First Friday: The Strange Economics of Feeling Poor While Spending More Description:
05 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#666: In this First Friday economic update, we explore the paradox defining our current economy: rec...
Q&A: How Much Insurance Is Enough When You’re Protecting Your Wealth
02 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#665: If you’ve ever stared at an insurance quote and wondered, “Is this really worth it?”, yo...
The Psychology of Sales, Discounts and Deals [GREATEST HITS VAULT]
28 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#664: Have any of these thoughts ever crossed your mind? If I had more willpower, I’d achieve my ...
Why AI Misleads Investors and How to Fix It
25 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#663: We’re living through the first era in which an investor can ask a machine to read a decade o...
What If Everything We Know About Hiring Is Wrong?, with William Vanderbloemen
21 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#662: Most teams hire for skills. The best teams hire for wiring. What if the reason someone acc...
Q&A: She's Broke. He's Rich. And You're Asking About AI Stocks.
18 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#661: When your income drops, debt spikes, and a rental property starts bleeding cash, it can feel l...
The Brutal Math of Caring for Aging Parents, with MarketWatch Columnist Beth Pinsker
14 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#660: Caring for an aging parent can morph into a second full-time job, and even the most financiall...
James Patterson Shows Why Comfort Can Be a Trap
12 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#659: Imagine that you’re at the absolute peak of your career. You’re the CEO of a prominent adv...
First Friday: When the Gov’t is Closed, Where Do We Find the Numbers?
07 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#658: An unusual First Friday episode because we don't have a jobs report. However, we do know tha...
Q&A: Can You Really Beat the Market by Copying Members of Congress?
04 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#657: This week, Paula and Joe dig into a listener’s question about ETFs that track the stock trad...
Would You Shock a Stranger? What a 1960s Experiment Reveals About Your Money Decisions
31 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#656: What would you do if someone in authority told you to do something that felt wrong? Most of us...
Q&A: How to Choose Between Financial Freedom and a First Home
28 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#655: What would you do if, at the age of 23, you found yourself with $70,000 a year leftover after ...
How to Stop Fighting About Money
24 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#654: Fights about money are common, but they're rarely about math. They're about power, shame, vuln...
Radical Transparency in Real Estate Predictions
21 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#653: What happens when we actually check our predictions? In this episode we play clips from our 20...
Why High Earners Stay Broke, with Rose Han
17 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#652: What if you did everything “right”, earned the degree, landed the six-figure job, and stil...
Everyone Says Don’t Hold Bonds in Taxable Accounts. They’re Wrong
14 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#651: Many who reach CoastFI find themselves in a strange in-between: financially independent enough...
How Money Moves Through Markets
10 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#650: Sarah Williamson is the kind of person who shapes the decisions that move trillions of dollars...
Q&A: Should You Buy a House Now or Invest Your Down Payment Instead?
07 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#649: Many first-time buyers feel like they’re watching the train pull out of the station. If you’...
First Friday: The Government Shuts Down -- But Bitcoin is at an All-Time High?!?
03 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#648: The U.S. government is shutting down. Bitcoin just hit a record high. Inflation whispers are b...
Q&A: How Do You Maximize a Mini-Retirement?
30 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#647: What if you and your partner want to take a few months – or even a year – off work? How...
The Third Option Between Working and Retiring
26 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#646: What if you didn’t have to choose between grinding full-time until retirement or quitting wo...
Q&A: My Friend Won’t Invest - How Can I Help?
23 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#645: Mike (02:50): After 15 years of intentional living, Mike is 80 percent of the way to financi...
The Hidden Psychology Behind Every Financial Decision You Make with Dr. Daniel Crosby
19 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#644: Why do we both crave money and resent it? Why do some people sabotage their financial futures ...
LIVESTREAM: A Former Fed Economist Reveals What's Really Happening, with Karsten Jeske (“Big ERN”)
16 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#643: Picture this: you're at the Federal Reserve years ago. The chairman literally hangs up a confe...
BONUS: Stagflation, Stocks & Social Security - What’s Next for Your Money? with Rob Berger
15 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
EXCLUSIVE: Is your money safe in today’s economy? In this bonus interview, Paula Pant sits down wi...
The Case for Investing in Individual Stocks, with Co-Founder of the Motley Fool, David Gardner
12 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#642: Curious about how individual stock picking could sharpen your investing skills—even if you’...
Q&A: ChatGPT Built Her $1.2M Portfolio … But Should You Trust It?
