Whoa MMM is lookin' for love on "Afford Anything"!

[englishteacheralex]

The episode that just dropped seems like an impromptu interview that Paula Pant threw together because MMM mentioned somewhere that he was experimenting with a FIRE themed dating app. It was kind of cute (also a little cringe, which just added to the cuteness factor IMO) and I was surprised that he was willing to put himself out there to that degree. Seems like he's a pretty eligible bachelor; I was trying to think of single forumites who might be a good match for him.

Aspects of MMM's interview reminded me a bit of @Experimental_FIRE , who btw I thought might like to try out this dating app. It's free!

Dying to discuss.

[MaybeBabyMustache]

Oh my. I'm not a podcast person, but definitely going to check this out.

[GreenSheep]

I came back to the forum after a long hiatus specifically to see if anyone is discussing this. Am I the only one who feels like Paula has a crush on Pete (I mean, the giggling...) and that the obvious answer to all of this is for the two of them to get together?

Edit: corrected typo (if --> is)

[englishteacheralex]

I came back to the forum after a long hiatus specifically to see if anyone is discussing this. Am I the only one who feels like Paula has a crush on Pete (I mean, the giggling...) and that the obvious answer to all of this if for the two of them to get together?

Kind of. The thought of "shipping" Paula Pant and MMM went through my mind. But...I really like Paula Pant as a podcaster but she seems like kind of an awkward person. They don't really seem like a match. MMM's awkwardness exists too, but it doesn't seem super compatible with Paula Pant's.

I think Paula's giggling was due to trying to amp up the "juicy tea" angle of the topic of the podcast. It sounded like they didn't prepare at all for the podcast ahead of time, so she was trying to affect a slumber party vibe without having had any time to figure out a strategy.

I think she just heard "MMM is willing to talk about his love life! But only if you catch him RIGHT NOW!" and knew that it would be podcast gold and she had to jump on his capricious energy while it was directed at her podcast. Early in the podcast she mentions that she had just called him and he had a slow evening and was willing to chat.

So no, I don't think they'd be good together. But I get how that would be a possible thought while listening to the podcast.

[Telecaster]

Despite my best intentions, I couldn't resist the salacious nature of this and decided to have a listen...

Welp, it sure seemed to me Paula was slobbering all over MMM.   

[iluvzbeach]

When I first heard that MMM and the former Mrs. MMM had split and then heard right around the same time that Paula Pant had gotten a divorce, I thought for sure that Pete & Paula had gotten together.  When that Netflix documentary came out last fall and they were both on it, I felt like there was a real possibility they were together.  I would not at all be shocked if they were already together.  Just my $.02 as someone who does not know either person IRL.

[englishteacheralex]

When I first heard that MMM and the former Mrs. MMM had split and then heard right around the same time that Paula Pant had gotten a divorce, I thought for sure that Pete & Paula had gotten together.  When that Netflix documentary came out last fall and they were both on it, I felt like there was a real possibility they were together.  I would not at all be shocked if they were already together.  Just my $.02 as someone who does not know either person IRL.

Wow. I feel like I do basically every week when I find out about students of mine who are dating. WHAT? NO WAY!

But seriously...Paula Pant and Pete do not seem like they would be a good couple to me. They seem to have wildly different life trajectories/values. I just took her giggly tone as an attempt to do a good interview about a fun topic.

[iluvzbeach]

ETA, I haven't actually listened to the interview yet, so I'll have to listen and see if I still feel the same way.

[Zamboni]

There actually was such a website . . . it got posted on this board . . . did he make that? I was on it briefly. The main match I got where we communicated back and forth was on a different continent, though. But I should go back on, as I am single again and I'm going to be spending half of next year on that continent.

Does anyone remember that thread? Care to link?

[GilesMM]

Is he still living on $25k/year?  Could be a tough sell.

[uniwelder]

There actually was such a website . . . it got posted on this board . . . did he make that? I was on it briefly. The main match I got where we communicated back and forth was on a different continent, though. But I should go back on, as I am single again and I'm going to be spending half of next year on that continent.

Does anyone remember that thread? Care to link?

Firedating.me  but I have no idea if that’s the particular site. I haven’t listened to the podcast yet.

Edited to add— yes that is the site. There’s a link to it from the Afford Anything podcast page. 

edited to add again--  WOW, that was pretty awesome.  There was 5 minutes in the beginning where Firedating was discussed, then in the middle for a bit, and then Paula Pant creates a dating profile and goes through the entire process.  I hope the site gets a lot more traffic.  The discussion between Paula and Pete was excellent.

[spartana]

There actually was such a website . . . it got posted on this board . . . did he make that? I was on it briefly. The main match I got where we communicated back and forth was on a different continent, though. But I should go back on, as I am single again and I'm going to be spending half of next year on that continent.

Does anyone remember that thread? Care to link?

There's a thread here about the FIRE dating site in the singles forum I believe. Probably a couple years old now. I'll see if I can find it. As a person who FIREd single (divorced) and was pretty actively dating in my late 30s/early 40s as an unemployed frugal lower income beach bum I imagine a dating site for FIREd and FIRE minded people would be great. Here you go but have to be logged in to see the mustachian and single forum:

https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/personals/the-first-ever-dating-website-for-fire-people/

I see @uniwelder beat me to it. I'm newly sort-of single, FIREd and live on $25k/year and ride bikes...hmmmm.... Of course I'm probably 10 years older then MMM and am a crazy cat lady - minus the cats ;-).

