Afford Anything | Get Smarter With Money

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45 million downloads. One question: what does it actually take to build wealth? Each week, Paula Pant brings in economists, investors, business leaders, authors, and researchers to dig into the five pillars of financial freedom — financial psychology, increasing income, investing, real estate, and entrepreneurship. Deep insights rooted in economics and behavioral finance. First-principles thinking. No surface-level tips. Follow or Subscribe to hear new episodes every Tuesday and Friday. Get smarter with money. Build wealth.

  1. 3d ago

    My Bank Account Hit Zero ... Then I Got Rich -- with Jaspreet Singh of Minority Mindset

    #759: At 19, Jaspreet Singh bought a rental for $8,000. What followed was a nightmare tenant, a lawsuit, and a later house stripped of its copper, and it taught him what the real estate books leave out. Jaspreet is the founder of Minority Mindset, a personal finance YouTube channel with more than 2.5 million subscribers, and CEO of Briefs Finance. He’s also a licensed attorney who chose to build businesses instead of practicing law. Avoid these 7 expensive rental property mistakes → https://affordanything.com/rent In this episode, we discuss: How hiring the cheapest property manager can cost you the most Why skipping a $200 inspection led to his worst deal ever Why an employee who’s just coasting hurts a small team more than a weak one A simple two-list exercise that shows whether your hard work actually pays How the tax code rewards owners and investors over employees How a terrible market timer who never sold still turned $100,000 into more than $1 million Where AI’s ripple effects could create opportunities beyond the AI companies themselves Whether you’re weighing a first rental, a business, or simply investing more consistently, this conversation shows what each path really costs and how to learn those lessons for less than Jaspreet paid. 🔗 RESOURCES MENTIONED JASPREET LEARNED RENTALS, BUSINESS, AND INVESTING THE EXPENSIVE WAY. MAP YOUR OWN PATH FOR FREE 👉 https://affordanything.com/fiire Minority Mindset on YouTube 👉 https://www.youtube.com/@MinorityMindset Briefs Finance and the free Market Briefs newsletter 👉 https://www.briefs.co

  2. 6d ago

    Q&A: "I’m 26 and No Longer Motivated by Money. Am I Unemployable?”

    #758: Joe says that if you tell an employer you’re not motivated by money, you’re unemployable. Paula says that’s exactly the person she wants to hire. Former financial planner Joe Saul-Sehy joins Paula to answer a question from a 26-year-old whose net worth is already 10 times her annual spending. Then they take on two more: whether target date funds are worth it, and whether a dad of young kids should make a career change that cuts his income by 60%. In this episode, we discuss: Why not being motivated by money can make you a better hire The two traits Paula looks for when she hires How to tell whether a small business is a good place to work, and when it isn’t A quick test for whether you’d actually enjoy your coworkers When a target date fund makes sense, and when it holds you back How to decide whether to make a big career change now or wait Why your savings might be meant for exactly this kind of leap If you’ve saved enough that a paycheck no longer drives your choices, this episode will help you figure out what should. ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS Note: Timestamps may vary slightly depending on dynamic ad placements. (02:32) She’s 26 and no longer motivated by money (07:23) What Paula looks for instead of money motivation (12:54) The hidden risk of working at a tiny company (24:55) The 8-hour layover test for coworkers (33:05) Why Paula put her parents in target date funds (40:24) Joe’s 30-minute alternative to target date funds (51:33) Why your 401(k) target date fund may be junk (58:33) The case for target date funds as harm reduction (01:08:01) Should he take a 60% pay cut to switch careers? (01:13:37) Why waiting “one more year” rarely helps 🔗 RESOURCES MENTIONED 👉 Building your own mix instead of a target date fund? See which account each fund belongs in: https://affordanything.com/assetlocation 👉 Episode #709, planning for a child with special needs, with Keith Wargo: https://affordanything.com/709-the-financial-reality-of-developmental-disability-with-keith-wargo/ 👉 Stacking Benjamins, Joe’s podcast: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/ 👉 Strategic Coach, the entrepreneur coaching program Joe recommends: https://www.strategiccoach.com/