09 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#641: Cristina has a $1.2 million portfolio and hopes to make work optional within the next decade. ...
First Friday: Jerome Powell's Remarks at Jackson Hole
05 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#640: The jobs report came out this morning and it was a painful one. The US added only 22,000 new ...
Q&A: How to Invest in Your Community (by Finding the Third Option)
02 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#639: Aisha is excited to share how some life-changing advice has played out for her career. She won...
[GREATEST HITS] James Clear: How Small Daily Actions Compound Into Life-Changing Wealth [RERUN]
29 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#638: Fifty dollars. That's how much this couple transferred to their "Trip to Europe" savings accou...
Q&A: Can You Open an IRA for Someone Else's Kid? (And Should You?)
26 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#637: Nick wants to set up an investment account for his nephew to contribute annually, creating a n...
How to Talk to Your Parents About Money, with Behavioral Economist Etinosa Agbonlahor
22 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#636: Behavioral economist Etinosa Agbonlahor joins us to discuss "money scripts" — the unconsciou...
Q&A: Gold vs. Stocks – and Why Inflation Panic Makes You Poor
19 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#635: Arielle’s head is spinning from the seemingly contradictory advice she hears about the best ...
Wharton Professor: The 7 Hidden Types of Entrepreneurs | with Lori Rosenkopf
15 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#634: Picture this: you're 26 years old, fresh out of Wharton, and you decide to start a business wi...
Q&A: How to Spot Investment Scams Before You Lose Everything
12 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#633: Paul is worried the private equity investment he’s about to make could be a scam. How can he...
How to Get Everything You Want at Work
08 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Your Next Raise is open for enrollment! https://affordanything.com/how-to-negotiate-your-next-ra...
Q&A: Is ChatGPT's Portfolio Better Than VTSAX?
05 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Your Next Raise now open for enrollment! https://affordanything.com/how-to-negotiate-your-next-rais...
BONUS First Monday: How Did the BLS Get the Jobs Report So Wrong?
04 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Special bonus episode. The Bureau of Labor Statistics issues massive job revisions on Friday morning...
First Friday: We Were Wrong About 258,000 Jobs (This Changes Everything)
01 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#630: Interesting observations about the current housing market, meme stocks (again), GDP, Fed Meeti...
Nick Maggiulli: The Wealth Ladder Has Six Rungs (and Most People Never Climb Past Four)
29 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#629: Here's the thing about personal finance advice: what works when you have $10,000 won't work wh...
Why Nice People Struggle with Money, with Dr. Sandra Matz, Professor at Columbia Business School
25 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#628: You follow all the right personal finance advice. You know you should save more, invest regula...
Q&A: When Being Good With Money … Isn't Good Enough
22 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#627: Jlyn and her husband are 20 years from retirement, but they’ve got their eye on a second hom...
The Hidden Psychology Behind Failed Dreams, with Yale’s Dr. Zorana Ivcevic Pringle
18 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#626: A software programmer and an accountant walk into retirement planning. Are they being creative...
JL Collins Part 2: What Happens When You Don't Need to Work Anymore?
15 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#625: What do you do when you've reached financial independence? JL Collins says it depends entirely...
JL Collins Part 1: The Simple Path vs. The "Optimal" Path
11 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#624: JL Collins, author of "The Simple Path to Wealth" — the guy synonymous with VTSAX and chill ...
Q&A: “Help! My Mom’s Financial Crisis Is Becoming Mine!”
08 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#623: An anonymous caller feels trapped in a no-win situation with her financially reckless mother. ...
First Friday: Why Americans Are More Pessimistic Than Ever
04 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#622: #622: The headlines said America added 147,000 jobs in June. The reality? Private companies ac...
Q&A: Which Investments Should Go Into Which Accounts?
02 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
DOWNLOAD the FREE Cheat Sheet: ASSET LOCATION MADE SIMPLE at affordanything.com/assetlocation #621:...
The Hidden Cost of Replacing You at Work, with “Money with Katie” host Katie Gatti Tassin
01 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#620: You probably think your value to your employer equals your paycheck. Katie Gatti Tassin has ne...
Q&A: My Company Is Going Public and I Have No Idea What to Do – Plus, Should I Fire My Advisor?
24 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#619: Dave is no longer happy with his financial advisor, but he’s nervous about switching over to...
