#505: Ryan Johnson isn't your average CEO. He's a visionary reimagining city life, one car-free community at a time.

In this episode, we chat with Ryan, the co-founder of Culdesac, about building walkable neighborhoods designed for human connection, not just traffic.

We'll dive into his experience with Opendoor, his passion for electric bikes (he owns over 60!), and his audacious plan to revolutionize urban living.

Buckle up (or maybe don't) for a conversation about the future of cities, the power of community, and why you might not need a car ever again.

For more information, visit the show notes at https://affordanything.com/episode505

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#504: Brian Kelly faced a harsh reality during the Great Recession – $65,000 in income and crushing credit card debt. 

He started a simple side hustle, a website called The Points Guy, as an attempt to earn a few hundred dollars a month.  

Fast forward to today: The Points Guy boasts 11 million monthly visitors and a thriving team of 140 employees.  

In this episode, Brian pulls back the curtain on his incredible journey, transforming a fledgling side hustle into a multimillion-dollar enterprise. 

He also shares his signature expertise – the art of redeeming airline miles and points – empowering you to travel smarter.

For show notes, visit https://affordanything.com/episode504

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#503: Lindsay’s husband struggles with a mental disability. She’s worried about the impact on her family’s finances. How does she maintain harmony in her marriage and protect her kids’ future?

An anonymous caller is stoked about her young nephew’s interest in saving for retirement. What’s Paula and Joe’s advice for a teenage saver?

Another anonymous caller wants to get personal about Paula’s personal finances.

Following up on a discussion from episode 494, Melanie has exciting news to share about automating ETF investments at Vanguard.

Former financial planner Joe Saul-Sehy and I tackle these four questions in today’s episode.

Enjoy!

P.S. Got a question? Leave it at https://affordanything.com/podcast-questions

For more information, visit the show notes at https://affordanything.com/episode503

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#502: The Fed met earlier this week and elected to keep interest rates at a 23-year high, in an effort to wrestle inflation closer to its two percent target.

Despite this, the April jobs report, which was released today, shows that jobs grew for the 40th consecutive month, and unemployment remains under 4 percent, an historic low, for the 27th straight month.

The 12-month inflation rate is 3.5 percent, based on March CPI data.

Stocks remain on a tear, but performance is lopsided, with 10 companies driving 85 percent of this years’ gains.

We cover this and more in our First Friday economic update episode.

Enjoy!

For more information, visit the show notes at https://affordanything.com/episode502

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#501: Drop the mic! ChooseFI's Brad Barrett takes the host role in this special episode, interviewing Paula Pant about the financial independence community.

This episode was recorded LIVE at a comedy club in Brooklyn, as the final installment of the Episode 500 and 501 celebration.

For more information, visit the show notes at https://affordanything.com/episode501

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Enjoy Part 2 of our two-part Episode 500 special, recorded live at a comedy club in Brooklyn. Host Paula Pant and special guest Brad Barrett from ChooseFI answer questions from the audience, live on stage.

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Enjoy Part 1 of our two-part Episode 500 special, recorded live at a comedy club in Brooklyn.

Brad Barrett, host of the ChooseFI podcast, joins us on stage to talk about what financial independence ideas and practices have changed … and what ideas and practices have remained consistent, universal and time-tested throughout the years.

For more information, visit the show notes at https://affordanything.com/episode500

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We delve into the world of Financial Independence (FI) with a pioneer -- Vicki Robin, the co-author of Your Money or Your Life.

In the 1970s, Vicki Robin and Joe Dominguez, from vastly different backgrounds, came together over a shared vision: FI as a life philosophy, not just a savings strategy. Their book, "Your Money or Your Life," which sold more than one million copies, outlined a three-dimensional approach to FI:

Financial Intelligence: Thinking clearly and objectively about money.

Financial Integrity: Aligning your spending and earning with your values.

Financial Independence: Breaking free from paycheck dependence and limiting beliefs about money.

In this podcast episode, Vicki will discuss a new dimension she's added:

Financial Interdependence: Recognizing the importance of giving and receiving within our communities and the world.

Vicki and I discuss how to move beyond "just the money" during the quest for financial freedom.

This episode originally aired in 2018.

We're sharing this as part of GREATEST HITS WEEK, a 5-day series in which we're sharing 5 episodes, across 5 days, that we produced during the earliest years of the Afford Anything podcast. You may have missed it then; enjoy it now.

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Esquire Magazine editor-at-large and bestselling author A.J. Jacobs joins the show to discuss his experimental approach to life.

Jacobs, whose TED Talks have been viewed more than 3 million times, shares best practices around motivation, habits, confidence, boosting happiness, and optimizing creativity.

In this episode:

-- Discover the benefits that come from frequently changing your habits

-- Learn why "fake it 'til you become it" is A.J.'s secret weapon for habit development.

-- Explore how extreme gratitude can transform your mindset.

-- Hear a cautionary tale of healthy living gone wrong.

-- Learn how to make any career or business connection by unearthing the way in which you're distant cousins (as everyone on earth is, at most, roughly 70th cousins)

Plus, hear a hilarious story about Jacobs revealing his entire sexual history to actress Scarlett Johansson.

This episode originally aired in 2017.

We're sharing this as part of GREATEST HITS WEEK, a 5-day series in which we're sharing 5 episodes, across 5 days, that we produced during the earliest years of the Afford Anything podcast. You may have missed it then; enjoy it now.

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Stocks or skills? How should you invest? Should you pour money into unlocking your income potential? Or should you pour money into the market?

Forget the motivational posters -- unlimited potential is real. But unlocking it takes investment. The question is: Do you invest in yourself or the market? Stocks, bonds, real estate offer clear returns. But what about investing in your skills, a side hustle, or education? 

Financial advisor Michael Kitces joins us to crack the code on maximizing your return on investment, both personal and financial. Learn how to make smarter choices about your future and unlock your true potential.

We're sharing this as part of GREATEST HITS WEEK, a 5-day series in which we're sharing 5 episodes, across 5 days, that we produced during the earliest years of the Afford Anything podcast. You may have missed it then; enjoy it now.

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