  3. Oct 9

    Steve Jobs Hated Malls and Hated the Name “Genius Bar.” How He Came Around, with Ron Johnson

    #757: Ron Johnson turned down a $120,000 Goldman Sachs offer to unload trucks for $40,000, and that detour led Steve Jobs to hire him to build the Apple Store. Years later, he took over JCPenney and watched it fail for a reason that had nothing to do with his vision. Ron Johnson created the Apple Store and worked directly for Steve Jobs for 12 years, after bringing designer products to Target. He later served as CEO of JCPenney and is the author of Shop Different. In this episode, we discuss: How to weigh a lower-paying job that teaches you more How to set goals big enough that people work harder How to persuade a team whose top priority is not getting fired How to change a strong-willed boss’s mind Why a bold plan fails without trust, and how to build trust first What a rush of early customers can hide about a new business How to get out of your head when you’re overthinking a decision Whether you’re weighing a career risk, building a business on nights and weekends, or trying to get people behind a bold idea, this conversation shows what it takes, and what it costs to skip a step. ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS Note: Timestamps may vary slightly depending on dynamic ad placements. (02:14) Why a few columns made Steve Jobs furious (08:44) How he talked Steve Jobs into shopping malls (15:33) Why he turned down $120K to unload trucks (22:10) Why big goals beat small improvements (29:24) How to sell a risky idea to cautious coworkers (37:02) The $30 tea kettle that caught Steve Jobs’ eye (46:02) Why a record-breaking opening day was misleading (56:26) How a hotel inspired the Genius Bar (1:14:40) Why JCPenney failed: trust, not vision (1:35:54) How to escape analysis paralysis 🔗 RESOURCES MENTIONED 👉 Would you turn down $120K for work you love? Find out what’s really driving your money choices: https://affordanything.com/fiire 👉 Ron’s Book, Shop Different: https://amzn.to/4yFA1SH  👉 Ron’s website: https://ronjohnsonshopsdifferent.com

  4. Oct 6

    How Losing $500K in ‘08 Led One Trader to a Different Kind of Portfolio, with Jared Dillian

    #756: In September 2008, Jared Dillian watched about half a million dollars of Lehman Brothers stock go to zero in a single week. He wasn't allowed to sell any of it. What he built afterward is a portfolio designed so he never goes through that again. Jared Dillian was a trader at Lehman Brothers from 2001 until its collapse, and ran its exchange-traded fund desk. He's the author of The Awesome Portfolio and taught finance at the university level for 13 years. In this episode, we discuss: Why to sell your company stock as soon as you're allowed to How living below your means gave him the freedom to start a business when Lehman fell How to gauge your real risk tolerance with a simple Las Vegas test How a portfolio split five ways (stocks, bonds, cash, gold, real estate) held up in 2008 Why a 20% cash cushion can be an advantage instead of a drag What long-term bond yields reveal about the economy that stocks don't What it would actually take to close the Social Security funding gap If most of your money sits in an index fund or your employer's stock, this conversation will help you figure out how big a drop you could actually stomach before the next real bear market tests you. ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS Note: Timestamps may vary slightly depending on dynamic ad placements. (02:29) Walking into Lehman Brothers the day it collapsed (04:38) The $500,000 in company stock that went to zero (06:57) How cheap living let him start a business instead (19:54) Why buy-and-hold hasn't faced a real crash since 2008 (22:52) The Las Vegas test for your risk tolerance (27:07) A five-way portfolio that fell just 9.8% in 2008 (28:46) The one scenario where this portfolio struggles (29:33) Is 20% cash too much with inflation? (44:45) Why bond yields are the economy's warning light (51:25) Why half of retirees claim Social Security at 62 🔗 RESOURCES MENTIONED BEFORE YOU ADD BONDS OR REAL ESTATE FUNDS, KNOW WHICH ACCOUNT THEY BELONG IN 👉 https://affordanything.com/assetlocation Jared Dillian's website 👉 https://www.jareddillianmoney.com The Awesome Portfolio by Jared Dillian 👉 https://amzn.to/4ART5i4 Jared Dillian on X 👉 https://x.com/dailydirtnap

