Build a Better Life

With Paula Pant

Don't Miss An Episode

By

#433: Ask Paula: Should I Quit My Cushy Job?

Should “Walker,” an anonymous caller, give up a cushy job to take a year-long sabbatical in Europe?

Blue wants to rent out his East Coast home, take a sabbatical from work, travel to the West Coast with his family, and start a YouTube channel and other entrepreneurial projects. How should he manage his money to make this happen?

Melissa regrets buying a house two years ago in Ft. Lauderdale. She’s poured $30,000 into repairs, all of which she borrowed. Her home-related debts have mounted. She’s over-extended. Should she cut her losses?

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

Enjoy!

P.S. Got a question? Leave it here.

Keep reading...

By

#432: The Risk of Not Fully Living, with Michael Lynch

Have you ever worried about running out of money after you retire?

Do you keep checking your net worth to make sure you have enough? Does this always feel a little … unsatisfying?

This episode discusses why.

Today’s guest, Michael Lynch, is a certified financial planner and author. His most recent book, “It’s All About The Income,” says that we’re obsessed with the wrong thing. Retirement planning is focused on growing assets. But your assets aren’t going to keep the lights on. Your INCOME, not your assets, is the centerpiece of your retirement.

He shares real-life examples of the biggest risks to your income — the risks that might halt you from enjoying your retirement years. He shares tips on how to make sure your income is smooth and secure, even when you’re not punching the clock anymore.

Enjoy!

Keep reading...

By

#431: Mr. Money Mustache Talks About His Dating Life

The title says it all. Paula Pant interviews Mr. Money Mustache about his dating life.

We chat about why he wants to date inside the FIRE community (financial independence, retire early) – and whether he’s had any luck.

We discuss the perils of navigating into the dating world after a divorce, which he did at age 43.

And – AHEM – HE’S ON THE APPS. Well, specifically, he’s on one app. And it’s technically not an app, it’s a website. Whatever. HE’S ONLINE DATING, FOLKS. We talk about the difference between flirting in real life vs. online, and he dishes about what he looks for in a dating profile.

Mr. Money Mustache is the pseudonym of Pete Adeney, one of the most prominent figures in the FIRE movement. He co-stars with Paula, Tiffany Aliche and Ross Mac in the 2022 Netflix documentary Get Smart with Money.

Enjoy!

Keep reading...

By

#430: Ask Paula: My Parents Are Drowning In Credit Card Debt. What Should I Do?

D is worried that she’s going to suffer from her parents’ poor financial choices. Is it time to confront them about it?

An anonymous caller and her fiance both own a house. Which one do they move into after the wedding?

In a world of rising inflation, Nick wants to know if it’s time to change the way he saves for his future.

Another anonymous caller wants to buy a second home within a decade. How does she start planning now?

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

Enjoy!

P.S. Got a question? Leave it here.

Keep reading...

By

#429: How BIG Things Get Done, with Dr. Bent Flyvberg

Have you ever thought about remodeling a kitchen? Retrofitting a camper van for #vanlife? Converting your basement into an Airbnb? Building a custom website? Recording an album?

Did you worry that this project will cost more and take longer than you expected?

This episode is all about how to complete projects on-time and under budget.

Today’s guest, Dr. Bent Flyvberg, is an Oxford University professor with a Ph.D. in urban geography. He’s published more than 200 scholarly articles on megaproject planning and management, decision-making, and social science methodology. He’s written or edited 10 books, including recently co-authoring “How Big Things Get Done.”

He shares examples ranging from the Sydney Opera House to Pixar movies to the California High Speed Rail, illustrating why some projects flourished while others flopped.

He joins us on today’s episode and talks to us about why some projects succeed while others turn into colossal disasters. He offers tips for how we can apply lessons from megaprojects to our own lives.

Enjoy!

Keep reading...

By

#428: Ask Paula: Do I Really Need a Financial Advisor?

Jamie currently lives at home and dreams of reaching financial freedom by her early 30s. How can she take advantage of her low expenses to accelerate her wealth building?

An anonymous caller has enough to retire in 5 years. Does she still need her financial advisor or is it time to do it on her own?

Meghan is a personal finance enthusiast who wants to start a coaching side hustle. What’s the best way to get started? 

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

Enjoy!

P.S. Got a question? Leave it here.

Keep reading...

By

#427: Start a Micro-Business & Build Multiple Income Streams, with Nick Loper

Okay, maybe the phrase “side hustle” is overused. But it’s also misunderstood.

“Side hustle” is a catch-all term that people use to describe everything from low-paid gig economy labor – Doordash, Uber Eats, Rover – to six-figure consulting for Fortune 500 companies.

On the remote-work side, it includes everything from freelance graphic design (services) to selling bundles of presentation deck templates (digital products).

On the physical goods side, it includes everything from wholesaling (real estate) to flipping antique grandfather clocks (personal goods).

On the e-commerce side, your side hustle might mean starting your own manufacturing, white-labeling and shipping services, in which you distribute toothpaste or trash can lids or desiccant packs.

How do we make sense of such an umbrella concept?

In this interview with Nick Loper, we learn how to wrap our minds around the huge world of hustles. We talk about how to understand the options available, choose a path, and start with minimal capital.

This interview originally aired as Episode 85.

Enjoy!

Keep reading...

By

#426: Key Takeaways: Best Lessons from the Last Year, with Paula Pant

Behavioral researcher, Vanessa Van Edwards, talks to us about the critical importance of charisma – and how to use the perfect blend of warmth and competence to be charismatic.

Dr. Michael Slepian walks us through what secrets mean, what they cost, and how we think about them.

We dive into the world of long distance real estate investing, and talk about two of the major components of investing – Cash and mindsets – to help you determine if long distance real estate investing is right for you.

International best selling author, Julie Winkle Giulioni, reviews eight dimensions of career development and how to navigate them.

Chris Hutchins, entrepreneur and life hacker extraordinaire, spills his best secrets on optimizing spend to travel more cheaply.

Kiersten and Julien Sanders join us to discuss money topics for couples, and their framework for being financially independent in 15 years.

Stanford professor Jeremy Utley breaks down the art of creativity and producing new ideas – and shares actionable tips on how we can be more creative and have better ideas.

Dr. Daniel Crosby discusses how we are not wired to be good investors, and how to overcome our evolutionary wiring.

Enjoy this compilation of our favorite episodes to air in the second half of 2022.

Keep reading...

By

#425: Ask Paula: My Dad Died, and My Mom Is CLUELESS About Finances

Ellen’s dad died unexpectedly. Her mom is clueless about finances. How does she help a 70-year-old unravel financial complexities?

Mike has an opportunity to buy into his friend’s growing business. What should be his legal, financial, and relationship considerations?

Pepp wants to know what’ll happen to her Restricted Stock Units when her company goes private.

An anonymous caller needs to build her nest egg. She’ll be a full-time student with no income. She has 20 years until retirement. Should she execute a Roth conversion?

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

Enjoy!

P.S. Got a question? Leave it here.

Keep reading...

By

#424: The Power of Knowing When To Walk Away, with Annie Duke

We’re taught to stay in the game.

Persist. Be gritty. Try, try again.

But sometimes, the best decision is to walk away. Move on.

How do you know when that’s right? When should you double-down … and when should you fold?

Today’s guest, Annie Duke, won more than $4 million as a professional poker champion. She wrote the bestselling book Thinking in Bets and co-founded a nonprofit that teaches kids decision-making skills.

Her most recent book, “Quit: The Power of Knowing When To Walk Away,” teaches the behavioral science, mental models and recognition of cognitive biases needed to successfully quit.

It highlights real-world examples of startup founders, athletes, mountaineers, and entertainers who either quit – or didn’t – and explains how to make a wise, grounded choice.

She joins us on today’s episode to describe the forces that hold us back from quitting – and how to recognize when quitting could lead to a better life.

Keep reading...