Afford Anything | Get Smarter With Money4 Nov 2025

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

#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 listener asks how to control ballooning maintenance costs, and Paula shares her best advice for finding trustworthy contractors, budgeting for repairs, and knowing when DIY doesn’t actually save money. Finally, an anonymous caller wonders if starting a small business just for tax breaks makes sense. Paula and Joe explain the IRS rules — and why energy and purpose matter more than deductions. From “fun money” investing to financial planning that actually works, this episode is all about balancing curiosity, caution, and common sense. Key Takeaways Congressional-trade ETFs aren’t a shortcut to wealth. They’re speculative, lag behind real trades, and carry high costs Home maintenance is predictable — plan for it. Create a repair timeline and build relationships with investor-friendly contractors DIY isn’t always cheaper. Factor in time, tools, and opportunity cost Never open a business just for taxes. If it doesn’t make a profit or bring joy, it’s an energy drain, not a strategy Separate fun money from freedom money. Keep speculation playful, and build wealth with focus and purpose Chapters Note: Timestamps will vary on individual listening devices based on dynamic advertising segments. The provided timestamps are approximate and may be several minutes off due to changing ad lengths. (00:00) Should You Follow Congress’s Trades? (06:00) The Lag Problem and Investor Bias (10:30) The “Fun Money” Rule (11:20) The Hidden Cost of Home Repairs (15:00) Finding Investor-Friendly Contractors (18:00) Planning Ahead for Repairs (22:00) DIY vs. Opportunity Cost (26:00) Starting a Small Business for Tax Breaks (29:00) The IRS “3-of-5 Rule” (32:00) Purpose Over Deductions (34:00) Final Thoughts https://affordanything.com/voicemail Share this episode with a friend, colleagues, and all the Nancys in your life: https://affordanything.com/episode657 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Denne episoden er hentet fra en åpen RSS-feed og er ikke publisert av Podme. Den kan derfor inneholde annonser.

Episoder(778)

Why The Customers Nobody Wants Are the Best Ones to Sell To, with David Bell

#732: Where you live is already deciding what you'll buy today, before you've even made up your mind. And it turns out the customers your local stores ignore completely are often a brand's most valuab...

14 Jul 1h 2min

Is AI Making You Dumber? With Lorraine Marchand

#731: What if the best way to test a new hire wasn't a resume, but a two-hour breakfast? One CEO built his entire hiring process around it — and it worked. Lorraine Marchand spent three decades in le...

10 Jul 1h 16min

Q&A: We Have $1.5 Million. Can We Stop Now?

#730: What does it actually mean to have "enough" — and how do you know when it's time to stop optimizing and start living? AVOIDING THE REAL ESTATE MISTAKES IN THIS FREE GUIDE COULD SAVE YOU $10,000...

7 Jul 1h 3min

First Friday: Jobs Are Cooling, Prices Are Climbing, and NYC is Freezing the Rent

#729: The U.S. added 57,000 jobs in June. Economists expected 115,000. Meanwhile, inflation hit a three-year high. The Personal Consumption Expenditures index - the Fed's favorite inflation gauge -...

3 Jul 1h 5min

Q&A: What $2.4 Million at 37 Actually Looks Like (It's Not What You Think)

#728: What do you do when you suddenly have $850,000 and no idea what to do with it? GET TOTAL CLARITY ON WHERE EVERY DOLLAR BELONGS 👉 https://affordanything.com/cornerstone On today’s Q&A, one...

30 Jun 1h

Hope Isn't a Feeling. It’s a Skill. - with Dr. Julia Garcia

727: Not sure what your next money move should be? Start with the free FiiRE Playbook 👉 https://affordanything.com/fiire Dr. Julia Garcia is a psychologist, behavioral researcher, and author of ...

27 Jun 1h 20min

Q&A: She Has $884K Saved — So Why Can't She Retire?

#726: Hey, we're mixing it up today with a super deep dive. We normally go fairly deep on this show, but today we're going even deeper and turning one caller's question into a case study. Download ...

23 Jun 1h 19min

What Most Families Get Wrong About Passing Down Wealth, with Andrea Baumann Lustig

#725: Most people assume their financial advisor is legally required to put their interests first. That's not always true. Andrea Baumann Lustig, a wealth advisor with 30 years of experience, joins...

19 Jun 1h 29min