  5. Oct 2

    AI, Debt, and a Social Security Shortfall. Should Your Money Plans Change? With Rob Berger

    #755: Many retirees fear running out of money more than they fear dying. AI is reshaping the economy, the U.S. now spends over $1 trillion on interest, and Social Security faces a shortfall. Rob Berger says if you're worried about all that, it's a sign you're thinking clearly. Rob Berger is a former securities lawyer, founder of the personal finance site Dough Roller, and host of a nearly 300,000-subscriber YouTube channel on investing and retirement planning. He started writing about money in 2007, just months before the Great Recession. In this episode, we discuss: How to tell whether today's high stock prices should change your plan When to trim a stock that's grown too big, and when to let it ride Why a booming economy can still leave so many people feeling squeezed What a looming Social Security shortfall could mean for your retirement How to cover your basic bills with guaranteed income, whatever markets do How to ease into retirement instead of going from 40 hours to zero Why daily spending habits matter more than investing knowledge Whether you're five years from retirement or five years into your career, this episode will help you separate what's truly changing from what never does. 🔗 RESOURCES MENTIONED RETIREMENT WORRIES FEEL OVERWHELMING? SEE YOUR WHOLE FINANCIAL PICTURE ON ONE PAGE 👉 http://affordanything.com/cornerstone Rob Berger on YouTube 👉 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9C17-OMxa-7oRSaCtztObw Rob's free weekly retirement newsletter 👉 https://robberger.com/newsletter

  6. Sep 29

    Q&A: We Have $80K in Cash and Want a 1–2 Year Sabbatical. Is It Enough?

    #754: Four months of savings in the bank, a goal of eight, and a career break she's excited to fund. Does everything else really have to wait? Paula and Joe's answer: don't turn your emergency fund into an emergency. A 42-year-old UK listener asks how to split money between an emergency fund, a career break, and retirement. Then we map out a 30-something couple's sabbatical and ask whether you can objectively grade a politician on the economy. In this episode, we discuss: How to tell a true emergency from an expense you know is coming How to rank competing savings goals when you can't fund them all How to protect retirement without putting your life on hold How to cover a sabbatical when your cash runs short Why low-income years are a prime window for Roth conversions How to test whether you can stomach an all-stock portfolio How to judge a politician's economic record without the spin If you're juggling short-term plans and long-term goals and feel pulled in every direction, this episode will help you decide what gets funded first, and what can wait. ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS Note: Timestamps may vary slightly depending on dynamic ad placements. (05:30) The real difference between emergencies and expenses (07:28) Why a former planner never said "emergency fund" (13:13) The monthly math that breaks most wish lists (18:36) One question that reveals what you really want (26:37) Why four months of savings is enough for now (33:48) Fund the sabbatical before earmarking a down payment (37:00) Why a career break is prime time for Roth conversions (43:24) How to test if you can handle a 22% drop (1:01:53) Judge politicians on policies, not short-term results (1:09:42) Why focusing on what you control grows your influence 🔗 RESOURCES MENTIONED 👉 Emergency fund, sabbatical, retirement? See which box each dollar belongs in with this free one-page worksheet: https://affordanything.com/cornerstone 👉 Paul Merriman's free model portfolios and investing courses: https://paulmerriman.com 👉 Adventure Capitalist by Jim Rogers: https://amzn.to/4xOaEg3

