By Paula Pant
Home prices have outpaced wages for more than a decade, and first-time buyers are stretching further every year. Now a new idea is entering the conversation, the 50-year mortgage. It promises lower monthly payments, yet it reshapes everything from equity growth to long-term risk.
In this episode we sit down with Karsten Jeske, PhD, CFA […]
By Paula Pant
Welcome to the last First Friday episode of the year. Today, we’ll dive into an unprecedented moment in the U.S. economy: a missing jobs report, a divided Federal Reserve, a sluggish labor market, and a holiday shopping season shaped by AI, bargain hunters, and low consumer confidence.
In this episode, we […]
Written By Paula Pant
It’s Giving Tuesday.
You probably woke up thinking it would be simple: write a check, feel good, move on.
Instead you’ve found yourself in a full-blown negotiation with your spouse.
Together, you’ve set aside $500 for charity.
You want to give to your university.
Your spouse wants to fund malaria prevention.
Both charities offer a […]
Written By Paula Pant
Let’s take a look at some stats from the holiday weekend.
How much are people spending?
What does this tell us about the economy?
How confident do households feel about their income and budgets?
Let’s look at the numbers and see what stories they’re telling us.
U.S. shoppers spent a record $11.8 billion online on […]
By Paula Pant
Today’s episode is a special rerun from the Afford Anything “greatest hits” vault, one that’s especially timely as we move through peak shopping season.
Originally aired in January 2020, this conversation with behavioral economist Jeff Kreisler digs into the hidden psychology behind sales, discounts, so-called “free shipping,” and all the subtle […]
Written By Paula Pant
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. Which means in 48 hours, your inbox is going to explode with “savings.”
Except here’s the thing: most of those “savings” aren’t savings at all.
Let me break down what’s actually happening to your brain during Black Friday.
Truth #1: You can’t save money by spending it.
That 40 percent off Instant […]
Written By Paula Pant
Remember the last thing you bought ….
…. that’s now collecting dust in your closet?
You thought it was a great deal, but now it’s just making you feel guilty?
Yeah, me too.
Here’s what nobody tells you about the price tag: it’s lying to you.
That $500 treadmill […]
By Paula Pant
When your income drops, debt spikes, and a rental property starts bleeding cash, it can feel like your entire financial foundation is cracking beneath you. Veronica, our first caller, is navigating all of it at once, from a near-foreclosure to a luxury car payment that’s strangling her budget. Her question is simple but enormous, how […]
Written By Paula Pant
What did you really buy the last time you made an impulse purchase?
I’m not asking you to name the item itself.
My question goes deeper.
The last time you made an impulse purchase — I guarantee — you wanted to feel a particular feeling.
Maybe […]
By Paula Pant
Caring for an aging parent can morph into a second full-time job, and even the most financially savvy adults get blindsided. Bank accounts freeze, home sales stall, and family savings disappear faster than anyone expects.
In this episode, we dig into what really happens when you take over a parent’s financial life, from the first […]
