Money Feels

In this episode of Money Feels, Alyssa and Bridget explore the emotional, psychological, and financial reality of Coast FIRE, and why this middle ground might actually be the version of financial freedom more people are craving.
We unpack what it means to “coast” financially, to build enough early on that your future is taken care of, without sacrificing your entire present to get there. We talk about the tension between security and freedom, the pressure to optimize your money, and why stepping off the gas can feel both relieving… and deeply uncomfortable.
In today’s episode, we discuss:
What Coast FIRE actually is (and how it’s different from traditional FIRE)
Who Coast FIRE is for — and who it might not work for
What counts as an “asset” when you’re calculating your Coast FIRE number
How to actually do Coast FIRE (without becoming obsessed with the math)
What it means for you financially once you hit that “coast” point
The emotional shift from accumulation to maintenance
The freedom Coast FIRE can offer — and why it can feel scary to trust it
Why this might be the most realistic first step on your journey to FIRE
Thanks for listening to another episode! If you want bonus episodes and more, you can join our Patreon! Until then, follow us on Instagram @mixedupmoney, @bridgiecasey and @moneyfeelspodcast, and we’ll see you next time!

We are living in a time where extreme frugality is being celebrated as discipline. Sleeping on child-sized beds, using things until they fall apart, refusing small comforts, all framed as virtue. And while frugality itself is thoughtful and often wise, there’s a point where saving stops being a value and starts becoming a fear.
In this episode of Money Feels, Alyssa and Bridget explore the emotional, psychological, and financial realities of extreme frugality, and why saving money can sometimes become less about intention and more about safety, control, and identity.
In today’s episode, we discuss:
What extreme frugality actually is (and isn’t)
 Why frugality itself is neutral — but extreme frugality becomes identity
 When saving stops being about values and starts being about control
 Common signs of extreme frugality in everyday life
 Why extreme frugality often comes from scarcity — even years later
 How childhood experiences shape comfort with spending
 Why saving soothes the nervous system and spending can feel threatening
 Why logic and spreadsheets don’t always change behaviour
 The hidden emotional costs of chronic deprivation
 How extreme frugality can flatten joy and create shame around desire
Thanks for listening to another episode! If you want bonus episodes and more, you can join our Patreon! Until then, follow us on Instagram @mixedupmoney, @bridgiecasey and @moneyfeelspodcast, and we’ll see you next time!

Sports betting has exploded in the last few years, driven by legalization, aggressive advertising, and frictionless apps that make placing a bet feel as easy as ordering takeout. What used to be a niche activity is now embedded directly into sports culture.
In this episode of Money Feels, Alyssa and Bridget explore the emotional, psychological, and financial reality of modern sports betting and why this isn’t just about money. It’s about dopamine, identity, relationships, and the normalization of risk.
We talk about how gambling has shifted from a destination to something in your pocket 24/7, why sports betting feels different from “traditional gambling,” and how the design of betting apps keeps people engaged longer than they realize.
We also discuss why young men are especially targeted, the ripple effects on partners and families, and why women in relationships need to be aware of how normalized betting can quietly impact shared finances.
We’re your hosts, Alyssa and Bridget. Welcome to the podcast where we explore the emotional side of money, and why sports betting might be telling a much bigger story than just winning or losing.
In this episode, we discuss:
 How sports betting became normalized almost overnight 
 The role of legalization, advertising, and accessibility 
 Why sports betting feels different from “gambling” 
 How betting apps are designed to keep you engaged 
 The psychology of risk, reward, and dopamine 
 Why young men are especially drawn into sports betting 
 The social culture around betting and group dynamics 
 Why partners (especially women) need to be aware of financial risk 
 The reality of gambling economics (the house always wins) 
 How gambling shifted from a place you go to something in your pocket 
 The emotional highs and lows that reinforce betting behaviour 
 Warning signs that betting may be becoming a problem 
 The ripple effect gambling can have on relationships and families 
 Why this conversation is also about public health, not just money
Thanks for listening to another episode! If you want bonus episodes and more, you can join our Patreon! Until then, follow us on Instagram @mixedupmoney, @bridgiecasey and @moneyfeelspodcast, and we’ll see you next time!

