Frugal Forever

Home gym equipment that took a month to arrive, $200 kettles, 'cosy clothes' and other stuff we can't mention in an iTunes episode summary: this week we're talking regrettable iso purchases! Also: Katie's moving house because she's run out of things to buy for her current home.

*CW: This episode discusses eating disorders and body image.* It's never been more important to keep your brain happy. In this episode, Katie and Josie speak to psychologist and founder of The Indigo Project, Mary Hoang, about the mental health struggles we're all facing right now and what you can do to stay sane. The two also get super real about their own mental health struggles during COVID-19 and Josie simply can't stop speaking about Gilmore Girls. 'COVID-19 isolation creating a 'perfect storm' for people at risk of eating disorders, experts say': https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-04-14/coronavirus-isolation-dangerous-for-eating-disorder-sufferers/12145044?fbclid=IwAR3QG68uOXoymDBBqsLwfyAb6gxAgcOzrpuqgMkFTtjfRLJw6KPkkvJ5Pr0 'All The Ways I Failed At Self-Improvement': https://www.thecut.com/2020/04/personal-project-failed-hobbies.html 'Gilmore Girls is slyly smart about class and how isolating money can be': https://www.vox.com/culture/2016/12/1/13786732/gilmore-girls-netflix-year-life-class-money

We're no experts, but you don't need one to tell you that our beloved pubs, cafes, restaurants and shops are doing it tough right now. So how can we best support them... when our own finances are kinda iffy? To find out what small businesses are dealing with right now we talk to Beth Wicks, the owner of Katie's favourite second hand clothes shop, Swop. Also: the wild world of "disaster capitalism", big business being trash and Reformation making face masks (with a thigh-high slit).

Stress baking, Alison Roman recipes, zero waste. If there's one thing about iso that's common across the board, it's that we're all cooking lots more. This ep, Katie and Josie speak to self-taught cook and author of 'Tin Can Magic', Jess Dennison, about her frugal cooking hacks and zero waste mantra. Plus, the two chat about the decline of celebrity influence and influencer influence.

Apparently "Shakespeare wrote King Lear during the plague," which, pfft. Katie and Josie talk about the crazy capitalist lie that everyone should be using their COVID-19 isolation to do something 'worthy' and 'productive'. As a counter argument, maybe just cut yourself some slack and watch all of Vanderpump Rules instead? The two also discuss the privilege of staying at home and the surprising celebrities who have shown themselves as class allies.

Katie and Josie had a whole plan for how season two was gonna go. Safe to say, this wasn't it! In this mini-ep, they talk about how fast things are changing with COVID-19, whether they'll be spending more money in isolation and, well, if they should even keep podcasting in this time of doom.

'Tis the season to blow up your finances! Katie and Josie discuss the terrifying realities of Christmas, how much you're meant to spend on gifts and who you're meant to give them to. Plus! A breakdown of Katie's spending for the year, the money lessons of HBO's 'Succession' and why ethical fashion can be dubious. Articles we talked about in this ep: https://www.newyorker.com/culture/on-and-off-the-avenue/virtue-and-vanity-at-reformation http://amp.abc.net.au/article/11564478

In the epilogue to season one, Katie and Josie discuss the perks and pitfalls of financial transparency. Plus, a chat about the lotto and feeling guilty for treating yourself. Articles we talked about in this week's ep: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/23/smarter-living/wirecutter/money-diaries-benefits-drawbacks.html https://www.theguardian.com/money/2018/jan/29/can-you-really-save-for-a-deposit-by-ditching-coffee-and-avocado-toast-i-tried-to-find-out https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/dec/18/what-i-learned-after-my-money-diary-went-viral https://theoutline.com/post/7737/abolish-state-lotteries?zd=1&zi=nq4ymwvo https://www.theguardian.com/money/2019/mar/21/money-dysmorphia-cant-let-myself-have-nice-things

Katie and Josie break down what turns frugal (good) into stingy (bad). Plus, they discuss the actual hellscape that is the FIRE community, the phenomenon of shibal biyong and their respective tax returns. Money content: THE BATSHIT LENGTHS THESE GUYS GO TO RETIRE BY AGE 40: https://melmagazine.com/en-us/story/financial-independence-early-retirement-fire-community?fbclid=IwAR1nZxaGUm2S0rkD7KPki8fbkQMJXLtmijCtbN7xer7PNRvo3PUDGc_ynXA Why Young Koreans Love to Splurge: https://foreignpolicy.com/2019/07/04/why-young-koreans-love-to-splurge-shibal-biyong-millennial-fuck-it-expense/

How are things different if you're a woman dating another woman? In the second part of our episode on dating, we chat to Junkee's Music Editor Jules LeFevre about the intricacies of queer dating. Plus, Belle Delphine, unpaid labour and Katie's outrageous money nay confession.

Who should pay on the first date? Editor Krissi Amiet joins Katie and Josie for part one of our deep dive into the awkward money side of dating. Plus, pulling cons, the amount of cash you need to be happy and using credit cards to your advantage. Check back next week for the queer perspective on dating.

The financial new year is upon us and Katie and Josie have some money-related resolutions to share. Also, we talk ethical superfunds and banks, "money personalities" and the real cost of being a woman.

How does someone get sucked into a multi-level marketing scheme? What's it like on the inside? How do you eventually get out? Josie and Katie speak to Sarah Michael, 25, who started selling Nutrimetics at the too-young age of 19. Plus, we chat about the moral imperative of AfterPay and Katie's secret rich business class experience.

Lillian Ahenkan, aka Flexmami, has a lot of income streams: she's a DJ, presenter, podcaster, beauty content creator, writer, model and more. She talks to Katie and Josie about refusing to be broke, how to hustle and which job makes her the most money. Frugal Forever is created and produced by Katie Cunningham and Josephine Parsons. Produced by Aidan Molins.

Author Brodie Lancaster joins Katie to talk about how she makes freelancing work for her, from negotiating rates to the pesky business of paying your own tax and super. She also explains the money side of writing a book. Created and produced by Katie Cunningham and Josephine Parsons. Produced by Aidan Molins

The average Australian woman spends $3600 a year on beauty, apparently. Amelia Marshall joins Katie and Josie to talk about how much they actually spend on beauty in a year and why we're damned if we do, damned if we don't. Plus, Katie attempts to justify her eyelash extensions and Josie admits a terrible money nay.

So just how much should it cost to do life? Katie and Josie audit each other's daily expenses, including private health insurance, F45 memberships and expensive dating apps. Plus, they share their biggest financial priorities.

At age 25, India Hickey found herself newly single, underemployed and in $10,000 worth of credit card debt. On today's episode of Frugal Forever she tells hosts Katie and Josie how she got into modelling to pay it off and Katie shares her own experience with credit card debt. Frugal Forever is created by Katie Cunningham and Josephine Parsons. Produced by Aidan Molins Theme song is "Fantasy" by Illuid Haller Cover art by Sam Langford

How much do you earn? What have you got in savings? What's the most stressed you've ever been about money? In the first episode of Frugal Forever, Katie and Josie ask each other the sticky questions and discuss why it's important to be open and honest about your finances.