Afford Anything | Make Smart Money Choices
Paula Pant, Personal Finance Expert | Cumulus Podcast Network
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.
Episodes
Mentioned books
9 snips
May 12, 2026 • 56min
Q&A: Should I Sell One Property to Pay Off Another?
Callers debate selling a rental to pay off another versus keeping leverage for future appreciation. Listeners dig into whether cap rates capture multifamily returns or hide deeper drivers. A discussion on mega backdoor Roths explores whether to keep maxing them or shift to taxable accounts before early retirement.
22 snips
May 11, 2026 • 24min
BONUS: The Economy Added 115,000 Jobs. Consumer Confidence Just Hit a 74-Year Low. Let’s Unpack This.
They unpack the April jobs report, spotlighting strong gains in healthcare, transportation, warehousing, and discount retail. They examine steep tech job losses and a surge in involuntary part-time work. They break down a housing market stuck without its usual spring bounce and explain why consumer confidence has plunged to a 74-year low.
26 snips
May 8, 2026 • 1h 14min
Why Smart People Still Sabotage Their Own Money, with Tiffany Aliche
Tiffany Aliche, personal finance educator and founder of The Budgetnista who rebuilt her life after foreclosure and massive debt. She shares the comeback story, explains "post-traumatic broke syndrome" that keeps people making scarcity-driven choices, and explores money shame, people-pleasing, and how to cost your perfect day to see if you already have enough.
16 snips
May 5, 2026 • 1h 33min
The Rental Strategy That Survived Every City Crackdown, with Jeff Hurst
Jeff Hurst, former Expedia/VRBO executive and CEO of Furnished Finder, explains the rise of furnished midterm rentals (30+ days). He discusses who rents them, why short-term regulation pushed supply into midterms, and where owners should spend on furnishings. He outlines how to research markets, spot demand signals like hospitals and data centers, and why midterms feel like the early days of short-term rentals.
19 snips
May 1, 2026 • 1h
Is a Computer Science Degree Still Worth the Debt?, with Ron Lieber
Ron Lieber, New York Times personal finance columnist and student-loan expert, breaks down what families should actually know before borrowing for college. He walks through using the College Scorecard, why liberal arts can catch up by mid-career, the danger of Parent PLUS and private loans, and practical cost-cutting paths like starting at community college.
38 snips
Apr 28, 2026 • 1h 13min
Q&A: He Wants to Die With Zero – Here’s How to Spend $1M Without Running Out
Practical strategies for spending a $1M nest egg across retirement without running out. Trade offs between joyful living now and financial safety later are debated. Options like long term care insurance and a smirk-shaped withdrawal pattern are explored. Risks and liquidity concerns of real estate syndications are covered. Tax bucket choices and whether to prioritize Roths or taxable accounts are discussed.
13 snips
Apr 24, 2026 • 1h 1min
The Financial Reality of Developmental Disabilities, with Keith Wargo
Keith Wargo, CEO of Autism Speaks and parent of an adult with autism, shares hard-earned guidance on planning for lifelong care. He breaks down Medicaid, SSI limits, and the $2,000 asset risk. Short-term tools like ABLE accounts and long-term fixes like special needs trusts and second-to-die life insurance get clear, practical treatment.
23 snips
Apr 21, 2026 • 1h 9min
Q&A: My Mom Is 73. She Has a House — But It Doesn’t Pay the Bills. Now What?
A moving‑and‑money dilemma about relocating a 73‑year‑old and deciding whether to keep home equity or free up cash. A deep dive into strategies for converting house proceeds into predictable income without adding a mortgage. Practical approaches to paying quarterly estimated taxes tied to volatile investment income. Guidance on rolling old retirement accounts, Roth options, HSA priorities, debt decisions, and automating raise savings.
25 snips
Apr 17, 2026 • 50min
Q&A LIVE from Texas A&M Texarkana
Jay Davis, Executive Director of Financial and Entrepreneurship Engagement at Texas A&M University–Texarkana, shares student-focused campus wisdom. He covers making the classroom-to-career transition, avoiding lifestyle creep when your salary rises, building an emergency “bravery” fund for career pivots, and practical tips on credit, investing timing, and marketable skills.
33 snips
Apr 14, 2026 • 1h 13min
Q&A: The Case for NOT Paying Off Your Student Loans
A trio of real money dilemmas: whether to hold an inheritance or pay down $90,000 in student loans amid repayment uncertainty. A near-retiree weighing part-time work to soften sequence-of-returns risk. A retiree navigating taxes and setup for a part-time rental that is also a personal home.
