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.
501
Ask Paula - Should I Sell My House and Invest t...
#148: Welcome to a special episode of Ask Paula! Today I’m answering questions about real estate investing, and I’ve brought a special guest on the show to join me. His name is Lucas Hall, and he’s a landlord with 5 properties in three locations...
63 min
502
How to Believe Your Time is Abundant -- with La...
#147: Which of the following two attitudes describes you? "I'm crunched for time." -- or -- "I have all the time in the world." I'm guessing your answer is the first, rather than the second. But what if you could feel like your time is expansive and...
64 min
503
Ask Paula - Where Should I Keep My Money if I W...
#146: My friend and former financial advisor, Joe Saul-Sehy, joins me to answer a multitude of questions on retirement savings and investing, so let's dive in. Elyse has two questions:
#1: Through her job, Elyse has a 401(a) hybrid. Right...
64 min
504
How I Paid Off $500,000 in Credit Card Debt, th...
#145: When Rand Fishkin was 25 years old, he carried $500,000 in credit card debt. Less than a decade later, Rand was the Founder and CEO of a company that grossed $35 million in annual revenue. In this podcast episode, Rand shares the story of...
67 min
505
Ask Paula - What Do You Think of Real Estate Cr...
#144: Today I’m answering your real estate questions! First up, Rich asks: What are your thoughts on real estate crowdfunding versus investing in a traditional REIT and non-retirement account? He doesn’t want to give up the time it takes to manage...
44 min
506
Life After Financial Independence - with millio...
#143: Emma Pattee became a millionaire at age 26. But she hates it when I describe her like that. Here are other ways that Emma would prefer to be known: She's thoughtful. She's hilarious. She's kind. Emma is the child of hippies. She grew up in a...
52 min
507
How Can We Downsize from Two Incomes to One?
#142: How can a family of four shift from earning two incomes to one, while still pursuing financial independence? How would a 55-year-old couple with $2 million saved know if they're ready to retire? Can parents use leftover money in their 529 plan...
57 min
508
The Gap Between Knowing and Doing - with Dr. St...
#141: "I'll get around to rolling over my 401k ... next week." "Eventually I'll switch to a cheaper insurance plan." "I really should move my portfolio into lower-fee funds." "Yeah, yeah, I know I should create an estate plan. I'll do it later." ____...
73 min
509
Ask Paula - Should I Buy a Rental Property with...
#140: Should you buy a rental property that mandates HOA payments? How do you adjust for cap rate over the years, as the property's rent increases with inflation? Should you buy an $88,500 house that rents for $1,250 a month? And can you dive into...
54 min
510
How I Save Half of My Income as a Firefighter, ...
#139: Five years ago, at age 29, Kim E. started her first professional, salaried full-time job, working as a firefighter for the City of Austin, Texas. She received a starting salary of $42,000. Today, five years later, she has saved: - one year's...
75 min
511
How to Create an Authentic Life
#138: There’s a famous quote that’s attributed to Henry Ford. The quote says, “If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.”⠀ ⠀ There’s no proof that Henry Ford actually said this. But whether or not that...
50 min
512
Ask Paula: What the F**k are Annuities?
#137: Today's episode is an annuity sandwich: we answer one question about family and relationships, three questions about annuities, and one question about time management. My friend and former financial planner Joe Saul-Sehy joins me to answer...
73 min
513
How I Bought 20 Houses, Debt-Free, While Servin...
#136: Rich Carey is a military millionaire. He's spent his career in the U.S. Air Force; he's currently stationed in Seoul, South Korea. He was stationed in Germany before this. He'll retire after this. Most of his fellow servicemembers, upon taking a...
76 min
514
Ask Paula - How Can I Get a Downpayment for a R...
#135: Time to talk about houses! I answer your questions about rental property investing in this week's episode. Our first question comes from James, age 25. He lives in Florida, where he bought a $130,000, 3-bedroom, 2-bath condominium in the Class B...
54 min
515
How Radical Curiosity Leads to Innovation in Li...
#134: We often peek inside the world of business to look for lessons about how to simplify, optimize and innovate. But what can we learn when we examine world-class people who are hacking the system in any field -- including sports, politics and...
74 min
516
Ask Paula and Joe -- How to Give More to Charit...
#133: Andy from Michigan loved the episode with charity:water founder Scott Harrison. After the episode, he and his 6-year-old daughter started watching videos about charity:water, and now they're both inspired to give. Andy's question is on the topic...
57 min
517
Ask Paula - I'm Six Years Away From Financial I...
#132: BONUS EPISODE!! On the first Friday of the month for the remainder of the year, I'm rolling out an additional bonus episode. As you know, this podcast airs weekly on Mondays. I'm thinking about maybe -- MAYBE -- expanding the podcast to...
36 min
518
How We Slashed Our Costs 70 Percent and Gained ...
#131: Scott Rieckens and his wife Taylor enjoyed a classic Southern California lifestyle. They lived near a gorgeous beach in sunny San Diego. They frequently dined at sushi restaurants. They drove a BMW. But after the birth of their daughter,...
70 min
519
Ask Paula - Should I Sell Stocks to Buy a Renta...
#130: Anna and Dave want to get married … eventually. But they want to buy a rental property together first. How should they approach this from a paperwork/legal structure standpoint? Note: They’re thinking about having one partner purchase the...
58 min
520
How I Paid Off Thousands in Credit Card Debt - ...
#129: Laura Adams grew up in an upper-middle-class family in South Carolina, and her parents supported her through college. She attended her top-choice school, met her husband while they were still students, and enjoyed a charmed life. When she...
57 min
521
Should I Choose a Roth vs. Traditional IRA and ...
#128: Antonia, 27, wants to retire in 15 years. She's trying to figure out whether to contribute to pre-tax or after-tax retirement accounts. Most financial advice for 20-somethings that she's encountered says to contribute to after-tax (Roth)...
71 min
522
Four Unhealthy Attitudes Towards Money -- with ...
#127: Most people know what they “should” do — save for the future. Spend less than they earn. Why do so few people follow through? The answer may have less to do with tactics, and more to do with a person’s deep-seated beliefs, fears and...
66 min
523
Ask Paula - Should I Buy a Beachfront Rental Pr...
#126: It's time to answer real estate investing questions! Tom asks: "We're thinking about buying a duplex on a beach in a popular vacation destination in Florida. If the property stays 85 percent occupied as a short-term (VRBO) rental at current...
64 min
524
How to Gain a Competitive Edge, with Morgan Housel
#125: Morgan Housel has spent thousands of hours reading about investing. As a former columnist for the Wall Street Journal and The Motley Fool, he's spent more than a decade reading, interviewing, thinking and writing about how to manage money. And...
62 min
525
Ask Paula and Joe - Should I Sell My Brand-New ...
#124: Former financial planner Joe Saul-Sehy and I answer five questions about investing, retirement, insurance, travel and selling an expensive car. Eliana is 25 and makes $63,000 per year, plus a little extra from freelance work. She holds $95,000...
62 min