[lhamo]

If you have ever heard Paula Pant joke around with the other hosts on Stacking Benjamins it would be clear that this is just a side of her personality that she doesn't show as often on her own podcast, where she tends to strike a more serious tone.  I don't think she is interested in Pete -- they are good friends, is all.

It will be REALLY interesting to see if this spikes interest in the app.

Not at all interested in dating, and I have had great luck developing IRL friendships more organically just out of meeting forum friends one on one and through group settings, but if I ever feel the need to find more FIRE-minded folk to hang out with while on extended travels, etc. I would consider creating a profile.  I find it pretty easy to find like-minded, friendly people who understand/value a lower cost, lower impact lifestyle among the FIRE-minded.  Been hanging out with such folk virtually and in person since way back in the Your Money or Your Life threads on early fora like The Motley Fool (before it went paid sub) and The Simple Living Network.

And one day I WILL meet @spartana in person!

[spartana]

If you have ever heard Paula Pant joke around with the other hosts on Stacking Benjamins it would be clear that this is just a side of her personality that she doesn't show as often on her own podcast, where she tends to strike a more serious tone.  I don't think she is interested in Pete -- they are good friends, is all.

It will be REALLY interesting to see if this spikes interest in the app.

Not at all interested in dating, and I have had great luck developing IRL friendships more organically just out of meeting forum friends one on one and through group settings, but if I ever feel the need to find more FIRE-minded folk to hang out with while on extended travels, etc. I would consider creating a profile.  I find it pretty easy to find like-minded, friendly people who understand/value a lower cost, lower impact lifestyle among the FIRE-minded.  Been hanging out with such folk virtually and in person since way back in the Your Money or Your Life threads on early fora like The Motley Fool (before it went paid sub) and The Simple Living Network.

And one day I WILL meet @spartana in person!

Yes!! Assuming all us Californians don't float away with our Seattle-like rain ;-). 

I didn't realize the FIRE Dating app was still up and running, and I never checked it out because I was in a relationship, but I think it would be great if MMM did join and write about his frugal FIREd person dating experiences. Or even just write a blog post about dating as a frugal  FIREd person in a consumer sukka world. 

[lhamo]

Maybe I'm just weird, or maybe it is a function of geography (Seattle has a BIG contingent of YMOYL/FIRE-minded people), but I quite honestly cannot think of anybody in my immediate social circle who is big on consumer consumption.  Maybe my brother and his family -- they have a big house in an expensive neighborhood, a holiday home in Italy, and sent their kids to top notch private schools.  They probably spend a lot more on food than us because all of them are foodies.  But other than that, just about everybody I know lives a pretty frugal, sustainable lifestyle.  My immediate friend circle at the moment consists of:

Old friends from childhood/high school who I still click with
Grad school friends, still mostly in academia
Friends I've made through internet places like this over the years, quite a few of them now IRL friends
Friends I've made through my local Buy Nothing group
Friends I've made through volunteering
Friends I've made through gardening

I'm also friendly with several neighbors, though I wouldn't call most of them friends at this point -- could easily become that.  I guess there are a couple of those who appear to be more consumption oriented, but they sure like it when I offer them homegrown cucumbers and tomatoes for free!

Anyway, just rambling here but I guess my point is that for those who struggle to find people who understand a FIRE-oriented, low-consumption life, maybe it would help to try to expand your social circle into areas where you are more likely to find folks with that mindset. Where you find a few people who enjoy having low-cost fun, you are likely to find more. 

[spartana]

^^^I do think much of it is location oriented too. Being in uber upscale (and wannabe upscale) coastal Orange County CA the vibe here is much different then other places I've been. But there is still a lot of people who, while not bucking the whole consumer spending thing, are more actively involved in a mustashian-like mindset. Not many but enough. My own personal friends are very spendy high earners with lots of fancy things but we don't really interact in a way that involves spending money. That said...I still would rather live in a place that has a more anti-consumer low key vibe as I fit in better and I'm not that much of a crazy outlier.

ETA: I think for MMM dating in a place like Longmount it will be much easier to find compatible people than say LA/OC. As a man it might be easier too because (I'm stereotyping here) women in CO seem to be much more down to earth and relaxed then around here and less money and status orientated.. Having just ended a longer term relationship with a very mustashian guy I'd be dreading trying to date here again. Not that I plan to (crazy old cat-less cat lady that I am ;-)) as I'll be leaving here soon. On my bike :)!

[Fomerly known as something]

If you have ever heard Paula Pant joke around with the other hosts on Stacking Benjamins it would be clear that this is just a side of her personality that she doesn't show as often on her own podcast, where she tends to strike a more serious tone.  I don't think she is interested in Pete -- they are good friends, is all.

It will be REALLY interesting to see if this spikes interest in the app.

Not at all interested in dating, and I have had great luck developing IRL friendships more organically just out of meeting forum friends one on one and through group settings, but if I ever feel the need to find more FIRE-minded folk to hang out with while on extended travels, etc. I would consider creating a profile.  I find it pretty easy to find like-minded, friendly people who understand/value a lower cost, lower impact lifestyle among the FIRE-minded.  Been hanging out with such folk virtually and in person since way back in the Your Money or Your Life threads on early fora like The Motley Fool (before it went paid sub) and The Simple Living Network.

And one day I WILL meet @spartana in person!

As someone who also listens to Stacking Benjamin’s I agree, this is just more Paula the person, not Paula the Journalist.  I can’t see them together.