A Thousand Natural Shocks With Gabe S. Dunn

Barbara Sloan, author of "Tipped: The life changing guide to financial freedom for waitresses, bartenders, strippers, and all other service industry professionals," joins Gaby to talk about a topic we've wanted to cover for a while: tipping and working for tips. In the US, 3 million people work mainly for tips and yet financial advice never takes them into account or gives them practic...

Gaby steals from women... just like Don Draper. Lily updates us on her workplace accommodations situation re: ADHD and capitalism. Mal corrects their history of school accommodations based on new information from their mother. A transfemme listener named Claire writes about paying for gender affirming surgeries, adding authorized users to bank accounts and credit cards, and also accuses Mal of bei...

This week, Gaby has the honor of speaking to Stephanie Dworak about the costs of her abortion and the emotional and financial stress of going out of state for the procedure on a child she desperately wanted. In a follow up to the show's childcare costs episode, Stephanie shares her story in hopes of bringing the realities of overturning Roe V Wade to the forefront of the harrowing conversation...

A couple of listeners write in about budgeting apps and combining finances with their partner requiring weekly pizza and beer budgeting meetings. How can a listener now become a financial role model for their young daughter and their young co-workers? Deirdre wants a long Covid costs episode and Gaby asks for listeners to write in with their own costs of chronic illness. Ferg shares the rapidity a...

Maggie Mae Fish, comedian, horror fan, and descendant of serial killer Albert Fish, joins Gaby and Mal for a special spooky Halloween money episode. We talk about the origins of cheap horror and how it became one of the most affordable genres of movie to make. Gaby does a deep dive on Val Lewton and his stream of iconic low budget horror films from the 1940s. Mal reads a short scary story they wro...

This week, the trans femmes finally write in with costs of transition! Gaby learns in real time that trans surgeries are often denied to fat people. Cooper has three very specific things she wants to better herself. Kate and Caroline validate Mal’s opinions on IUDs. Ashley sends a shocking voicemail about working for commission. We also talk workplace accommodations, trans gynos who know you socia...

Gaby and iconic podcast producer, writer and friend Melisa D. Monts break down one of the best bank robbing blockbuster films, Set It Off, starring Queen Latifah, Kimberly Elise, Vivica A Fox, and Jada Pinkett. How were Black women portrayed in "empowerment" films in light of the booming 90s economy? What do the motivations of our heroes say about systemic racism, homophobia, and misogynoi...

A listener writes in to praise the basics and Mal gives a very good simple investing tip. Then, Jude has a wonderful reaction to hearing their name for the first time on the podcast. A voice teacher writes in wondering if they should order a binder or give money to an underage student whose parents are transphobic. A trans man in Germany struggles to find a therapist in their new country who will...

In this incredible and vulnerable coming out-inspired episode, co-host Mal Blum contacts banks to test which ones allow trans people to change their names on their accounts without paperwork. They ask about: changing deadnames on accounts to shortened versions, opening new accounts under chosen names, and which banks allow you to alter your name on your checks or credit cards. They encounter well-...

Gaby tries to guess what instrument Mal is playing. A listener/teacher writes in to ask for an episode about incarcerated persons. BecBecMuffin explains Brazilian healthcare and the finances of moving there from the US with her husband. A former devout Dave Ramsey follower confirms everything terrible that Tori Dunlap and Gaby said about the finance "guru" on their episode about him and ev...

Reality TV maven, mental health advocate and author Allison Raskin joins the pod to talk about real estate in reality TV and the controversial and beloved phenomenon that is Netflix's Selling Sunset. How the pandemic launched the careers of "famous real estate agents," what's real and what's fake, and why we're okay watching luxury even as the economy burns around us. Plus,...

Gaby details Mal's dip into modeling, meanwhile Mal's been trying to change their psych meds for a month and the bills are piling up. They also deal with their first bit of criticism via email and it doesn't go well. Alex writes in to talk about their SAD PLASMA email that started it all. Emma gives pet insurance thoughts and advice from an industry insider. Monti brings the pain to Ma...

From hysterectomies to name changes to clothing to voice training to top surgery, welcome to our Costs of Transitioning episode! We hear an email about IUDs and gender dysphoria, a voicemail from Lou about their hysterectomy, the concept of "boy juice," insurance snafus that cost thousands of dollars, and financing transition before online resources were available. Wedge pillows, jade roll...

Gaby and Mal break down and spill the tea on the problems with Gaby's former job at Buzzfeed in the wake of the BIG scandal that broke this week. Plus, a former guest writes in with hot takes and disagreements on our Dave Ramsey episode, a straight white cis ally wants to thank us for our LGBTQ perspectives, someone has advice for Mal's neck spasms, Eva wants to know if downloading episode...

And you thought Don't Worry Darling had problems!! This week our real life Girl In The Green Scarf Lauren Anastasio of STASH joins Gaby to break down the 2009 "aspirational" and/or "lesson-learned" film Confessions Of A Shopaholic starring Isla Fisher and Hugh Dancy. The movie premiered to much discourse and scandal on the heels of the 2008 economic recession and was branded &#...

On this week’s mailbag: A nurse writes into the show with an alternate view on guardianships. Also, a listener spots someone reading Rich Dad, Poor Dad on the train. Another listener writes a poignant letter about disability and finances. Gaby and Mal consider books to takedown on the podcast in the future and discuss if it would be unethical to hook up with The Points Guy for points. Also this we...

TRIGGER WARNING for medical trauma, abortion, human trafficking and needles. Thank you all for your sharing and vulnerability! In this new listener generated episode, Gaby reads and listens to your varying and harrowing experiences with selling your bodies to science. First, hematomas, misunderstandings around asexuality and Accutane, pain studies with heat, cold, and electricity, side effects fro...

On today’s mailbag show, Mal and Gaby read a recommendation for a money game from Amanda, an anonymous email from an ex-plasma donation employee, a flattering FB comment and an email about good vs. bad landlords. Then, they discuss a comment about Marvel being right-wing and anti-Semitic, an email about NZ’s relationship agreements, and a response to our question about who has it worse financially...

Hello, my sweet Jesus-loving, gazelle-intense debt-free heroes. It's time to talk about finance's big bad Santa, Dave Ramsey, with one of his biggest public critics, HerFirst100K's Tori Dunlap. This week, Gaby and Tori break down and take down Dave's newest book "Baby Steps Millionaires: How Ordinary People Built Extraordinary Wealth--and How You Can Too." The duo get heate...

This week, Gaby and Mal discuss a past episode about pet costs that helped a listener with a painful moment, a couple emails about better versions of Batman and recommendations for Batman comics and TV that get Gotham right (cough Harley Quinn cough), and an incredibly moving, fascinating, and informative email about a movement for suicide prevention for veterinarians. Next, a friendly email about...

Christina Catucci aka Tiktok star Steen joins Gaby to break down and take down the 1997 international best seller and abusive Republican fan fiction book "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" by Robert T. Kiyosaki. One of the most popular financial books ever, "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" is not the story of two gay fathers, but rather a laundry list of evil advice, horrible and selfish takes, and straight...

On today’s mailbag show, Gaby and Mal read Instagram comments about Batman and Elon Musk and about a listener who is angry from our prenup episode with Gaby's divorce attorney mom. Then, some emails about divorce and disability, how money gurus suck, and postnups. Finally, Gaby gets a 5 star apple review from a mysterious someone in their hometown, an email about Monzo and your true name (aka...

Rob him, sis! Gaby and Welcome To Nightvale's Symphony Sanders break down Blu Cantrell's 2001 girl power hit 'Hit 'Em Up Style (Oops)' which proclaims that if your man cheats on you, you should sell all his clothes and use his credit cards to go on a shopping spree with your friends. We cover the controversial and juicy late 90s-early 00's era of Arista Records, LA Reid, te...

Oh boy, this is a funny one. We have fun here. On today’s show, Gaby and their fiance and co-host Mal read your emails and hear your voicemails about egg freezing, adoption costs, Batman vs. Punisher, plasma sales, and needing a prenup. Are the plasma people vampires? What is a land monarch? And why are people calling in to confess to crimes? (Not that we're saying to stop but....) Gaby Dunn I...

Gaby's mom, Caryn Grainer, premiere divorce attorney, joins the podcast to grill Gaby and their fiance Mal about prenuptial agreements. Caryn shares her four decades of marriage, divorce, child custody and legal advice and expertise. She tells stories of undercover operations, clients murdering their lawyers, and not having a prenup horror stories. Plus, her unconventional opinions on marriage...