#564: Our economy just gave us two big surprises that shape how we'll do business and invest in 2025. Our job market is going through major changes. Sure, we added 227,000 jobs - way more than anyone expected. Healthcare and hospitality are booming. But here's what you need to watch: our unemployment rate just climbed to 4.2%. When you look at how many people are joining or leaving the workforce, you'll spot some interesting signals about where we're headed. You've probably heard about these new...
Dec 07, 2024•55 min•Ep 564•Transcript available on Metacast #563: Bitcoin is hitting new all-time highs. Is this just another bull cycle, or are we witnessing a fundamental shift in how the world thinks about money? That's the question at the heart of our conversation with Tatiana Koffman, General Partner at Moonwalker Capital and author of "The Myth of Money." Koffman joins us to explain why Bitcoin might be considered "digital property" rather than just a currency. She breaks down how Bitcoin derives its value from mathematical scarcity – similar to ho...
Dec 03, 2024•1 hr 14 min•Ep 563•Transcript available on Metacast #562: More than 90 percent of people who ask to get their credit card annual fee reduced are successful. Yet most people never ask. Why? They assume the answer will be no. Matt Schultz, the author of “Ask Questions, Save Money, Make More,” joins us to explain the psychology and tactics behind successful negotiation. The key insight: companies want to keep your business. Banks, employers, and service providers invest in long-term relationships because it's more profitable than constantly finding ...
Nov 29, 2024•1 hr 18 min•Ep 562•Transcript available on Metacast #561: Joanne is confident that her short and long-term financial plans are set, but she’s not certain about the medium-term. What’s the proper way to allocate money for different time horizons? Jessie is intrigued by Paul Merriman’s simple portfolio recommendations but wonders about his lean away from growth stocks. Are value funds generally better for everyday investors? Nancy is worried she’ll miscalculate her financial independence number because her net worth includes pre and post-tax money,...
Nov 26, 2024•1 hr 8 min•Ep 561•Transcript available on Metacast #560: Bill Bengen, the former rocket scientist who discovered the "4 percent rule" of retirement planning, joins us at the Bogleheads conference in Minnesota. Bengen clarifies that calling it a "rule" is misleading since it doesn't fit everyone's situation. The 4 percent figure came from studying the worst-case scenario since 1926, when someone who retired in 1968 could only safely withdraw 4.2 percent annually. Out of 400+ retirees in his database, that was the only one who had such a low safe ...
Nov 22, 2024•58 min•Ep 560•Transcript available on Metacast #559: An anonymous caller, whom we name “Samantha,” and her husband are financially strained and feeling torn. Shortly after purchasing two rental properties, their income dropped dramatically. Should they sell? Tina is a full-time environmentalist. She’s worried that her index funds don’t align with her values on sustainability. Is there a world where she can be a savvy investor and fight climate change? Another anonymous caller, whom we name “Sarah,” is excited and uncertain about her growing ...
Nov 20, 2024•1 hr 16 min•Ep 559•Transcript available on Metacast #558: What happens when you spend three decades talking to retirement experts? You learn that most of what people think they know about retirement planning is oversimplified or wrong. Christine Benz, director of personal finance and retirement planning at Morningstar, joins us on the Afford Anything podcast to share what she's discovered after 31 years of interviewing experts across personal finance, tax planning, and Social Security. One key insight: The standard advice about withdrawing 4 perc...
Nov 15, 2024•1 hr 9 min•Ep 558•Transcript available on Metacast #557: Imagine saving nearly your entire paycheck while your rental properties cover your bills. That's exactly where real estate investor Andrew finds himself — and yet he's at a crossroads. At FinCon, a personal finance conference, former financial advisor Joe Saul-Sehy and I sit down with Andrew and another attendee who bring their money dilemmas live on stage. Andrew's question seems simple at first: should he sell his index funds to pay off his rental mortgages? But the real story runs deepe...
Nov 12, 2024•52 min•Ep 557•Transcript available on Metacast #556: An anonymous caller was raised to work hard, live below his means, and save. He feels undeserving of his recent $1,000,000 inheritance and struggles to spend it. What should he do? Jack bought a house with a seven-year adjustable-rate mortgage. He’s confused about when and how he should refinance out of it. What should he do? Jack is also wondering how to do the breakeven calculation between contributing to a Traditional IRA with upfront income tax savings versus a Roth IRA with deferred s...
Nov 08, 2024•1 hr 9 min•Ep 556•Transcript available on Metacast #555: Brandon Ganch (known online as MadFientist) joins us from Scotland to share how his life has transformed since retiring in 2016 at age 34. “I thought retirement was an age, not a function,” he said. “And when I realized it was just a math function, it changed my entire life.” Eight years into retirement, Brandon talks about how his spending and lifestyle have evolved. While his investment portfolio has grown "exponentially," he's had to push himself to spend more money. He and his wife hav...
