

Afford Anything
Paula Pant | Cumulus Podcast Network
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.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jan 5, 2022 • 1h 7min
Practical Investing and the Efficient Frontier, with Joe Saul-Sehy
#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 "STACKED: Your Super-Serious Guide to Modern Money Management" - co-authored with Emily Guy Birken.Subscribe to the show notes at https://affordanything.com/shownotes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 29, 2021 • 53min
Ask Paula: FIRE vs. FOMO -- How Do You Balance Between These?
#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 sense on paper?In today's episode, former financial planner Joe Saul-Sehy and I discuss the purpose and practice of mindful money.Subscribe to the show notes at https://affordanything.com/shownotes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 21, 2021 • 1h 2min
A Hospice Doctor's Advice on Financial Independence, with Jordan Grumet
#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 hospice patients. In this episode, Grumet, a hospice doctor, describes how working with the dying has taught him about life.Subscribe to the show notes at affordanything.com/shownotes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 16, 2021 • 1h 4min
Ask Paula: How Do I Make Sure I Don't Spend the Money I've Invested?
#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 touching this investment?Jay is choosing between Fidelity and M1 Finance, and has questions about tax loss harvesting.Nicole and her siblings will be inheriting some properties that they eventually plan to sell. How should they set up or organize these properties among so many owners? Should one person take the lead? Do they need a shared business account? Also, how should they evaluate a property and make sure they get a good deal when they sell?Ed owns three homes, two of which he plans to sell in the next few years. He plans to live in them long enough to establish residence and take the capital gains exemption when they sell. Is his plan for handling the taxes solid?We answer these four questions in today’s episode. Enjoy!Subscribe to the show notes at https://affordanything.com/shownotes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 9, 2021 • 1h 23min
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 our lives, with serious implications for how we spend those “muddled middle” years of our 30’s, 40’s and 50’s.Get the show notes delivered to your inbox by visiting https://affordanything.com/shownotes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 3, 2021 • 1h 10min
Ask Paula: Should I Pull Money from My Emergency Fund to Invest or Pay Off Debt?
#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 off her debt first, but wouldn’t investing pay off in the long run?Charlotte and her husband are taking a phased approach to financial independence, where they need to bridge two gaps before they each turn 59 ½. How can they calculate how much they need at each phase?Elle has a retirement plan in place, but her company is adding a Roth 403(b) option soon. Should she stay the course or adjust her strategy in these last five years before retiring?Sara wants to purchase land and build her dream house by refinancing her rental property and turning her current home into a second rental. How can she improve this plan?Joe Saul-Sehy, my friend and former financial planner, joins me to tackle these questions on today’s episode.Do you have a question on business, money, trade-offs, financial independence strategies, travel, or investing? Leave it at here and we’ll answer them in a future episode.Get the show notes delivered to your inbox by visiting https://affordanything.com/shownotes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

5 snips
Dec 2, 2021 • 1h 15min
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 you need to take if you want to take your productivity to the next level this year.Get the show notes delivered to your inbox by visiting https://affordanything.com/shownotes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 23, 2021 • 1h 4min
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 whole life insurance, and where else can they save their money?Mike has $60,000 in cash earning one percent interest. He has plans to buy a home and get married in three to five years. Where else can he put his cash to earn a little more? Is the stock market too risky for such a short time horizon?Anonymous and her future husband are wondering: what’s a realistic amount to spend on a wedding?My friend and former financial planner Joe Saul-Sehy joins me to answer these questions on today’s episode. Enjoy!Do you have a question on business, money, trade-offs, financial independence strategies, travel, or investing? Leave it here and we’ll answer them in a future episode.To subscribe to the show notes, go to https://affordanything.com/shownotes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 19, 2021 • 1h 9min
A Candid Conversation with Mr. Money Mustache & Paula Pant
#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 https://affordanything.com/episode349 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 9, 2021 • 1h 12min
Ask Paula: How Should We Invest to Retire By Our Mid-40’s?
#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 bronze plans seem better. Are HSA plans overrated, or does the math work out?Julia and her husband, both 27, want to retire by their early to mid-40s. Is there a point at which they should stop contributing to tax advantaged accounts and only contribute to taxable accounts?Ileana and her family like their home, but it needs to be bigger. A cash-out refi didn’t give them enough funds for their dream renovation. Should they put their money into the market in the hopes that it will grow large enough to fund a future renovation? Or should they move into a bigger house, rent out their house, and fix it up years down the road?Nick has a seasonal business. Can a sweep account help stabilize him?My friend and former financial planner, Joe Saul-Sehy, joins me to answer these questions on today’s show. Enjoy!Do you have a question on business, money, trade-offs, financial independence strategies, travel, or investing? Leave it here and we’ll answer them in a future episode.For more information, visit the show notes at https://affordanything.com/episode348 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices