Best Growwealth Podcasts (2025)

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Q&A: She's Broke. He's Rich. And You're Asking About AI Stocks. 1:20:01

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4h ago1:20:01

1:20:01

#661: 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 do you r…

1
The Brutal Math of Caring for Aging Parents, with MarketWatch Columnist Beth Pinsker 1:02:42

4d ago1:02:42

1:02:42

#660: 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 power of att…

1
James Patterson Shows Why Comfort Can Be a Trap 1:08:50

6d ago1:08:50

1:08:50

#659: Imagine that you’re at the absolute peak of your career. You’re the CEO of a prominent advertising company at the age of 36, but you feel like you’re driving in the wrong lane. It’s wrong.Then you make a hard career pivot and it works out beautifully.My guests today know exactly what that’s like. We’re joined by James Patterson, the author wh…

51
First Friday: When the Gov’t is Closed, Where Do We Find the Numbers? 37:21

11d ago37:21

37:21

#658: An unusual First Friday episode because we don't have a jobs report. However, we do know that in October, U.S. companies announced more job cuts in a single month than they have over any single month of the last 20 years. In other words, October was peak job cut month. By contrast, private payrolls, as reported by ADP, rose by 42,000 in Octob…

51
Q&A: Can You Really Beat the Market by Copying Members of Congress? 59:18

14d ago59:18

59:18

#657: This week, Paula and Joe dig into a listener’s question about ETFs that track the stock trades of U.S. politicians — including the Democratic “NANC” fund and its Republican counterpart “KRUZ.” They explore whether this strategy is smart investing or just expensive entertainment. Then, they shift gears to home ownership headaches. Another list…

1
Would You Shock a Stranger? What a 1960s Experiment Reveals About Your Money Decisions 1:28:17

18d ago1:28:17

1:28:17

#656: What would you do if someone in authority told you to do something that felt wrong? Most of us like to think we'd speak up, push back, stand our ground. But research tells a very different story. In fact, when Yale researchers conducted a famous experiment in the 1960s, they found that 65% of people would administer what they believed to be d…

1
Q&A: How to Choose Between Financial Freedom and a First Home 1:14:26

22d ago1:14:26

1:14:26

#655: What would you do if, at the age of 23, you found yourself with $70,000 a year leftover after expenses? Would you pour everything into retirement and coast to financial independence, or stockpile a down payment before life gets pricier with kids, a mortgage, and maintenance costs? This week, we dive into that real-life dilemma and explore how…

1
How to Stop Fighting About Money 1:25:49

25d ago1:25:49

1:25:49

#654: Fights about money are common, but they're rarely about math. They're about power, shame, vulnerability, and trust. And no amount of data or fancy spreadsheets is going to fix it. What you need is a better system for fairness, more open communication, and a shared ambition. In this candid conversation with Heather and Doug Bonaparte, we explo…

1
Radical Transparency in Real Estate Predictions 1:02:15

28d ago1:02:15

1:02:15

#653: What happens when we actually check our predictions? In this episode we play clips from our 2023 conversation with Scott Trench from BiggerPockets and ask the uncomfortable question: were we right? Two years ago we made some big calls about the housing market. Mortgage rates had doubled. Prices hadn’t crashed. Inventory was vanishing. Everyon…

1
Why High Earners Stay Broke, with Rose Han 1:12:33

1M ago1:12:33

1:12:33

#652: What if you did everything “right”, earned the degree, landed the six-figure job, and still felt broke? That’s exactly where Rose Han found herself. Fresh out of NYU with a finance degree and a Wall Street paycheck, she had a negative net worth, mounting stress, and a sinking feeling that traditional success wasn’t the path to freedom. In thi…

1
Everyone Says Don’t Hold Bonds in Taxable Accounts. They’re Wrong 1:24:46

1M ago1:24:46

1:24:46

#651: Many who reach CoastFI find themselves in a strange in-between: financially independent enough to stop saving, but not ready to fully retire. When you’re living off a taxable brokerage for decades, does the “never hold bonds in taxable” rule still apply? This episode explores how traditional asset location advice meets real-life spending. We …