We are living in a time where it feels like groceries don’t make sense anymore! Not the prices, not the sizes, not the sales. The same cart costs more every week, packages are shrinking, loyalty apps change the “real” price, and something as simple as buying food now feels like a mental math test.
In this episode of Money Feels, Alyssa and Bridget explore the emotional, psychological, and financial realities of grocery inflation and why so many of us feel exhausted, confused, and, frankly, a little suspicious every time we walk into a store.
We unpack how grocery pricing actually works, why it can feel intentionally confusing, and how behavioural pricing, shrinkflation, and constant price changes create decision fatigue around something that’s supposed to be basic. We talk about the grief of “backwards lifestyle creep” — going from not checking prices to suddenly calculating every item — and why that shift feels so emotionally heavy.
We’re your hosts, Alyssa and Bridget. Welcome to the podcast, where we help you understand the emotional side of money—and why your grocery cart might be telling a deeper story about stability, safety, and what it means to feel financially secure.
In today’s episode, we discuss:
Why grocery prices feel like a scam — even when they technically aren’t
 How groceries in Canada have increased faster than overall inflation
 Why feeding yourself now feels like a part-time job
 How grocery stores actually price products (margin targets, elasticity, competition)
 The psychology behind sales, “2 for $8,” and urgency pricing
 Shrinkflation and why packages keep getting smaller
 Loyalty pricing and why the shelf price isn’t the real price anymore
 Loss leaders and why milk is cheap but everything else isn’t
 The mental load of constantly recalculating your grocery budget
 “Backwards lifestyle creep” and the grief of losing grocery stability
 Why grocery inflation hits harder than other expenses
 The emotional impact of decision fatigue around food
 How consumers push back — quietly and collectively
 Why this isn’t about being bad with money, it’s about navigating a system designed for optimization
Thanks for listening to another episode! If you want bonus episodes and more, you can join our Patreon! Until then, follow us on Instagram @mixedupmoney, @bridgiecasey and @moneyfeelspodcast, and we’ll see you next time!

We're back, baby! Season 9 and feeling fine! 
We are living in a time where our attention is constantly being pulled in every direction — notifications, scrolling, ads, emails, content, news, shopping, and algorithms designed to keep us looking just a little bit longer.
The average person now spends over 7 hours per day looking at screens. Gen Z? Nearly 9 hours a day. And mobile screen time alone sits around 5 to 7 hours daily.
In this episode of Money Feels, Alyssa and Bridget explore the emotional, psychological, and financial reality of living on our phones, and how screen time is quietly shaping not just our focus, but our spending, habits, and sense of control.
We talk about what happens when our attention becomes fragmented, how constant exposure to ads and aspirational content drives spending, and why reducing screen time can have a surprisingly powerful impact on your finances.
We’re your hosts, Alyssa and Bridget. Welcome to the podcast where we explore the emotional side of money, and why your screen time might be costing you more than you think.
In this episode, we discuss:
 The average screen time statistics (and why they’re shocking) 
 How 5 hours per day equals 2.5 months per year 
 Why more screen time = more spending 
 The link between ads, scrolling, and impulse purchases 
 How screen time reduces cognitive bandwidth for planning 
 Dopamine, resilience, and the ability to say no 
 Why reducing screen time improves financial decision-making 
 The emotional pull of phones: boredom, loneliness, avoidance, habit 
 Why screen time quietly drains both money and mental energy 
Thanks for listening to another episode! If you want bonus episodes and more, you can join our Patreon! Until then, follow us on Instagram @mixedupmoney, @bridgiecasey and @moneyfeelspodcast, and we’ll see you next time!