How to Retire at 50 While Supporting Aging Parents, with Frank Vasquez
20 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
DOWNLOAD the RISK PARITY PORTFOLIO CHEAT SHEET at affordanything.com/riskparity ______________ #61...
Q&A: We Just Had a Baby and Lost Half Our Income
17 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#617: Austin and his wife are worried about moving to a single-income household while supporting two...
How Hackers Are Stealing Your Retirement $50 at a Time, with former CIA hacker Dr. Eric Cole
13 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#616: Two school teachers in Ohio saved their entire lives for one dream — buying a farm. When ...
Q&A: We Saved $1.2 Million But We’re Still Renting. Should We Buy?
10 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#615: Emily is nervous that buying their first home will derail her family’s journey to financial ...
First Friday: The Dollar Is Weak, Bonds Are Expensive, and We Owe WWII-Level Debt
06 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#614: The US just added 139,000 new jobs in May. That beat expectations. But the real story isn't i...
Rachel Rodgers: This Multimillionaire Started With $330,000 in Debt and a $41,000 Salary
03 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#613: Rachel Rodgers graduated from law school with $330,000 in student loans. Her starting salary? ...
How to Know If You're Cut Out for Entrepreneurship Before You Risk Everything, with Grant Sabatier
30 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Grant Sabatier never worked in retail, never worked in a bookstore, and had no idea what he was doin...
Q&A: Is It REALLY Different This Time?
27 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#611: With the state of the world changing so rapidly, Lesley is struggling to accept that “this t...
Your Goals Might Be Killing You (Literally), with Sebastien Page
23 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In 2005, Sebastien Page nearly died from a mysterious bacterial infection that doctors couldn't diag...
Q&A: How Not To Screw Up Retirement Spending
20 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Eva is approaching financial independence, but she’s worried about messing up the transition. How ...
The Stoic Path to Wealth, with Billionaire Investor and Philanthropist Robert Rosenkrantz
16 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#608: At age seven, Robert Rosenkrantz made a decision that would shape his entire life: he would ta...
Q&A: Remember When Money Advice Came From Just One Book at the Library?
13 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#607: George is a worried baby boomer, wondering if today’s generation is drowning in the noise of...
Can You Really Afford to Die? - with Hospice and Oncology Nurse Suzanne O’Brien
09 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#606: Hospice nurse and end-of-life educator Suzanne O’Brien joins us to discuss the financial rea...
Q&A: My Boss Said Return to Office. So I’m Quitting.
06 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#605: In light of recent federal mandates to return to the office, Pedro is having a hard time givin...
First Friday: How April’s Tariffs Changed the Economy
02 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#604: The biggest trade shake-up in 135 years is happening right now. April brought tariff level...
Q&A: Who Actually Makes Money From Gold and Silver These Days?
29 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#603: Bethany’s partner wants to invest most of their money in gold and silver, but no one seems t...
The Surprising Science of Six-Figure Thinking
25 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#602: Ever looked back at an old Facebook post and cringed? According to Olga Khazan, staff writer a...
Q&A: The Stock Market Sucks. Is Private Equity Any Better?
22 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#601: Nick and his wife have $100,000 to invest, but they’re worried about the volatility of the c...
Mini-Retirements Are the New Early Retirement – with Mom of Six, Jillian Johnsrud
18 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#600: Jillian Johnsrud was falling apart. After suffering a miscarriage, she couldn't pull herself t...
Q&A: Retirement Math That Actually Works; Cashing In on the World Cup; and Why Your Parents' Housing Advice Is Wrong
15 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#599: Becky and her husband are about to semi-retire. But the four percent retirement withdrawal rul...
Tax Strategies You Might Be Missing, with Natalie Kolodij
11 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#598: Tax day is approaching, and if you're like most people, you might be overlooking deductions th...
Are We Heading for a Recession?, with Bob Elliott, former Head of Ray Dalio’s Investment Team at World's Largest Hedge Fund
08 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#597: A recession is coming, and it might be worse than most people expect. That's the sobering asse...
First Friday: Tariffs Grab Headlines, But These Financial Changes Nobody Is Talking About Will Impact You Too
04 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#596: Yesterday, the White House rolled out the biggest tariffs in a century, sending markets into t...
Q&A: The Scary Shift from Saving to — Gulp! — Actually Spending Your Money
01 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#595: Eva is finally closing in on her financial independence goals, but she’s grappling with how ...
How to Travel on $75 Per Day, with Nomadic Matt Kepnes
28 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#594: Ever wonder if you could afford to travel for months at a time? According to Nomadic Matt, who...
Q&A: You Made a Money Mistake. Now What?
25 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#593: An anonymous caller is brooding over a mistake he made in 2023 when he decided to contribute t...
Why Your Brain Rewards You for Avoiding Your Boss, with Dr. Joel Salinas
21 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#592: Ever wonder what's happening in your brain right before you knock on your boss's door to ask f...
The Hidden Tax of Avoiding Tough Conversations, with Harvard Law Senior Fellow Bob Bordone
18 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#591: Imagine you're about to ask your boss for a raise. Your stomach tightens. You've rehearsed wha...
Small Cap Showdown! Paul Merriman vs. Dr. Karsten Jeske Battle … with Millions Hanging in the Balance
14 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#590: In the left corner, we have Paul Merriman, the seasoned finance veteran weighing in at 183 pou...
Q&A: How Much Risk Should My Mom Take in Retirement?
11 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#589: Kimmy is worried that her mom’s retirement portfolio is invested too conservatively. Is she ...
First Friday: The Economic Maze We're Navigating Together
07 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#588: Jobs are growing, interest rates are holding, and your student loan options just hit pause. We...
Q&A: Should You Cash Out Your ETFs? The Hidden Consequences of That Decision …
04 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#587: Debi is stressed about saving a down payment to buy a house in her high-cost-of-living area. S...
Money Doubles Every 10 Years (and Most People Never Notice!), with Scott Yamamura
28 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#586: If you are a complete beginner at finances, or if you know someone who is, this episode is for...
Q&A: The Hidden Tax Drain in Your Investment Strategy
25 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#585: Michael rebalances his portfolio every year. But he’s worried that triggering capital gains ...
Sahil Bloom: Which of the Five Wealth Types Are You Neglecting?
21 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#584: Think about how you spend an average day. Would the 10-year-old version of yourself be impress...
Q&A: Everyone Is Arguing About Roth IRAs And We Have Thoughts
18 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#583: Contrary to recent discussions, Jesse has concluded that a traditional IRA is the smarter way ...
The Marriage Contract You Never Saw (But Can't Escape), with Harvard Law Alum Aaron Thomas
14 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#582: They had it all. Six thriving children. A 40-year marriage. A household income of $200,000. T...
When Disaster Hits Home – Literally
11 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#581: Today's question is different. There's something special about it — and you'll understand ...
Treasury Tantrums, Arctic Routes, and McKinley's Ghost
08 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#580: "If you want to understand what's happening in the economy, look at bonds," begins today's epi...
Q&A: Two Weeks Until My Tenants Move In And I Have Nowhere to Go
04 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#579: Todd is in a real estate bind. He found out six days before closing on a new home that it wasn...
The Hidden Cost of Playing It Safe With Money, with Dr. Margie Warrell
31 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#578: Fear blocks smart money moves. Ask Harvard Business Review advisor Dr. Margie Warrell, who gui...
Q&A: The Efficient Frontier Was Perfect Until HR Got Involved
28 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#577: Kelsey is excited about investing along the efficient frontier, but it feels impossible with t...
The World's Richest People Are Weird by Design, with William Green
24 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#576: The world's greatest investors have a secret: they're weird. When one young fund manager me...
Q&A: The Roth Decision at Every Income Level (And Why It Matters Now!)
21 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#575: Apar’s income has more than doubled after he started his own business. His advisor recommend...
The Hidden Psychology of Financial Pressure, with Dr. Sunita Sah
17 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#574: What would you do if someone in authority told you to do something that felt wrong? Most of us...
Q&A: Wait, Are We All Wrong About Zero APR Strategies?
14 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#573: An anonymous caller has always put her large purchases on zero percent APR credit cards, but s...
Your Last Thoughts Won't Be About Money, with Dr. Jordan Grumet
10 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#572: At age 7, Dr. Jordan Grumet lost his father. This early loss shaped his career path — he bec...
Q&A: When Your Crypto Bet Pays Off TOO Well
07 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
#571: An anonymous caller’s crypto investments have recently skyrocketed to 17 percent of her inve...
The Compound Effect of 52 Tiny Financial Changes
03 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Grab your free copy of the 52-week guide to micro-improvements at https://affordanything.com/financi...
Financial Lessons We Learned - and What’s Ahead for 2025
30 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
#569: Let’s take a look back on the biggest financial and economic stories of 2024 - and a look ah...