Should you pay off debt early?

Evan argues paying high-interest debt early usually beats investing unless rates are very low.

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In this episode of At Any Rate, Evan Raidt and Andrew Sather dig into the four big reasons it feels so much harder to get ahead financially in 2026: housing is way less affordable, wage growth has stalled, personal debt is at record highs, and savings rates have plummeted.

They share stats that put today’s money struggles in context—and then get practical, with concrete moves you can make to survive (and even thrive) in this new reality: from budgeting and side gigs, to leveraging your network, getting transparent about money, and avoiding the debt traps that are everywhere.

Topics Covered:

Why housing is so much less affordable than it used to be
Stagnant wages: why most people’s income hasn’t kept up
The debt trap: how credit cards and easy financing make things worse
What’s behind plummeting savings rates (and how to fix yours)
Actionable strategies: budgeting, side gigs, investing, and using your “village”

Timestamps:

01:44 When was money “easier” — nostalgia vs reality

05:52 Housing affordability

09:16 How to make buying a home possible

13:50 Why budgeting is still the first step

18:00 Wages: why they’ve stalled, and how to actually get a raise