Nov 05, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Ep 555•Transcript available on Metacast #554: The U.S. jobs market hit a surprising speed bump in October, adding just 12,000 new jobs — way below the expected 100,000. A mix of natural disasters and labor unrest explains the slump. Recent hurricanes in the Southeast wiped out somewhere between 40,000 to 70,000 jobs, while strikes at Boeing and other companies added to the slowdown. Against this backdrop, the Federal Reserve looks ready to cut interest rates next week by 0.25 percent. Meanwhile, gold is having its biggest moment since...
Nov 01, 2024•51 min•Ep 554•Transcript available on Metacast #553: This is the third and final episode in a three-part series. Dr. Brad Klontz and Adrian Brambila join us to share 21 harsh truths about building wealth. This episode focuses on the final 11 harsh truths, following up on their previous conversations about the first 10 harsh truths. The conversation begins with a key distinction: poor people buy stuff, while rich people buy time. They explain how wealthy people focus on building passive income streams rather than trading hours for objects. Br...
Oct 29, 2024•2 hr 39 min•Ep 553•Transcript available on Metacast #552: In this special three-part series, we discuss some of the 21 Harsh Truths About Money. For more information, visit the show notes at https://affordanything.com/episode552 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Oct 25, 2024•2 hr 48 min•Ep 552•Transcript available on Metacast #551: Financial psychologist Dr. Brad Klontz and Youtuber Adrian Brambila join us to talk about money psychology, starting with a dark but revealing story about an experiment with dogs. Scientists put dogs in electrified cages from which they couldn't escape. Eventually, the dogs stopped trying to escape and just lay down, even when later moved to cages where escape was possible. This 'learned helplessness' mirrors how people can get trapped in negative beliefs about money when they grow up with...
Oct 22, 2024•1 hr 25 min•Ep 551•Transcript available on Metacast #550: Paul Merriman, a former wealth manager turned financial educator, joins us to share investing wisdom that could reshape how you think about your money. We kick things off talking about portfolio diversification. Paul suggests a simple four-fund strategy that includes large cap, small cap, and value stocks. He says this mix has historically beaten the S&P 500 with lower risk. We then dive into international investing. Paul explains that while adding international stocks doesn't necessarily ...
Oct 18, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Ep 550•Transcript available on Metacast #549: Steven is stuck on the question of financial stability. How do you know if you have it? Is there an objective answer based on net worth? Or is it a calculation relative to your income and age? Jack isn’t sure how to factor his house into his net worth. It’s an asset, but he has a mortgage against it, and there are transaction costs associated with selling it. How should he frame it? Patricia and her husband are debt-free with a $2.2 million net worth, but she’s constantly stressed about th...
Oct 15, 2024•1 hr 16 min•Ep 549•Transcript available on Metacast #548: Economist Dr. Karsten Jeske talks with us about the current economic landscape. Karsten, who retired at 44, breaks down the Fed's recent decisions and how they might affect our finances. He explains how markets often anticipate interest rate changes before they happen. Karsten challenges traditional views on inflation and unemployment, telling us that textbook models don't always match reality. Karsten shares his personal investing experiences, covering both market highs and lows. He empha...
Oct 11, 2024•1 hr 19 min•Ep 548•Transcript available on Metacast #547: An anonymous caller and her husband have a $2 million net worth at 40, but they’re worried that the one-fund portfolio that got them there isn’t good enough anymore. Are they right? Jared feels frustrated that so much personal finance media is centered around tech and freelance workers. Does Paula and Joe have negotiation advice for someone in the union? Sam owns two overseas properties in a country that’s experienced runaway inflation for the past decade. He’s worried he’ll lose $500,000 ...
Oct 08, 2024•1 hr 14 min•Ep 547•Transcript available on Metacast #546: The Federal Reserve slashed interest rates by half a percentage point. What does this mean for your mortgage, your savings account, and the economy at large? In this First Friday economic episode, we dive deep into the Fed's decision. But that's just the beginning. As the presidential election looms, we'll also unpack the economic proposals from both candidates, examining how their plans for housing, taxes, and more could shape your financial future. We emphasize critical, non-partisan ana...
Oct 04, 2024•2 hr 31 min•Ep 546•Transcript available on Metacast #545: Kat feels thrown off. She’s realizing that the simple investing strategy that nearly 5x’d her portfolio in six years might be unwise. Should she course correct? And how? Ryan and his wife are torn between buying what they want (a single-family house) and what seems prudent (a multi-family house). How do they decide? Is there a third way? At 30, Danielle has saved enough for a traditional retirement. But she’s confused about how this meshes with planning for an early retirement. How should ...
