Written By Paula Pant
A few days ago, I slept in my own bed for the first time in more than a month.
I’ve been on the road nearly nonstop for the past few months — including trips to Costa Rica and Ireland — and the last 30 days really took the cake: from San Diego to […]
Written By Paula Pant
Myth: If you’re supporting 5 people on 1 income (and it’s not a high income), you’re screwed. You’ll never become a business owner or an investor. You’ll be lucky just to pay the bills.
Fact: Ladies and gentlemen, meet success story: Rental Randy.
In my last blog post, I re-emphasized that the best […]
Written By Paula Pant
One Afford Anything reader recently asked:
“How do you stay motivated? I feel like all I ever do is work.
“I don’t know how many hours exactly, but between my job and my real estate investments, I wouldn’t be surprised if I am pushing over 60 hours a week.
“It sucks to see all of […]
Written By Paula Pant
At first glance, Forest doesn’t seem to fit the profile of a successful entrepreneur and world traveler.
He grew up in a working-class neighborhood. He dropped out of school at age 16. He endured a tragedy in his early 20’s.
But our early life doesn’t determine our future. Forest is living proof.
He’s been […]
Written By Paula Pant
You can summarize the answer to almost every financial problem in two words: Earn more.
Snag extra work on the side. Save every dime of this extra income. (After all, you don’t “need” the money. You’re already living fine without it.)
Boom — you’ve instantly super-charged your savings.
When I wrote that, a […]
Written By Paula Pant
Once Upon a Time … Two newly-minted college graduates step out into the world. Their names are Abel and Kant.
Both have Bachelor of Arts degrees from state universities. Both carry $25,000 in student loans. Both have average family backgrounds.
They feature similar height, build and appearance. They project the same grammar, diction […]
Written By Paula Pant
A cornerstone of the Afford Anything philosophy is that every choice you make is a trade-off, and that applies equally to your time and your money.
So what do you do about outsourcing? On one hand, the more you outsource, the more you trade money for the most valuable possession on earth: […]
Written By Paula Pant
One of my rentals is back on the market. Last time, it took me three months to find a tenant. That’s because I made a crucial error which cost me $2,700 in lost revenue.
You see, if I needed to rent a home, I’d check Craigslist. It’s the only place I’d […]
Written By Paula Pant
Yes, it’s true. “Don’t buy lattes” may be a personal finance cliché, but I literally buy a Starbucks coffee every day. I pay $1.78 for a tall (which is Starbucksian for “small,”) plus 54 cents for a refill. Daily damage: $2.32.
That’s $71.92 per month, if I go daily (which I […]
Written By Paula Pant
Two weeks ago I went camping in the desert, without a phone signal or Internet connection.
During the 10 days when I was “unplugged,” a handful of urgent issues formed. A nasty virus infected Afford Anything, triggering “malware” alerts every time a reader tried to visit. Google de-listed me from its […]
