Afford Anything

By: Paula Pant | Cumulus Podcast Network
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  • Summary

  • You can afford anything, but not everything. We make daily decisions about how to spend money, time, energy, focus and attention – and ultimately, our life. How do we make smarter decisions? How do we think from first principles? On the surface, Afford Anything seems like a podcast about money and investing. But under the hood, this is a show about how to think critically, recognize our behavioral blind spots, and make smarter choices. We’re into the psychology of money, and we love metacognition: thinking about how to think. In some episodes, we interview world-class experts: professors, researchers, scientists, authors. In other episodes, we answer your questions, talking through decision-making frameworks and mental models. Want to learn more? Download our free book, Escape, at http://affordanything.com/escape. Hosted by Paula Pant.
    2024 Afford Anything LLC
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Economics Leadership Management & Leadership Personal Finance
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Episodes
  • Q&A: The Scary Shift from Saving to — Gulp! — Actually Spending Your Money

    Q&A: The Scary Shift from Saving to — Gulp! — Actually Spending Your Money
    Apr 1 2025
    #595: Eva is finally closing in on her financial independence goals, but she’s grappling with how to make a smooth transition from accumulation to decumulation. What should she consider? John has noticed a game-changing omission from recent discussions about traditional versus Roth IRAs. Is this as big of a deal as he thinks it is? An anonymous caller is excited to convert his primary residence into a rental property. But he’ll only make a profit if he first sells some equities to pay down the mortgage. Is this a good idea? Former financial planner Joe Saul-Sehy and I tackle these questions in today’s episode. Enjoy! P.S. Got a question? Leave it at https://affordanything.com/voicemail For more information, visit the show notes at https://affordanything.com/podcast/binge Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    1 hr and 5 mins
  • How to Travel on $75 Per Day, with Nomadic Matt Kepnes

    How to Travel on $75 Per Day, with Nomadic Matt Kepnes
    Mar 28 2025
    #594: Ever wonder if you could afford to travel for months at a time? According to Nomadic Matt, who's visited more than 100 countries over the last 19 years, you can see the world on just $75 a day. That's about $27,375 per year, less than many people's current cost of living. Matt Kepnes, better known as Nomadic Matt, joins us to challenge common assumptions about travel costs. He explains that long-term travel can actually be cheaper than staying home. When you're traveling, you shed many regular expenses that eat into your budget back home, like car payments, home insurance, and utility bills. The key is to "travel like you live," as Nomadic Matt puts it. This means using public transportation instead of taxis, shopping at local markets, and seeking out free activities — just like you might do in your hometown. It's not about staying at five-star resorts, but experiencing destinations authentically while keeping costs reasonable. Nomadic Matt also breaks down several travel myths. The old advice about booking flights on Tuesdays? Outdated in today's algorithmic pricing world. Using incognito mode to get better flight prices? No evidence supports this idea. He does confirm that booking round-trip flights often costs less than one-way tickets, even if you don't use the return portion. For those interested in credit card points, Nomadic Matt recommends choosing cards based on your specific travel goals rather than chasing the most popular options. Consider which airlines you use most and what perks you'll actually take advantage of. The pandemic has transformed travel in significant ways. While prices have increased and some budget travel services have disappeared, new opportunities have emerged — especially for remote workers who can now take advantage of digital nomad visas to live abroad while maintaining their income. Whether you're planning a two-week vacation or dreaming of becoming location-independent, Nomadic Matt's practical advice shows how international travel is more accessible than you might have thought. Timestamps: Note: Timestamps will vary on individual listening devices based on dynamic advertising run times. The provided timestamps are approximate and may be several minutes off due to changing ad lengths. (0:00) Intro to Nomadic Matt and $75/day budget (1:00) Modern hostels aren't grungy anymore (3:00) Origins of the $75/day travel budget (5:00) "Travel like you live" approach saves money (8:50) Mix accommodations based on trip needs (9:40) Choose travel cards matching your specific goals (16:40) Use points before devaluation happens (20:00) Best booking times for flights (37:00) Social media's impact on global travel (42:00) Overcoming language barriers easily (48:30) Post-COVID travel costs and changes (56:20) Remote work visas for long-term travelers (1:02:40) Why travel costs less than staying home (1:05:50) How location independence evolved from unusual to mainstream Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    1 hr and 19 mins
  • Q&A: You Made a Money Mistake. Now What?

    Q&A: You Made a Money Mistake. Now What?
    Mar 25 2025
    #593: An anonymous caller is brooding over a mistake he made in 2023 when he decided to contribute to his Roth instead of a pre-tax account. How does he get over this? June is annoyed that she triggered short-term capital gains and wash sales when she sold assets in her taxable brokerage last year. How does she avoid these issues in the future? Zerai wants to add mid and small-cap exposure, but his 457 plan has a limited selection of mutual funds. What’s the proper way to select the best fund among the available options? Former financial planner Joe Saul-Sehy and I tackle these questions in today’s episode. Enjoy! P.S. Got a question? Leave it https://affordanything.com/voicemail For more information, visit the show notes at https://affordanything.com/episode593 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    1 hr and 1 min

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Profile Image for Sacred W.

Amazing 👏🏿 Thorough - A must listen !

Wow- Paula Pants show is so inspiring and informative. Financial freedom with a lasting feels more obtainable due to her podcast & newsletter. Thank you. I'd be honored to Meet you someday!!

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amazing

Great episode! This episode was so insightful! I will check out the book "Quit" for more.

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Profile Image for Will Haase

Fantastic Podcast on Financial Independence

This is a great podcast o how to create more freedom in your life. The main theme of the podcast is around achieving financial independence but Paula also talks more broadly about living a purposeful and conscious life. Definitely worth checking out.

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