1
How Money Moves Through Markets 1:13:26

1M ago1:13:26

1:13:26

#650: Sarah Williamson is the kind of person who shapes the decisions that move trillions of dollars. She earned her MBA with distinction from Harvard Business School and holds both the CFA and CAIA designations, two of the most demanding credentials in finance. In this episode, she helps us understand how investing really works, who the major play…

1
Q&A: Should You Buy a House Now or Invest Your Down Payment Instead? 1:08:54

1M ago1:08:54

1:08:54

#649: Many first-time buyers feel like they’re watching the train pull out of the station. If you’ve saved for years but can’t afford a home nearby, should you stretch to buy further (maybe hours) away or invest that cash instead? In this episode, we dig into the psychology, math, and lifestyle tradeoffs behind the “buy now or wait” dilemma. Plus, …

1
First Friday: The Government Shuts Down -- But Bitcoin is at an All-Time High?!? 41:35

2M ago41:35

41:35

#648: The U.S. government is shutting down. Bitcoin just hit a record high. Inflation whispers are back. And Wall Street is buzzing with speculation. What does this all mean for your money, your portfolio, and your long-term financial freedom? On this First Friday episode, we unpack the economic headlines you can’t ignore — and help you separate si…

1
Q&A: How Do You Maximize a Mini-Retirement? 1:01:15

2M ago1:01:15

1:01:15

#647: What if you and your partner want to take a few months – or even a year – off work? How do you handle health insurance once you leave your jobs? And how do you make sure the time off isn’t wasted, but becomes a launchpad for what’s next? In this week’s Q&A, we dive into those questions. We also cover three more listener questions: what to do …

1
The Third Option Between Working and Retiring 1:12:29

2M ago1:12:29

1:12:29

#646: What if you didn’t have to choose between grinding full-time until retirement or quitting work altogether? By 40, Andy Hill and his wife had built a $500,000 portfolio and paid off their home. Instead of racing toward early retirement, they chose a third way: scaling back to part-time work, becoming equal partners in parenting, and reclaiming…

1
Q&A: My Friend Won’t Invest - How Can I Help? 1:16:47

2M ago1:16:47

1:16:47

#645: Mike (02:50): After 15 years of intentional living, Mike is 80 percent of the way to financial independence. Now he’s trying to help friends take control of their own financial future. But what happens when one spouse is eager to learn and invest, while the other isn’t interested? Michael (27:07): For two years, Michael has tracked his net wo…

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The Hidden Psychology Behind Every Financial Decision You Make with Dr. Daniel Crosby 1:09:41

2M ago1:09:41

1:09:41

#644: Why do we both crave money and resent it? Why do some people sabotage their financial futures in the name of short-term comfort? And why is your brain — not the stock market — the biggest threat to your wealth? In this conversation, we explore the surprising ways that psychology and money intertwine. Our guest, Dr. Daniel Crosby, is a behavio…

1
LIVESTREAM: A Former Fed Economist Reveals What's Really Happening, with Karsten Jeske (“Big ERN”) 1:03:19

2M ago1:03:19

1:03:19

#643: Picture this: you're at the Federal Reserve years ago. The chairman literally hangs up a conference call, waits 30 minutes, then calls back — suddenly everyone agrees on the rate decision. That's the kind of insider story Karsten Jeske (“Big ERN”) shares when he joins us to break down what's happening with the economy right now. Karsten worke…

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BONUS: Stagflation, Stocks & Social Security - What’s Next for Your Money? with Rob Berger 26:06

2M ago26:06

26:06

EXCLUSIVE: Is your money safe in today’s economy? In this bonus interview, Paula Pant sits down with financial expert Rob Berger to unpack the latest on inflation, interest rates, market valuations, and the future of Social Security. Together, Paula and Rob dive into the tough questions: Is the American Dream dead for Gen Z? Will there be another m…

1
The Case for Investing in Individual Stocks, with Co-Founder of the Motley Fool, David Gardner 1:29:14

2M ago1:29:14

1:29:14

#642: Curious about how individual stock picking could sharpen your investing skills—even if you’re an avid index fund investor? Paula sits down with David Gardner, co-founder of The Motley Fool and author of Rule Breaker Investing, to delve into the world of contrarian stock strategies and the mindset behind picking standout companies. Timestamps:…

