Afford Anything

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

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

A new segment giving tips to help flatten the curve and manage your money during this global event. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

#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, and she wants to know 1) if she should invest a portion of this in index funds, and 2) whether she should rebalance her portfolio to account for this huge cash allocation.Anonymous Nurse has over $100,000 in debt, not including their mortgage. They want to invest in rental properties, but with so much debt, they're thinking of selling their home or renting it out. Which option is best given their interest in real estate?Joy wants to know if she should put $50,000 towards her primary residence mortgage, or use it as a downpayment on her first rental property. What are the pros and cons of each option?Anonymous owns a cash-flow positive condo...on leased land. The land will revert back to the owners in 32 years. When is the best time to sell this property?I answer these five questions in today’s episode. Enjoy!For more information, visit the show notes at http://affordanything.com/episode247 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

#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 college and joined the military. They relocated to Washington D.C., where they earned a combined $60,000 per year. They saved half of their income and used that savings to chip away at $55,000 of debt.At 22 years old, Jillian and her husband adopted a son.Not long after that, they had a biological newborn.At 24 years old, they accumulated their first $100,000.Jillian and her husband remained committed to saving half of their income. This allowed them to buy a house in cash, invest in two rental properties, and invest in index funds.At 32 years old, Jillian and her husband achieved financial independence. All on a modest five-figure income. How did Jillian and her husband live on $12,000 per year? How did they save $100,000 after three years on a $60,000 per year salary? What sacrifices did they make? And how did they transition from saving to spending? Find out in this raw, emotional interview.____________You'll enjoy this episode if: You earn less than six-figures and question your ability to reach financial independence Guilt prevents you from spending the money you’ve saved (“I can’t spend on X if I want to achieve FIRE!”) You want a relatable, realistic take on the journey to financial independence For more information, visit the show notes at https://affordanything.com/episode246  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

#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, and has had excellent returns so far. Is this a sound plan for early retirement? Or should he work until age 62 for Social Security?Steve is 54 years old. He plans to retire at 60, which is when he can collect 67 percent of his pension. A Vanguard advisor suggested that he direct some of his 403b contributions as Roth contributions, rather than pre-tax contributions. Should he act on this suggestion?Anonymous in New York City wants to invest their HSA contributions this year, but the expense ratios seem high. Can they move their HSA to a different provider? What fees are normal for HSAs?Brit has a similar question. She wants to know: is it possible to invest in the S&P 500 Fossil Fuel Free Index through Vanguard?My friend and former financial advisor, Joe Saul-Sehy, joins me on the show to answer these six questions. Enjoy!For more information, visit the show notes at https://affordanything.com/episode245 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices