One thing that happens when you start listening to podcasts or reading books or watching shows– or in this day and age, following certain people on social media– is that you start finding your way to other similar products and people.
The first podcast I ever listened to was Journey to Launch, a podcast that focuses on financial independence and has a diverse list of guests who speak about their financial journeys. From there I moved on to ChooseFI, which really focuses on the “how” of reaching financial independence and provides in-depth analysis and ultra-actionable tips.
Throughout both podcasts, multiple guests credited a woman named Paula Pant and her blog/podcast Afford Anything as an inspiration and resource in their own journeys, and she was also a guest a couple of times on the ChooseFI podcast. So eventually, I gave Afford Anything a listen.
I won’t lie; at first, I wasn’t nuts about the show. I don’t know exactly what it was– maybe the interactions between Paula and her early co-host J. Money just didn’t speak to me, or maybe I hadn’t found the spark behind the podcast yet (see, I have to start from the very beginning, and early episodes of many podcasts are the hosts trying to find their stride). I actually stopped listening to Afford Anything for a little while.
But then, after hearing her name a few more times on a few more podcasts, I picked Afford Anything back up. And honestly, I’m glad I did. J. Money left the show and Paula really stepped into the role as the host. And that’s when the spark came in for me. I found the sincerity and vulnerability and expertise that I had been hearing about, and I was hooked.
Paula, born in Nepal and brought to America as a very young child, started out making next to nothing as a journalist after college, but by making intentional choices, she still managed to save enough of her salary to quit her job and travel for a few years. After that, she elected never to go back to working for someone else again. She made her money first as a freelance writer and later supplemented it with rental properties, which has become her calling card. Now, she doles out financial advice on her blog and podcast.
But honestly, the best thing about the podcast is that it’s not just about finance. While many guests provide advice on investing or tell the story of how they went from broke to millionaire status, plenty more expound on topics such as creating and breaking habits, hacking productivity, meditation, psychology, and general badassery. In simply listening to Afford Anything, I’ve discovered countless books, podcasts, and blogs to add to my list. There are also “Ask Paula” episodes, where she and usually a guest host will answer listener questions. Generally, these are financial questions, particularly investing in real estate; these episodes are great for obtaining actionable tips you may be able to apply to your own life. If you’re looking to improve in any area, there’s probably an episode that will give you the resources to do so.
Afford Anything is now one of my favorite podcasts to listen to. I really enjoy the variety of topics and guests on the show, and I appreciate how vulnerable and open Paula is about not only her business but also herself. The stories, guests, and advice found on this podcast are incredible and inspiring, and I look forward to new episodes every week. I definitely recommend giving it a listen for yourself!
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