1
Q&A: ChatGPT Built Her $1.2M Portfolio … But Should You Trust It? 57:44

2M ago57:44

57:44

#641: Cristina has a $1.2 million portfolio and hopes to make work optional within the next decade. Is she invested in the right way? Or should she change up her asset allocation? Anonymous and her husband plan to retire in 5 years. They have 10 rental properties and a $2.75 million portfolio. They dream of slow travel, generosity, and family time.…

1
First Friday: Jerome Powell's Remarks at Jackson Hole 17:58

2M ago17:58

17:58

#640: The jobs report came out this morning and it was a painful one. The US added only 22,000 new jobs in August, according to the latest BLS report. And unemployment ticked up to 4.3%. What does this mean? Find out in today's First Friday episode! Timestamps: Note: Timestamps will vary on individual listening devices based on dynamic advertising …

1
Q&A: How to Invest in Your Community (by Finding the Third Option) 48:36

3M ago48:36

48:36

#639: Aisha is excited to share how some life-changing advice has played out for her career. She wonders now: what limiting beliefs has Paula and Joe had to overcome in their businesses? Lesley is attracted to community bonds as a way to build collective wealth for the underserved. But do the same risks exist as they do in the traditional bond mark…

1
[GREATEST HITS] James Clear: How Small Daily Actions Compound Into Life-Changing Wealth [RERUN] 1:18:41

3M ago1:18:41

1:18:41

#638: Fifty dollars. That's how much this couple transferred to their "Trip to Europe" savings account each time they cooked dinner instead of going to a restaurant. By year's end, they had funded their dream vacation — not through budgeting or willpower, but by hacking their habit loop. This story illustrates how James Clear approaches habit chang…

1
Q&A: Can You Open an IRA for Someone Else's Kid? (And Should You?) 55:15

3M ago55:15

55:15

#637: Nick wants to set up an investment account for his nephew to contribute annually, creating a nest egg for college since the parents are already opening a 529. He's unsure whether a standard brokerage account, IRA or other options work best when you're not the parent. Diana asks whether she needs TIPS in her portfolio to protect against inflat…

1
How to Talk to Your Parents About Money, with Behavioral Economist Etinosa Agbonlahor 1:00:21

3M ago1:00:21

1:00:21

#636: Behavioral economist Etinosa Agbonlahor joins us to discuss "money scripts" — the unconscious beliefs we inherit or develop about finances. Agbonlahor, CEO of Decision Alpha and former Director of Behavioral Science Research at Fidelity Investments, is the author of "How to Talk to Your Parents About Money." She studied financial management a…

1
Q&A: Gold vs. Stocks – and Why Inflation Panic Makes You Poor 1:34:57

3M ago1:34:57

1:34:57

#635: Arielle’s head is spinning from the seemingly contradictory advice she hears about the best investments to hedge against inflation and a possible recession. What’s she missing? Dave is curious about private investments after listening to a recent First Friday episode. What are they, and should he consider them for his portfolio? Abbey is stok…

1
Wharton Professor: The 7 Hidden Types of Entrepreneurs | with Lori Rosenkopf 1:20:00

3M ago1:20:00

1:20:00

#634: Picture this: you're 26 years old, fresh out of Wharton, and you decide to start a business with two friends. You spend years building a digital marketing firm that eventually works with Dollar Shave Club and Madison Reed. You bootstrap the entire thing without taking a dime of venture capital funding. That's exactly what one Wharton graduate…

1
Q&A: How to Spot Investment Scams Before You Lose Everything 1:15:39

3M ago1:15:39

1:15:39

#633: Paul is worried the private equity investment he’s about to make could be a scam. How can he do his due diligence and stay protected when there’s a shortage of reliable information? Rob is questioning the purpose of a bond allocation in his eight-figure investment portfolio. Is he on to something, or is there a legitimate case to add them? Da…

1
How to Get Everything You Want at Work 1:44:34

3M ago1:44:34

1:44:34

Your Next Raise is open for enrollment! ⁠https://affordanything.com/how-to-negotiate-your-next-raise #632: There are 10 conversations that a person should have at work in order to do a better job, have better relationships at work, and make more money. Melody Wilding, Professor of Human Behavior at Hunter College, joins us to talk about how you can…

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Q&A: Is ChatGPT's Portfolio Better Than VTSAX? 1:42:08

4M ago1:42:08

1:42:08

Your Next Raise now open for enrollment! https://affordanything.com/how-to-negotiate-your-next-raise #631: Jason's analysis of his retirement plan shows that the simple path beats the efficient frontier. Is he right or is he missing something? Minerva is worried about the impacts of tax inefficiency to her wealth. Are her investments properly locat…

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BONUS First Monday: How Did the BLS Get the Jobs Report So Wrong? 17:30

4M ago17:30

17:30

Special bonus episode. The Bureau of Labor Statistics issues massive job revisions on Friday morning. The revisions wipe out nearly 90% of previously reported gains for May and June. This raises fundamental questions about how our most trusted economic data gets calculated. In this episode, we break down how the system works. We examine why the rev…

1
First Friday: We Were Wrong About 258,000 Jobs (This Changes Everything) 51:51

4M ago51:51

51:51

#630: Interesting observations about the current housing market, meme stocks (again), GDP, Fed Meeting, Stock Market, and the latest Jobs Report updates. Timestamps: Note: Timestamps will vary on individual listening devices based on dynamic advertising run times. The provided timestamps are approximate and may be several minutes off due to changin…

1
Nick Maggiulli: The Wealth Ladder Has Six Rungs (and Most People Never Climb Past Four) 1:11:42

4M ago1:11:42

1:11:42

#629: Here's the thing about personal finance advice: what works when you have $10,000 won't work when you have $1 million. Yet most financial guidance treats everyone the same, whether you're scraping together a $1,000 emergency fund or deciding whether to upgrade to business class. Nick Maggiulli, author of "The Wealth Ladder," joins us to break …

1
Why Nice People Struggle with Money, with Dr. Sandra Matz, Professor at Columbia Business School 1:10:11

4M ago1:10:11

1:10:11

#628: You follow all the right personal finance advice. You know you should save more, invest regularly, and build an emergency fund. So why does it feel so much harder for some people than others? The answer lies in your personality. Dr. Sandra Matz, a professor at Columbia Business School, studies the intersection of psychology and money manageme…

1
Q&A: When Being Good With Money … Isn't Good Enough 56:47

4M ago56:47

56:47

#627: Jlyn and her husband are 20 years from retirement, but they’ve got their eye on a second home they’ll live in when the time comes. Should they make the purchase now, or keep saving? Reese was recently laid off, and she’s struggling to choose between two financially responsible paths. Should she continue her long-term disability insurance? Or …

1
The Hidden Psychology Behind Failed Dreams, with Yale’s Dr. Zorana Ivcevic Pringle 1:06:16

4M ago1:06:16

1:06:16

#626: A software programmer and an accountant walk into retirement planning. Are they being creative? Dr. Zorana Ivcevic Pringle, a senior research scientist at Yale University's Center for Emotional Intelligence, says absolutely. Pringle defines creativity as something that's both original and effective, whether you're solving an accounting proble…

1
JL Collins Part 2: What Happens When You Don't Need to Work Anymore? 59:43

4M ago59:43

59:43

#625: What do you do when you've reached financial independence? JL Collins says it depends entirely on your spending rate, not just your net worth. Collins joins us for part two of our conversation about what happens after you reach financial independence. He tackles the question of whether you should invest differently once you've "won the game."…

1
JL Collins Part 1: The Simple Path vs. The "Optimal" Path 55:15

4M ago55:15

55:15

#624: JL Collins, author of "The Simple Path to Wealth" — the guy synonymous with VTSAX and chill — joins us for Part 1 of a two-part series where we skip the basics and dive straight into the complex stuff. We ask him whether his simple approach actually beats more sophisticated strategies, and his answer might surprise you. He says that Paul Merr…

