, Even in a...
#257: “The checking account is like the trash can of personal finance.” Today’s podcast guest, the famed behavioral economist Dr. Dan Ariely, is not a fan of checking accounts. Or supermarket end caps. Or anything that distracts us from...
55 min
402
PSA Thursday: How Can I End 2020 in a Stronger ...
How can you find business and investment opportunities in today’s tough pandemic bear market? What should you do to emerge from 2020 stronger than you started? We cover 7 specific, immediate actions that can set you up to succeed in this recession....
31 min
403
Ask Paula: Bonds Are Tanking. Should I Switch t...
#256: Jon is wondering if now is a good time to move his RRSP into a tax-free savings account, given the market downturn. He knows you can’t time the market, but the opportunity is tempting. What should he do? Laurel’s question revolves around the...
73 min
404
PSA Thursday: How Is The Pandemic Affecting the...
Before the pandemic, the U.S. housing market was strong. Home prices were at historic highs. Borrowers were more qualified than ever, with two-thirds of mortgage originations going to borrowers with excellent credit. As of January 2020, delinquencies...
19 min
405
How Your Personality Affects Your Finances, wit...
#255: When a crisis hits, do you stay calm and collected, or do you launch yourself down a rabbit hole of worry and worst-case scenarios? When the stock market spirals downward, do you shrug and stay the course, or do warning bells explode in your...
67 min
406
Ask Paula: Should I Invest During the Pandemic?
#254: Lydia earns income as both a 1099 contract worker and a part-time W2 employee. She filed for unemployment as a W2 worker, but can’t find information on how to file as a contractor. Is there a process contractors can follow to file for...
70 min
407
PSA Thursday: How Bad Is the Stock Market Crash?
Welcome back to PSA Thursday, a segment in which we talk about how to handle money, work, and life in the middle of a pandemic. Today, our focus is on money - specifically, the stock market. Why did it crash in March? What effect did that have on us...
28 min
408
The Thinker's Guide to Market Volatility, with ...
#253: Dr. Steve Wendel is a behavioral economist and the head of behavioral science at Morningstar, an independent investment research firm. Samantha Lamas is also a behavioral researcher at Morningstar. They discuss the hidden biases in our decision...
63 min
409
Ask Paula: Will the Stimulus Cause Massive Infl...
#252: The government issued a $2 trillion stimulus. How will that affect the economy? Could we endure massive inflation or hyperinflation? Bradley kicks off today’s Ask Paula episode with this timely question. What inflation rate will we see in...
71 min
410
PSA Thursday: 31 Tips to Stay Productive as you...
Download the 31 Tips to Stay Productive as you Work From Home at
59 min
411
From High School Dropout to Successful Entrepre...
#251: Do you love the idea of making money on your own -- without a boss? Can you imagine deciding how you spend each day? Are you bored and looking for a challenge? Do you love the thought of adventure? Today’s guest, Chris Guillebeau, knows all...
60 min
412
PSA Thursday: How to Build an Emergency Fund Du...
A weekly segment in which we talk about how to handle money, work, and life in the middle of a pandemic. Here's how to build an emergency fund during an emergency, and how the bear market affects your investment strategy.
39 min
413
Ethical Investing 101, with Dr. Jon Hale, Head ...
#250: Should we invest in sustainable funds? If we choose sustainable funds, will our investment returns suffer? Will our expense ratios be sky-high? What drawbacks might we face? How do we know that these funds are actually ethical? And what...
64 min
414
How to Talk to Your Parents About Retirement an...
#249: I’m recovering from Covid-19 at the moment, so I couldn't put together a new episode this week. But in honor of the First Friday of the month, I wanted to re-air this interview with Cameron Huddleston, which we originally aired in August 2019....
69 min
415
PSA Thursday: I Tested Positive for Coronavirus...
Paula describes the experience of having Covid-19, the illness caused by coronavirus.
26 min
416
Covid-19 and the Bear Market
#248: We are living in a time of extreme uncertainty. Many of us are questioning how we can best use the funds we have to survive it. “Should I sell the funds I have invested in the market, or keep contributing?” “Should I continue with my...
56 min
417
OMG Monday: Welp, I Have a Fever of 102.3 Degrees
It's Quarantine Day 10, and thank goodness I've been staying in, because yesterday I learned that I have a 102.3 degree fever. I don't know if it's Covid-19 or if it's a fever with extraordinarily bad timing.
5 min
418
PSA Thursday: Social Distancing is Social Solid...
A new segment giving tips to help flatten the curve and manage your money during this global event.
20 min
419
Ask Paula: Is the Stock Market Going to Crash i...
#247: Caroline wants to buy her first home in Denver, CO. How can she calculate how much mortgage she can comfortably afford? Anne plans to retire later this year on rental income (woohoo!). She’s saved up a hefty emergency fund for her properties,...
89 min
420
Pain, Grief, and the Pursuit of Financial Indep...
#246: At 19 years old, after completing her first year of college, Jillian married her husband. During their first year of marriage, they lived in a camper and earned a combined salary of $12,000. One year later, Jillian's husband graduated...
62 min
421
Ask Paula: I’m 24 and Won a $1 Million Settleme...
#245: Joe has a 24-year-old friend who won a $1 million settlement. How can she use this money to set herself up for financial independence? Jay is 52 years old and wants to retire at 59.5. He began investing in individual stocks to achieve this goal,...
75 min
422
Why I Quit My Job with No Savings When My Wife ...
#244: Grant Baldwin felt burned out. He worked as a youth pastor, which felt like a 24/7 profession. He had to attend student events held late into the night, which left him exhausted. One night, he came home to find his wife crying. She told him that...
71 min
423
Ask Paula: How Can I Retire in 10 Years with Re...
#243: Adam is 23 years old and wants to achieve financial independence as quickly as possible. However, he’s nervous about investing in the stock market and real estate. How can he overcome his fears? Paris, age 35, has a similar question. She earns...
67 min
424
The Art of Trusting Your Most Dangerous Ideas, ...
#242: Ash Ambirge grew up in a trailer park in Pennsylvania. She never met her father. Her disabled mother, who raised her on government assistance, passed away when she was 20. Her childhood goal? To join the middle class. She dreamed of becoming one...
67 min
425
Ask Paula: Should I Raid My Retirement Savings ...
#241: Anton wants to accelerate his flight training so he can get hired within two to three months, rather than two to three years. He has to raid his retirement savings to achieve this. Should he? Linda and her husband have their eyes on early...
79 min