Chic to be cheap

We said we’d be back after Christmas… and then four months disappeared. Not intentionally... life just moved quickly. A new project popped up for us, we got busy, and before we knew it the podcast kept getting pushed to “next week”. But lately it feels like everywhere you look there’s something new to worry about. Talk of war, fuel prices climbing, groceries creeping up again… it can feel a bit re...

It’s our Christmas ep, Chic skates, the last one for the year (with a little IRL bonus coming your way soon 🎁). This week we kick things off exactly how you’d expect from us: off-key carols, childhood nostalgia and Maddy getting completely rage-baited by a rogue baking influencer. Then we dive into the real gold. This week we asked you: What Christmas presents did you buy last year that your kids...

This week we’re joined by dentist and mum of two, Dr Brodie Hawker , and she does not hold back. Within minutes she’s telling us: “Just floss your goddamn teeth,” and “Lemon water every day will literally melt your enamel.” In this episode we get into: Why tap water with fluoride has quietly saved Australians from tonnes of fillings How a couple of $45 X-rays can save you thousands in root canals...

This week on Chic to Be Cheap , Jac takes on Aldi with a baby and a toddler — a mission she may never attempt again. From trolley tantrums to checkout chaos, it’s a masterclass in trying to save money while surviving motherhood. Mad shares a chaotic story about planning a pub dinner that never happened (thanks to a missing car) and how homemade mac and cheese nearly broke her spirit — and her budg...

This week Jac is back from the outback with all the hacks for surviving 2.5 weeks in a caravan with three kids and red dirt everywhere. She tells a hilarious laundromat story and reacts to something that might seem small… or maybe it’s not. Mad chimes in with her usual loopy thoughts and we want to know where you stand. We chat about pre-Christmas Marketplace buys and sales, sharing what’s actuall...

In a cost-of-living crisis, it can feel impossible to get your foot on the property ladder—but mortgage broker Lydia Watson, aka Lending with Lyds , is here to say: yes, you can still make it happen . She shares real, actionable advice on setting goals, making smart sacrifices and using new incentives to your advantage. We also unpack upcoming changes from 1st October, plus laughs, chaos, and real...

Mad sticks to her curious nature and dives into the Aldi version of everyone’s new favourite drink, Sodaly. It’s cheaper, but do the ingredients actually stack up against the original? Jac shares her Seaworld adventure and stay at Nara Resort, then takes us back to the 2000s with a hilarious story about how she broke her arm during a 200-metre walk—you’ll get a good giggle from this one. Plus, the...

This week on Chic to be Cheap , Jac raises the big question: are chocolate digestives just for old people with diabetes? Maddy shares a heartfelt, sentimental message that gets met with nothing more than a thumbs up reaction — and we unpack how that really feels. The girls also dive into shrinkflation, from chip packets that are now basically 60% air to sneaky ways brands are giving us less while...

This week, the search is finally over - Jac has tracked down an item she’s been hunting for forever . Mad puts Jac through a brand new game of “Would You Rather” that quickly goes completely off the rails (yes, dirty dish water is involved). Jac shares her weekly win and loss, Mad spills on her latest Marketplace sales, and there are more belly laughs than budget tips. Honestly, you might not lear...

Maddy’s household has made a bold new investment… a robo vac. Is it life changing or just another lazy gadget? She gives the honest run down. Meanwhile, Jac’s been thinking - have we given IGA the cold shoulder? We reckon it’s time to show them some love, especially for our rural listeners. IGA might be making moves worth your loyalty. Plus, we’ve been podcasting for over a year, so let’s peel bac...

In this week’s ep, we’re catching up on all the things. We unpack the party, give a few life updates, and debrief on how popular our last episode with Sam from Glower. Clearly, you love a guest—so we chat about who we’d love to have on next and want to hear your picks too. Jac reveals she’s been gatekeeping a new hair treatment that Maddy wants immediately, we share a few recent Marketplace wins a...

In this episode we’re joined by Maddy’s brother Sam, who’s also the founder and CEO of Glower, a business that helps everyday Aussies cut their energy bills by switching to smarter, more efficient systems. If your gas or electricity bill has suddenly jumped and you have no idea why, this is the episode for you. We ask all the things you’ve probably wondered like... can I just send someone my bill...

This week we go full detective as Jac tries to track down her daughter’s mysteriously vanished (and not-so-cheap) Bluey shirt. Is it lost forever? Was it borrowed? Did someone tuck it in a very secret place? Meanwhile, Jac cancels Maddy off something. What is it, and how does she take it? But it’s not all laughs this time. We take a deeper turn to talk about the devastating childcare abuse allegat...