  7. Sep 25

    Why 60,000 New York Apartments Sit Empty in a Housing Crisis, with Kenny Burgos

    #753: New York City is short roughly half a million homes, yet at least 60,000 rent-regulated apartments sit empty. Under current rules, many owners lose less money by leaving them vacant than by fixing them up. Kenny Burgos is CEO of the New York Apartment Association, which represents owners of rent-stabilized buildings, and a former New York State Assemblymember from the Bronx. In this episode, we discuss: How New York's rent rules work, and why they've lasted since 1969 Why the typical New Yorker pays about $1,600 while listings ask $5,500 Why some buildings now sell for $50,000 an apartment, and why that isn't a deal How a rent freeze pushes costs onto market-rate renters and delayed repairs Why a targeted rent freeze for seniors and disabled residents works better What Vienna's housing model accounts for that New York's doesn't What aspiring landlords should weigh before buying rent-regulated property Whether you own rentals, hope to, or just want to understand the rent-control debate, this episode shows what happens when costs keep rising and rents can't. 🔗 RESOURCES MENTIONED 👉 Ready to buy your first rental property, or get more out of the one you already own? Join the waitlist for Your First Rental Property. You'll be the first to know when enrollment opens: courses.affordanything.com 👉 New York Apartment Association: https://housingny.org 👉 Housing New York podcast with Kenny Burgos: https://housingny.org/housingnypodcast 👉 Kenny Burgos on X: https://x.com/KennyBurgosNY ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS Note: Timestamps may vary slightly depending on dynamic ad placements. (03:44) Why New York's 1969 emergency rent rules never ended (04:58) The surprisingly low rent most New Yorkers actually pay (23:33) Why buildings now sell for $50,000 an apartment (25:12) Costs rose 4.5%. Rents were frozen at 0%. (31:39) The rent-freeze program that actually works (39:38) Who really pays when rents are frozen (47:13) Why 60,000 apartments sit empty during a shortage (01:01:53) Buyout or pressure? The $150,000 question (01:06:52) What Vienna gets right that New York doesn't (01:16:18) Should you buy a rental in New York?

  8. Sep 22

    Q&A: I’m Tired of Managing My Rental Property. Should I Sell It?

    #752: A caller's rental is performing fine, but a late-paying tenant and a roof replacement have her ready to sell it before she moves to Madrid for her MBA. Paula argues the real fix isn't selling — it's a hire she hasn't made yet. This week, Joe joins Paula to help a caller decide whether to sell a rental property from abroad, then dig into new data on why women's labor force participation dropped in July while their share of new jobs surged in August. In this episode, we discuss: How to tell if you're making the right call for the wrong reason Why a new roof or a set of windows can be a form of forced investing The one hire that can solve the same problem as selling your rental A simple way to estimate a rental property's real return What to weigh before selling a working investment on gut feel alone Why women's labor force participation fell in July even as their job gains led the year Why the trades are becoming a stronger bet than a four-year degree for some new grads This one's for anyone facing a big financial decision that feels more emotional than mathematical — whether that's a rental property, a career move, or a job you're not sure is worth keeping. ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS Note: Timestamps may vary slightly depending on dynamic ad placements. (01:45) Why she wants to sell a rental that's "objectively good" (03:25) When it's actually okay to sell a good investment (10:03) One hire that stops panic-selling a rental property (14:44) The simple math to compare rental returns vs. stocks (17:31) Paula's own confession about hating her first rental property (22:22) Why doing what you're best at beats doing everything yourself (30:11) 100% of last month's labor force drop was women (31:54) The real reasons women are leaving the workforce right now (32:18) Why women got 85% of new jobs created this year (47:00) The industry that could fix jobs and housing at once 🔗 RESOURCES MENTIONED 👉 Torn on selling a rental? Get our free 10-day guide, which includes a deal-analysis exercise to help you decide with the numbers, not just your gut: https://affordanything.com/fiire 👉 Sign up for our newsletter (get the new site first): https://affordanything.com/newsletter 👉 Leave us a voicemail with your own money question: https://affordanything.com/voicemail 👉 Read the BLS jobs report Paula cites in this episode: https://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm

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45 million downloads. One question: what does it actually take to build wealth? Each week, Paula Pant brings in economists, investors, business leaders, authors, and researchers to dig into the five pillars of financial freedom — financial psychology, increasing income, investing, real estate, and entrepreneurship. Deep insights rooted in economics and behavioral finance. First-principles thinking. No surface-level tips. Follow or Subscribe to hear new episodes every Tuesday and Friday. Get smarter with money. Build wealth.

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