This Abundant Life

This is the last This Abundant Life podcast.  Kirsti has gone onto other projects, and Serina has now launched a solo The Joyful Frugalista podcast.  Thank you all for listening and sharing the good times:)

In this episode, Serina and Kirsti talk with blogger Michelle, Frugality and Freedom about her love of travel - including how she saves money on accommodation through house sitting. Hailing from Adelaide SA, Michelle semi-retired two years ago at age 33. She splits her time between slow travel and seasonal work in organising events and festivals. She recently finished a year exploring USA from mid-2018 to mid-2019, visiting 20 states on USD55 / AUD75 a day and connecting with other financial independence bloggers and enthusiasts along the way. She writes about her experiences at FrugalityandFreedom.com and also enjoys sharing other Aussie financial independence stories in her Australian FI Weekly newsletter. Social mediaWebsite: www.frugalityandfreedom.comInstagram: @frugalityandfreedomTwitter: @FrugalityFreedmFacebook: www.facebook.com/frugalityandfreedom

Ever thought about what it would be like to give up living in suburbia and live off the land instead?  Chloe and Paul Howorth did just that, moving from Canberra to Nelson, New Zealand to embrace a more sustainable lifestyle for a year. Chloe loves permaculture and urban planning and worked in a senior role in the ACT government, before taking leave without pay for a year to make a tree change.  Paul is an entrepreneur, lawyer and strategist with more than 20 years experience in business operations and advisory consulting in development-related fields. Shownotes Goodopoly We have ruined childhood, Kim Brooks, The New York Times, 17 August 2019

Kelly Doust is an author, publisher and fashionista. In this episode, Kelly chats with Serina about why she chose to focus on celebrating the amazing stories of older women in her new book The Power Age: A Celebration of Life's Second Act.

In this episode, Kirsti and Serina chat with Leilani Bin-Juda PSM about life on Thursday Island, about the resilience of women in her Indigenous community, and the cost of a loaf of bread (and blueberries). Since this interview was recorded, the Minister for Indigenous Australians, the Honourable Ken Wyatt MP, has announced her appointment as the Torres Strait Regional Authority’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO).  She is the first woman to be appointed to this role.  Congratulations Leilani! In 2019, Ms Bin-Juda was awarded a Public Service Medal for promoting Indigenous heritage in Australia’s cultural and foreign policies. She is a career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and has previously served overseas as First Secretary (Political/Gender/Sports Diplomacy), Papua New Guinea; Adviser (Economic Governance) to the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands; and Manager of Australia’s Cultural Program at the Shanghai World Expo 2010. She is currently the Treaty Liaison Officer on Thursday Island and is responsible for the day-to-day implementation of the Australia-Papua New Guinea Torres Strait Treaty. Ms Bin-Juda holds degrees in Business, Cultural Heritage, Public Policy and International Relations. Show notes: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Diplomacy at ANU      

Two years ago, Serina (then known as Ms Frugal Ears) had a chat on Aussie Firebug's podcast.  Kirsti listened to it, googled Serina and decided to get in contact.  Now Serina and Kirsti are chatting with Mr Aussie Firebug about his Financial Independence Retire Early (FIRE) journey.  What motivated him to start and stay on track?  What does Mrs Firebug think of this journey?  How have they managed the tension between You Only Live Once (YOLO) and FIRE?  And what are some of the really embarrassing #frugalfail things that he has done? (Hint: they are really funny.)

Serina and Kirsti talk to Amanda Whitley, founder and director of HerCanberra, about living life on your own terms.  After her second daughter was born very prematurely, Amanda was not able to return to her job.  The solution? She started her own business.  In this episode, Amanda talks frankly about having the courage to start her own business, the power of being aligned with her passion, and being a 'Dance Mum' to her two girls.  

In this episode, Serina chats to Juanita Flett, President of the National Council of Women ACT, about the hidden problem of homeless women and an innovative short-term solution for a Sleep Bus.  And we talk about sustainable fashion, op-shopping and sewing! Homeless Women's Sleepbus for Canberra  

Can you be a Hollywood executive and still be frugal?  Is there pressure to drive an expensive car and be seen at all the right places?  What do you do if your friends aren't on the FIRE path?  In our second interview with Travis Shakespeare, director of Playing with FIRE, he talks about how he reached Financial Independence, and how he still works and saves. Playing with FIRE: how far would you go for financial freedom premiered a week ago, reaching No 2 on iTunes.  

Kirsti and Serina go international, chatting with Los Angeles-based Director of the Playing with FIRE documentary Travis Shakespeare.  Why are so many young people in the US, and increasingly elsewhere, turning to the Financial Independence Retire Early movement?  Is Australia the lucky country that has the life/work balance right? How much of a problem is student debt?  Tune in to find out. Playing with FIRE launches in the US on Tuesday, 19 November.

We chat to popular ABC Canberra presenter Lish Fejer about how she met her husband (not the usual boy meets girl story), her science experiments, and her passion for energy efficiency in the home.  And bubble wrap.  Watch out for her interactive cakes and the shower creep. Further details in the show notes.

Dave Gow had an annual income of $75,000. Yet through a commitment to saving and investing, he and his partner Alison are now retired. In this podcast, Dave talks about what it is like to retire at age 28 (hint: it is more fulfilling than you might think), and how they got to their goal.  Dave shares his views on investment on his blog, Strong Money Australia.

Rachel Smith, author of Underspent, talks to Kirsti and Serina about why a trip to Mumbai changed her spending habits forever.

Ever wonder how Kirsti and Serina invest themselves? Is property the answer? Or is it shares?  In this podcast, they have an honest chat with each other about their investment strategies - what has worked for them, what hasn't and why.

In this episode, Serina chats with Miss Balance from All About Balance about saving, superannuation, shopping, and living an abundant life.  On how to get the best online deals, see Cashrewards and SHOPBACK.  For show notes, see the This Abundant Life website.

In episode 3 of This Abundant Life, Kirsti and Serina talk with financial planner Michael Miller from MLC Advice Canberra about coffee, wealth, frugality and the meaning of life.

In episode 2, Kirsti and Serina chat with Mia Swainson, sustainability advocate and the driver of Canberra's Zero Waste Festival.

Guess what?  We're doing a podcast! In this, our first ever podcast, Serina Bird (author of The Joyful Frugalista) and Kirsti McQueen talk podcasting - how they met, why they are podcasting and the honest truth about where they are at with their life and finances. For the music, Blue Highway by Podington Bear is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 International License.