You know those tiny moments that set mums off? Like touching one item in a store and the whole rack collapses? Yep—Mad and Jac are talking mum triggers this week. Meanwhile, Jac records mid-chaos with a pom-pom-wielding 3-year-old running circles around her (literally). Even with that going on, she still comes through with clever ways to score discounts during the school holidays—because chic skat...

This week on Chic to Be Cheap , Jac and Madd talk about the underrated power of a library card and why you probably don’t need to keep buying books. Madd shares a Coles receipt from 20 years ago that’s doing the rounds online, and the price comparisons are wild. $1.69 for peanut butter? You’ll want to hear this. They also get into the everyday pain of making the bed - especially fitted sheets. Why...

This week on Chic to Be Cheap , Jac takes us down the rabbit hole of Extreme Cheapskates and we’re still recovering. From showering fully clothed to save water (and then using it to flush the toilet??), we unpack some of the most outrageous things people do in the name of saving a dollar. We’re proudly chic skates , not cheap skates . Our new segment You Paid Whattttt?! is back with listener-submi...

Mad's fired up about crowds queuing for stores already online. We unpack the obsession with newness, retail therapy, and why activewear still dominates our spending. Jac ties it all back to a Yellowstone spin-off insta video (fridge sales, anyone?). We’re talking consumerism, overconsumption, and the wild contradiction of wanting to live green while owning five matching gym sets. Serious chats...

Jac and Mad are finally back in real life —and of course, it’s complete chaos (with baby Tommy making a guest appearance!). We try to decode Gen Z slang and quickly realise we’ve aged out of the “Rizz” generation. Plus, we introduce our new segment: You paid whattt?! Prepare for unfiltered laughs, questionable language attempts and the usual nonsense when we reunite in real life.

Chic Skates, we’re back — and with a baby in tow! Welcome to Season 2 of Chic to Be Cheap . During the break, we welcomed Jacqui’s third little bub, and in this episode, we share all about the arrival and what life’s been like since. We also catch up on a few funny stories from the break… mostly mortifying ones for Maddy (naturally). It’s a light, fun ep to ease back in — plus a handy little money...

We’re this close to hitting a year of podcasting! In this episode, Mads shares a hot tip (and a reminder to always use it): Bunnings beats prices by 10%—yes, even on plants! So next time, make sure you’re getting the best deal. Meanwhile, Jac has finally joined the Aldi bandwagon! She put it to the test by doing the exact same shop she usually does at Woolies, comparing prices to see how much she...

Mads battles through a cold (apologies for the shaky voice!), while Jac unpacks the confusion surrounding Cyclone Alfred—will it hit? Is school in or out? No one seems to know! Jac also shares her big splurge of the weekend: a trip to Dreamworld. Inflation is real, folks! But the real drama happened back at the accommodation, where not having a wristband landed this eight-months-pregnant lady (yes...

Mad takes Jac (and chicskates) on a ride through her migraine journey—but Jac’s a little concerned because, wasn’t she just deep in her microplastics journey too?! Meanwhile, Jac is questioning if slowing down in life is the move and whether ‘opulence’ and nice things were ever really the goal… or if we’ve all just grown out of the illusion. The girls also dive into the never-ending mental load wo...

This week, we’re mixing it up with a special guest—Jac’s brother, Dan Pertot! Not only is he family, but he’s also been in the finance and property investment game for 10 years, making him the perfect person to break down what the RBA’s first rate cut in ages means for you. We tackle big questions: Do banks have to pass the cut on? Should you refinance? What costs are involved? Plus, we chat about...

🎧 Episode 36 of Chic to be Cheap is a wild ride! Maddy cracks open a kids' book she snagged on Marketplace—published 24 years ago—and let’s just say, these poems would never make the cut today. They’re so bad, they’ll have you gasping… and laughing. 🍳 Is it true that you can now cook from home and sell meals on DoorDash? Maddy saw some eye-opening Instagram reels and dives into whether this is a...

We’re back with another episode of Chic to be Cheap , and you know we love a good celeb chat! This week, we take a blast-from-the-past deep dive into Travis Barker’s harrowing plane crash story—without getting too grim, of course. Jac shares some smart ways to save on car care costs (and no, we promise we’re not ramming the 7/11 fuel app down your throat again… but seriously, they should sponsor u...