1
Q&A: “Help! My Mom’s Financial Crisis Is Becoming Mine!” 51:08

4M ago51:08

51:08

#623: An anonymous caller feels trapped in a no-win situation with her financially reckless mother. She has the means to bail her out, but it doesn’t feel right. What should she do? Shannon is excited about investing in several companies overseas. But she can only access them using American Depository Receipts. What are they, and how do they work? …

1
First Friday: Why Americans Are More Pessimistic Than Ever 37:42

5M ago37:42

37:42

#622: #622: The headlines said America added 147,000 jobs in June. The reality? Private companies actually cut 33,000 positions. Grad students just lost access to unlimited borrowing. Parent PLUS loans now cap at $65,000. And tariffs are about to jump as high as 70 percent. Everything is changing at once — taxes, tariffs, student loans, and immigra…

1
Q&A: Which Investments Should Go Into Which Accounts? 1:05:06

5M ago1:05:06

1:05:06

DOWNLOAD the FREE Cheat Sheet: ASSET LOCATION MADE SIMPLE at affordanything.com/assetlocation #621: Jared is attracted to the favorable terms of the annuity plan that his employer offers, but he’s hesitant to pay the opportunity cost of locking up his money now. What should he do? An anonymous caller is struggling to find the efficient frontier wit…

1
The Hidden Cost of Replacing You at Work, with “Money with Katie” host Katie Gatti Tassin 37:08

5M ago37:08

37:08

#620: You probably think your value to your employer equals your paycheck. Katie Gatti Tassin has news for you — you're worth way more than that. The host of "Money with Katie" recently joined us to break down a framework that could change how you negotiate forever. Her formula is simple: Your worth equals your market rate plus what it costs to rep…

1
Q&A: My Company Is Going Public and I Have No Idea What to Do – Plus, Should I Fire My Advisor? 1:06:22

5M ago1:06:22

1:06:22

#619: Dave is no longer happy with his financial advisor, but he’s nervous about switching over to self-management after being completely hands-off for so long. What should he do? An anonymous caller keeps hearing about the benefits of Cost Segregation for investment property. What is it? And should he apply this strategy to his recently acquired d…

1
How to Retire at 50 While Supporting Aging Parents, with Frank Vasquez 1:16:57

5M ago1:16:57

1:16:57

DOWNLOAD the RISK PARITY PORTFOLIO CHEAT SHEET at affordanything.com/riskparity ______________ #618: Frank Vasquez watched his parents, ages 91 and 96, struggle financially in retirement. They were immigrants. His dad was a physician. They raised five kids. They retired in the early 1990’s. But by 2009, they ran out of money. When Frank was 45, in …

1
Q&A: We Just Had a Baby and Lost Half Our Income 1:00:03

5M ago1:00:03

1:00:03

#617: Austin and his wife are worried about moving to a single-income household while supporting two kids. Should they free up cash flow by paying off a car loan, or tighten up and stay the course? Paul has been retired for seven years, but still can’t shake his anxiety about not having enough. Is there a good way to know when he’s finally escaped …

1
How Hackers Are Stealing Your Retirement $50 at a Time, with former CIA hacker Dr. Eric Cole 1:45:30

5M ago1:45:30

1:45:30

#616: Two school teachers in Ohio saved their entire lives for one dream — buying a farm. When they inherited $1.3 million and found the perfect property for $1.2 million, everything seemed perfect. Five days before closing, they received what looked like a legitimate email from their closing company with wire transfer instructions. They sent the m…

1
Q&A: We Saved $1.2 Million But We’re Still Renting. Should We Buy? 1:08:01

5M ago1:08:01

1:08:01

#615: Emily is nervous that buying their first home will derail her family’s journey to financial independence. What’s the smartest way to deploy their savings and stay on track? Based on cap rate calculations, Paul’s real estate investments have appreciated beyond their sensible holding point. Should he sell his assets, or is there more to conside…

1
First Friday: The Dollar Is Weak, Bonds Are Expensive, and We Owe WWII-Level Debt 53:24

6M ago53:24

53:24

#614: The US just added 139,000 new jobs in May. That beat expectations. But the real story isn't in the job numbers — it’s in the bond market. Something unusual is happening in bonds. Treasury yields are spiking. The dollar is weakening. That combination almost never happens together. And it's signaling concerns about future inflation. Trade wars …