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 as a society? Why has it rebounded in the middle of a shutdown, and what does that mean? Are valuations too high relative to earnings? How can we handle our investments and retirement savings at a time when the movements of the market seem irrational and unpredictable? We explore these questions in today's episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

#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 making and how these hidden biases affect us - particularly during this pandemic and during times of high anxiety and stress.They also discuss techniques that will help us avoid deceiving ourselves.For more information, visit the show notes at https://affordanything.com/episode253 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

#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 2020, and how can we prepare? How should we hedge against hyperinflation?Anonymous Retiree (whom we call Sequencing Sally) is 64 and retired last year. She lives off of monthly withdrawals from a Vanguard portfolio. Given the bear market, should she leave her portfolio alone and spend from an emergency fund?Additionally, her target allocation is off-kilter. Should she rebalance now or later?Jay wants to reach financial independence in five years, but she’s in a job that will pay her $270,000 student loan balance if she stays there for another 17 years. Should she stay, or quit and face the balance?Jan has $500,000 in a managed fund with a three percent annual fee. He wants to move his funds into his Vanguard personal brokerage account, without incurring a ton of taxes from the sales of his holdings. How can he accomplish this?My friend and former financial planner Joe Saul-Sehy and I answer these questions in today’s episode. Enjoy!For more information, visit the show notes at https://affordanything.com/episode252 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Download the 31 Tips to Stay Productive as you Work From Home at https://affordanything.com/productive Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

#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 about hustling, living an unconventional life, working towards seemingly impossible goals, and combining his interests into an epic lifestyle business that brings him freedom and joy.Chris is the New York Times bestselling author of The Art of Non-Conformity, The $100 Startup, and The Pursuit of Happiness. He has traveled to 193 countries, served four years as a volunteer on a hospital ship in West Africa, and is a successful speaker, writer, and entrepreneur.Oh yeah, and he’s a high school dropout. (A super accomplished high school dropout.)How did Chris accomplish so much without a high school degree? How did he forge a path toward his goals despite depression and anxiety? What advice does he have for aspiring side hustlers and entrepreneurs? Find out in today’s episode.For more information, visit the show notes at https://affordanything.com/episode251 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

#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 choices are out there for people who want to invest ethically or sustainably?We invited Dr. Jon Hale to our show today to answer these questions.Dr. Jon Hale is a chartered financial analyst and the global head of sustainability research for Morningstar. He directs Morningstar’s research on sustainable investing, which launched with the Morningstar Sustainability Rating for Funds in 2016.For more information, visit the show notes at https://affordanything.com/episode250 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

#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.In this interview, we discuss how to have those important but awkward conversations with your parents and grandparents about estate planning, wills, trusts, power of attorney, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Paula describes the experience of having Covid-19, the illness caused by coronavirus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

#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 plans to invest in real estate?”“Should I hoard all of my cash in case this gets worse?!”My friend and former financial planner Joe Saul-Sehy joins me on today’s show to shed light on the answers and how to handle the stock market collapse. Here are the key points we discuss in this episode: Don’t panic sell and convert paper losses into real losses. Stay the course. If this is your first bear market, welcome to being a real investor! This is how you grow in the long-term. Dollar-cost averaging is your best friend. How this upcoming recession might be different. The silver lining? The economy was doing well going into this. But the speed at which our markets recover depends on the speed and dedication with which we flatten the curve. The financial principles you can use that will guide you to security in these rough times. P.S. – Unless you’ve been tested, default to the assumption that you’re infected and act accordingly.For more information, visit https://affordanything.com/episode248 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices