Afford Anything
Episodes
How to Make Time for Things That Matter, with John Zeratsky
18 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
#226: Feeling time-crunched? Today’s episode is for you. Today’s episode features productivity expert John Zeratsky, who shares specific, action-...
Ask Paula: How to Invest for the Next Five Years
11 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
#225: Lauren is 26 and earns $48,000 per year after taxes. She saves $12,000 annually in retirement accounts, and an additional $18,000 per year for ...
The Science of Rapid Learning, with Scott Young, author of Ultralearning
04 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
#224: Scott Young, author of Wall Street Journal best-selling book Ultralearning, talks about the 9 principles of Ultralearning, which can help you le...
Ask Paula: Should I Choose This or That? How to Weigh the Tradeoffs
01 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
#223: Elizabeth is curious to know: what does a good net worth breakdown look like? Is it appropriate to have a lot of your net worth tied up in real ...
Seven Ways to Escape the Rat Race - with Michael Robinson
28 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
#222: Michael Robinson and his wife, Ellen, achieved financial independence at age 33. They ‘retired’ (they still enjoy working) three years later...
Ask Paula: How Much of My Company Stock Should I Buy?
21 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
#221: Vanessa is curious about Fidelity and Vanguard. She asks: what are your thoughts on the no-fee Fidelity index funds? What are your opinions on V...
Stillness is the Key, with Ryan Holiday
14 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
#220: In a hectic world, stillness is the key to a calm, enjoyable life. That idea comes from Ryan Holiday, author of Stillness is The Key. Stillnes...
Ask Paula: How Should I Invest $4,000 Per Month for Early Retirement?
07 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
#219: Stella is working toward FIRE and wants to know: how can she create passive income in her retirement years? Is a portfolio with stocks and bonds...
Why We're Irrational with Money - with Kristen Berman
04 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
#218: Kristen Berman is co-founder of Irrational Labs, a behavioral product design company, along with Dan Ariely. She has a fascinating job that inv...
Interview on the FI Show: Financial Independence Philosophy and Origin Story | Paula Pant from Afford Anything
30 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
#217: It’s September! If you’ve been listening to the show for the past few months, then you know that I’m on what I’ve dubbed my September Sa...
How Much Can I Spend in Retirement? - with Dr. Wade Pfau
23 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
#216: It’s September! If you’ve been listening to the show for the past few months, then you know that I’m on what I’ve dubbed my September Sa...
The Seven Stages of Financial Independence, with Joshua Sheats
16 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
#215: We are really digging into the archives with today's episode. This originally aired back in 2016! Besides being another fun and fascinating int...
ChooseFI Interview
09 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
#214: It’s September! If you’ve been listening to the show for the past few months, then you know that I’m on what I’ve dubbed my September Sa...
Andrew Hallam (Part Two): The Nine Rules of Wealth You Should Have Learned in School
06 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
#213: It’s September! If you’ve been listening to the show for the past few months, then you know that I’m on what I’ve dubbed my September Sa...
Andrew Hallam (Part One): How I Became a Millionaire on a Teacher's Salary
02 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
#212: It’s September!! If you’ve been listening to the show for the past few months, then you know that I’m on what I’ve dubbed my September S...
What’s Your Why? Financial Independence, Debt Freedom and More
26 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
#211: Hey there! I’m writing this from Croatia, where I’m beginning five weeks of travel that I’m calling my September Sabbatical. From now thr...
How to Be an Adult - with Mark Manson
19 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
#210: We live in a fascinating era: huge sections of society are more prosperous, advanced and safe than at any other point in human history, yet depr...
Ask Paula: Are Index Funds Unsafe?
12 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
#209: Anonymous wants to retire early and often. They’re going overseas, where they’ll make their annual salary within six months. Where should th...
How to Talk to Your Parents About Retirement and Beyond -- with Cameron Huddleston
09 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
#208: Well, this could get awkward. Your parents and grandparents are aging. (Duh.) You want to have a few important financial conversations with the...
Ask Paula: Should I Take a $30k Paycut for Better Work-Life Balance, or Stick it Out?
05 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
#207: Matt and his fiance earn $7,500 per month combined. They save more than half of their income. He’d like to take a different job that will decr...
When Career Zigzagging is Smarter - with David Epstein
29 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
#206: We live in a society that values career specialization. You’re not a “doctor” -- you’re a pediatrician, an anesthesiologist, an oncolog...
Ask Paula: Am I On-Track for Retirement?
22 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
#205: Is it ever a good idea to use your 401(k) as an emergency fund? What's the best way to break up with your financial advisor so that you can mov...
Upgrade Your Thinking, with Super Thinking authors Gabriel Weinberg and Lauren McCann
15 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
#204: You make decisions on a daily basis about your career, family, friendships, health and investments; these choices shape your life. But how much...
Ask Paula: Early Retirement and The Four Percent Rule
08 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
#203: Many people in their 50’s or 60’s warn us about catastrophic or ‘black swan’ events. But what’s the likelihood that this will actually...
Slow Travel is Cheap Travel - with Nomadic Matt
05 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
#202: In 2006, Matt Kepnes worked at a hospital in Boston, and he felt miserable. He dreaded fighting traffic, spending his days under his offices’ ...
Ask Paula: Which House Should I Pay Off First?
01 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
#201: Ross and his wife are both in the Navy. They bought a home while they were stationed in Hawaii. Then the Navy sent them to Virginia, where they ...
What I’ve Learned from Interviewing 500 Millionaires -- with Jaime Masters of Eventual Millionaire
24 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
#200: Nine years ago, I had no idea that personal finance blogs existed. Then, as I was flipping through an issue of Kiplinger magazine, I came acro...
Ask Paula: The Three-Year Reunion with J. Money
17 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
#199: Ashley is paying affordable rent for a home she enjoys, but she feels certain that the real estate market in her local market will stay strong. ...
The Japanese Art of Being a Zen Millionaire, with Ken Honda
10 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
#198: Money flows. When you receive money, you’re in the path of this flow. Money flows from someone else to you, and eventually, it’ll flow fro...
Ask Paula: Traditional IRA vs. Roth IRA -- What Should I Choose?
07 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
#197: Should Bret invest in a Traditional IRA or a Roth IRA? If Amanda gets married, how will her child support be affected? What about her student l...
Starting Over at 40 with Six Kids, with Wendy Mays
03 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
#196: When Wendy Mays was in her early 20’s, she earned $12 an hour working as the office manager of a pest control company. She wanted higher inco...
Ask Paula: I Make $168,000 Per Year and Spend $5,000 Per Year. What’s Next?
27 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
#195: Alex makes $168,000 per year, combined between her full-time job and her side hustle. Her company pays for breakfast, lunch and dinner during th...
The 7 Faces of Fear -- with Ruth Soukup
20 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
#194: Fear shows up in our lives in countless ways. Sometimes, fear takes the form of procrastination. We're afraid of botching something, or we don'...
Ask Paula: I Spent Ten Years in School, and Now I’m Behind on Retirement Savings
13 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
#193: Lori is behind on retirement savings, as a result of being a full-time student for more than a decade. She makes good money and lives frugally, ...
The Latte Factor, with author David Bach
06 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
#192: “Don’t buy lattes.” This classic snippet of personal finance advice isn’t specifically anti-Starbucks. “Lattes” are a metaphor for ...
Ask Paula — Would You Live in an RV to Save Money?
03 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
#191: Should Russell rent a cheap apartment, or should he take out a loan for an RV in order to save money on rent? Carl is working two jobs that eac...
The Next Millionaire Next Door, with Dr. Sarah Stanley Fallaw
29 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
#190: More than 20 years ago, affluence researchers Dr. Thomas Stanley and Dr. William Danko surveyed a vast number of millionaire households in the U...
Ask Paula: How Does My Net Worth Compare to Others My Age?
22 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
#189: Julie, age 27, calculated her expected net worth based on the formula taught in the classic personal finance book The Millionaire Next Door. She...
The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing, with Daniel Pink
15 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
#188: In May 1915, a renowned 58-year-old sea captain, Captain William Thomas Turner, made a series of questionable decisions. He was the captain of ...
Ask Paula - The Real Estate Episode
08 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
#187: Sarah needs $36,000 per year in rental income to reach FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early). She owns several rentals. When can she comfo...
How Mike and Lauren Retired at 30 with an Average Income of $56,000 / Year
05 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
#186: Mike and Lauren have run a cleaning company, started and sold a biodiesel company, repaired and resold motorcycles, opened a coffeeshop, owned a...
Ask Paula: How Do I Talk to Friends who Ridicule the Idea of FIRE?
01 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
#185: Hello from Austin, Texas! I’m living in an Airbnb here for the next 5 weeks. Listen to the end of today’s episode to find out why … and di...
The Alter Ego Effect, with Todd Herman
25 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
#184: In 2003, Beyonce Knowles-Carter felt shy about performing sultry lyrics and dance routines on stage. She needed a tactic to overcome her nerves ...
Ask Paula: Should I Sell My Rental Property to Pay Off My Student Loans?
18 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
#183: Should a newlywed couple with two cash flowing rental properties sell one to pay off $92,000 of student loan debt? What percentage of your port...
Thirteen Dumb Mistakes Smart People Make with Their Money - with CBS News analyst Jill Schlesinger
11 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
#182: Millions of smart, educated and successful people make dumb mistakes with their money ... and they don't realize it. I'm not talking about obvi...
Ask Paula: How Should I Plan a Mini-Retirement?
04 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
#181: Imagine that you’re going to take a 6-month to 9-month mini-retirement. How should you plan? What should you do? Sure, you’ll need to have e...
The Million-Dollar, One-Person Business, with Elaine Pofeldt
01 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
#180: Nearly two decades ago, Stacy Berman, a personal trainer, launched a fitness bootcamp in New York City. She called it Stacy’s Bootcamp. She i...
Ask Paula: We Want to Start Househacking in a Duplex. Should We?
25 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
#179: Should a couple in New Orleans sell their single-family home and use the sale proceeds to househack into a duplex? What do you think about turn...
How to Make Work Optional, with Tanja Hester
18 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
#178: Tanja Hester retired at age 38. She had a negative net worth until her late 20's, thanks to a combination of student loans, buying expensive co...
Ask Paula: Should I Buy a House or Catch Up on Retirement Savings?
11 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
#177: Imagine that your job is extremely well-paying, but you don’t enjoy it. You’d like to switch employers, even though this will probably requ...
Digital Minimalism - with Dr. Cal Newport
04 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
#176: Cal Newport created a philosophy called digital minimalism, which is idea of reducing your digital life down to only the most important core ess...
Three Percent is the New Four Percent - with Larry Swedroe, Retirement Planning Expert
01 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
#175: Larry Swedroe is one of the most respected investment thinkers and writers of our time. He's published 8 books on investing, including one of ...
Ask Paula: I'm 48 and Retiring Next Year. Should I Buy More Rentals?
28 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
#174: Should a 48-year-old New Yorker who’s retiring next year buy more rental properties? Should a Michigan-based first-time homebuyer use an FHA l...
When a Child of Financial Chaos Stumbles into Adulthood - with Paulette Perhach
21 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
#173: Paulette Perhach is a journalist who has been published in The New York Times, Slate, ELLE, Marie Claire, and Cosmo. But we’re not going to t...
Ask Paula: Should I Buy a Nice Car or Save My Money?
14 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
#172: Should a 25-year-old homeowner with healthy savings and no debt (other than his mortgage) upgrade his car? Should he make this choice if his cur...
The biggest study of everyday millionaires in 25 years - with Chris Hogan
07 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
#171: Chris Hogan surveyed 10,000 millionaires in the United States. Here's what he discovered: - 89 percent of millionaires have a net worth between...
Ask Paula - When Should I NOT Use the One Percent Rule for a Rental Property?
04 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
#170: When should you NOT use the one percent rule for rental property investing? In today’s episode, I encourage two callers to violate the One Per...
One Tweak a Week in 2019 -- Easy Improvements to Your Financial Life in 2019
31 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
#169: Happy New Years! To kickoff 2019, we've created a free book called One Tweak a Week, outlining 26 easy, actionable ways that you can improve you...
How to Optimize Your Time and Energy -- with Mike Vardy, The Productivityist
24 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
#168: You can do anything, but not everything ... and definitely not everything at the same time. How can you optimize your time and energy? How do y...
Ask Paula: Should I Pay Off Student Loans While in School?
17 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
#167: Angelisa is a college senior with $30,000 in student loans. She has a part-time job, from which she’s saved $2,500. Should she keep saving mon...
Everything I Learned About Money Came from My Grandmother - with Michelle Singletary of the Washington Post
10 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
#166: Michelle Singletary learned everything she knows about money from her grandmother. Well, okay, I shouldn't say "everything" that she knows. Afte...
Ask Paula - Should I Invest in Index Funds or Rental Properties?
07 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
#165: Should Kim, an entrepreneur, invest in index funds or rental properties? Should Nick, an MBA student, househack into a more-expensive home with...
How and Why I Took a Mini-Retirement, with Bob Lotich
03 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
#164: As an entrepreneur, Bob Lotich loves growing and expanding. But after a particularly stressful year, he realized he had burned out. He woke up ...
Ask Paula - The Future of Index Fund Investing
26 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
#163: Does my employer match count against my 401k contribution limits? Should I invest in a Traditional or Roth TSP? Should I invest more aggressiv...
AI and The Future of Jobs - with author Darrell West
19 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
#162: How will artificial intelligence, AI, impact jobs? Former Harvard president and leading economist Larry Summers predicts that one-third of men w...
Ask Paula - How Can I Get My Friends Interested in FIRE?
12 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
#161: Matt is interested in achieving financial independence, and he wants to encourage his friends to pursue the same goal. What podcast episodes pro...
The Paradox of FI -- with Jonathan Mendonsa and Brad Barrett of Choose FI
05 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
#160: When Jonathan Mendonsa was 18, he researched which college degrees lead to the highest income. Pharmacy was near the top of the list of high-pa...
Ask Paula - I Have Three Kids and I'm Hoping for Financial Independence
02 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
#159: Should a 36-year-old father of three invest primarily in Traditional or Roth retirement accounts? Should Rose, a grandmother of four, open a Van...
What I Love About the FIRE Movement - with Clark Howard
29 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
#158: Clark Howard loves the FIRE movement. That's because he's one of us. Clark began investing in real estate at age 22, started a travel agency at ...
Ask Paula - Can You Force a Rental Property to Cash Flow?
22 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
#157: We're back with another Ask Paula - Real Estate Edition of the show! In this episode, we cover down payments, cash flow, investing in condo hot...
How to Build Incredible Habits - with James Clear
15 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
#156: James Clear wanted to start flossing, but he never managed to follow through. Despite his best intentions, his dental floss sat unused in a bath...
Ask Paula - How Can I Send My 4 Children to College?
08 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
#155: How can a schoolteacher dad and stay-at-home mom send their four kids to college? Where should a 23-year-old keep the savings that she’s accum...
Suze Orman Says $2 Million is Nothing; You Need $10 Million to Retire Early. Internet Explodes
05 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
#154: Want to retire early? You'll need at least $5 million, more likely $10 million, says famous financial personality Suze Orman. I should know. Sh...
Why I Hate the FIRE Movement, says Suze Orman
01 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
#153: A few weeks ago, Suze Orman's team reached out to me and asked if I'd be interested in chatting with Suze on my podcast. "Um, duh," I replied. ...
How to Make Better Decisions -- with Dr. Brian Portnoy
24 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
#152: Dr. Brian Portnoy is an expert in making decisions. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago, he's a Chartered Financial Analyst, and he...
Ask Paula: "I Feel Like I Don't Deserve My Success. What Should I Do?"
17 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
#151: We’re back with another “Ask Paula” episode of the show! As usual, my friend and former financial advisor, Joe Saul-Sehy joins me in answe...
How I Reached Financial Independence through Real Estate - with Chad Carson
10 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
#150: Chad Carson's friends called him a "nerdjock." When former college football linebacker Chad Carson graduated from Clemson University, he decide...
Tell Me About Something That Scared You - from Camp FI
07 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
#149: Welcome to the September 2018 First Friday bonus episode! We recorded this episode at Camp FI, which stands for Camp Financial Independence. It...
Ask Paula - Should I Sell My House and Invest the Equity?
03 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
#148: Welcome to a special episode of Ask Paula! Today I’m answering questions about real estate investing, and I’ve brought a special guest on t...
How to Believe Your Time is Abundant -- with Laura Vanderkam
27 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
#147: Which of the following two attitudes describes you? "I'm crunched for time." -- or -- "I have all the time in the world." I'm guessing your an...
Ask Paula - Where Should I Keep My Money if I Want to Retire Early?
20 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
#146: My friend and former financial advisor, Joe Saul-Sehy, joins me to answer a multitude of questions on retirement savings and investing, so let's...
How I Paid Off $500,000 in Credit Card Debt, then Launched a Company with $35 Million in Annual Revenue -- with Rand Fishkin, Founder of Moz
13 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
#145: When Rand Fishkin was 25 years old, he carried $500,000 in credit card debt. Less than a decade later, Rand was the Founder and CEO of a compan...
Ask Paula - What Do You Think of Real Estate Crowdfunding?
06 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
#144: Today I’m answering your real estate questions! First up, Rich asks: What are your thoughts on real estate crowdfunding versus investing in a...
Life After Financial Independence - with millionaire investor Emma Pattee
03 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
#143: Emma Pattee became a millionaire at age 26. But she hates it when I describe her like that. Here are other ways that Emma would prefer to be kn...
How Can We Downsize from Two Incomes to One?
30 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
#142: How can a family of four shift from earning two incomes to one, while still pursuing financial independence? How would a 55-year-old couple wit...
The Gap Between Knowing and Doing - with Dr. Stephen Wendel from Morningstar
23 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
#141: "I'll get around to rolling over my 401k ... next week." "Eventually I'll switch to a cheaper insurance plan." "I really should move my portfo...
Ask Paula - Should I Buy a Rental Property with an HOA?
16 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
#140: Should you buy a rental property that mandates HOA payments? How do you adjust for cap rate over the years, as the property's rent increases wit...
How I Save Half of My Income as a Firefighter, While Living in an Expensive City -- with Kim E.
09 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
#139: Five years ago, at age 29, Kim E. started her first professional, salaried full-time job, working as a firefighter for the City of Austin, Texas...
How to Create an Authentic Life
07 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
#138: There’s a famous quote that’s attributed to Henry Ford. The quote says, “If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said fast...
Ask Paula: What the F**k are Annuities?
02 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
#137: Today's episode is an annuity sandwich: we answer one question about family and relationships, three questions about annuities, and one question...
How I Bought 20 Houses, Debt-Free, While Serving Overseas in the Military - with Rich Carey
25 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
#136: Rich Carey is a military millionaire. He's spent his career in the U.S. Air Force; he's currently stationed in Seoul, South Korea. He was statio...
Ask Paula - How Can I Get a Downpayment for a Rental Property?
18 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
#135: Time to talk about houses! I answer your questions about rental property investing in this week's episode. Our first question comes from James,...
How Radical Curiosity Leads to Innovation in Life and Work - with Shane Snow, founder of Contently
11 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
#134: We often peek inside the world of business to look for lessons about how to simplify, optimize and innovate. But what can we learn when we exam...
Ask Paula and Joe -- How to Give More to Charity While Also Building Financial Independence
04 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
#133: Andy from Michigan loved the episode with charity:water founder Scott Harrison. After the episode, he and his 6-year-old daughter started watchi...
Ask Paula - I'm Six Years Away From Financial Independence, But I Want to Quit Now
01 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
#132: BONUS EPISODE!! On the first Friday of the month for the remainder of the year, I'm rolling out an additional bonus episode. As you know, this ...
How We Slashed Our Costs 70 Percent and Gained Happiness -- with Scott Rieckens
28 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
#131: Scott Rieckens and his wife Taylor enjoyed a classic Southern California lifestyle. They lived near a gorgeous beach in sunny San Diego. They f...
Ask Paula - Should I Sell Stocks to Buy a Rental Property
21 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
#130: Anna and Dave want to get married … eventually. But they want to buy a rental property together first. How should they approach this from a pa...
How I Paid Off Thousands in Credit Card Debt - with Laura Adams, from Money Girl Podcast
14 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
#129: Laura Adams grew up in an upper-middle-class family in South Carolina, and her parents supported her through college. She attended her top-choic...
Should I Choose a Roth vs. Traditional IRA and 401k for Early Retirement?
07 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
#128: Antonia, 27, wants to retire in 15 years. She's trying to figure out whether to contribute to pre-tax or after-tax retirement accounts. Most fi...
Four Unhealthy Attitudes Towards Money -- with Dr. Brad Klontz, Financial Therapist
30 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
#127: Most people know what they “should” do — save for the future. Spend less than they earn. Why do so few people follow through? The answer...