Oct 01, 2024•1 hr 11 min•Ep 545•Transcript available on Metacast #544: Remember that time you found a $20 bill in an old jacket pocket? The rush of excitement, followed by the quick mental math of what you could buy with it? That's your money mindset at work. In this episode, we dive deep into the psychology behind our financial decisions. You'll hear about the three money mindsets: anxious, obsessed, and avoidant. Ever clutched onto every penny out of fear? That's the anxious mindset. Spent big to impress others? Money obsession. Ever thought "I'd rather be ...
Sep 27, 2024•45 min•Ep 544•Transcript available on Metacast #543: Picture this: You're at a car dealership, trying to get the best price on your dream car. The salesperson hits you with a "take it or leave it" offer. Your palms are sweaty, your heart's racing. What do you do? That's just one of the tricky situations we dive into in this episode. We're tackling seven types of hardball negotiation tactics that can trip you up in all sorts of situations - from asking for a raise to haggling at a flea market. First up, we break down the "take it or leave it"...
Sep 24, 2024•1 hr 14 min•Ep 543•Transcript available on Metacast #542: Ever feel like you're never doing enough with your money, even when your finances look good on paper? You're not alone. Katie Gatti Tassin, host of the Money with Katie podcast, dives into a phenomenon called "money dysmorphia" in today’s interview. She shares how she got flooded with responses when she asked her listeners about money dysmorphia. Folks with hefty savings and investments still worry they're not doing enough. It's like they're always waiting for the other shoe to drop. Where...
Sep 20, 2024•39 min•Ep 542•Transcript available on Metacast #541: Ever wondered if you're making the right choice between a Traditional and Roth 401(k)? You're not alone. In this episode, Katie Gatti Tassin, host of MorningBrew’s Money with Katie podcast, joins us to tackle this common retirement savings dilemma. We deep-dive into the debate between using Traditional vs. Roth 401(k) accounts for retirement savings, in the context of: Future tax rates Tax complexities for small business owners and high earners Social Security uncertainty Stock-based compe...
Sep 18, 2024•33 min•Ep 541•Transcript available on Metacast Originally aired August 2023: Stanford psychology professor Jamil Zaki shares his research and findings around the science of empathy – and how we can apply this to improving our relationships with colleagues, clients, customers, co-founders, and business and investing cohorts. Zaki is the director of the Stanford Social Neuroscience Lab, and the author of “The War For Kindness.” We'll break down the science. We talk about why empathy matters in business, investments, and in career growth, and w...
Sep 16, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Transcript available on Metacast #540: What can M&Ms, McDonalds, Harry Potter, Aquafina, Taylor Swift, Jeopardy, and Bed Bath & Beyond teach us about landing a dream job or securing a promotion? Plenty. Imagine you're at a job interview. You've rehearsed your answers, polished your resume, and you're feeling confident. But what if the key to landing that job isn't just about your skills and experience? What if it's about how you make people feel? How you make people feel is your brand, Zane says. That's what Leslie Zane, a Harv...
Sep 13, 2024•1 hr 26 min•Ep 540•Transcript available on Metacast #539: An anonymous caller feels trapped. She owes $100,000 in back taxes on earnings she had to give up as a result of a lawsuit with her former business partner. What should she do? Saul and his wife want to retire in Mexico but they don’t want to give up the ability to continue investing in US stocks. Can they buy a primary residence that doubles as a short-term rental? Nina and her partner are eager to start a $500,000 renovation on their home but they’re still three years away from saving en...
Sep 10, 2024•1 hr 4 min•Ep 539•Transcript available on Metacast #538: The latest jobs report just dropped, and it's a game-changer. Job creation numbers are lower than expected, at 142,000 new jobs in August. This comes on the heels of the biggest downward revision in job numbers since 2009. We're diving deep into what this means for the Federal Reserve's long-anticipated first rate cut. Are we looking at a modest quarter-point cut in interest rates, or a more substantial half-point drop? The Fed's decision could mean the difference between that dream house ...
Sep 06, 2024•38 min•Ep 538•Transcript available on Metacast #537: Frequent contributor Joe Saul-Sehy shares an emotional, personal story of getting into a soul-crushing level of debt in his 20s and early 30s. He owed so much in back taxes to the IRS that he didn’t file a tax return for three years. He ran out of gas and was stranded on the side of the highway, with 85 cents remaining in his bank account. By the time he pulled himself out of debt, his twin son and daughter were seven years old. Learn the gripping, gut-wrenching story of Joe’s past money m...
Sep 03, 2024•2 hr 31 min•Ep 537•Transcript available on Metacast #536: NYU Psychology Professor Dr. Tessa West has spent nearly two decades studying relationships, including those in the workplace. She talks about her research on why people feel disconnected from their jobs and what to do about it. Dr. West breaks down five main ways people might feel unhappy at work: 1. Crisis of identity: This is when you've poured a lot into your career, but you're starting to question if it's really who you are anymore. 2. Drifting apart: This happens when your job change...
Aug 30, 2024•57 min•Ep 536•Transcript available on Metacast 
