The Joyful Frugalista

In this episode, Serina Bird chats with bestselling author and entrepreneurship expert Bernadette Schwerdt about the secrets behind Australia’s most successful online founders. Drawing on insights from her latest book, Secrets of the New Online Entrepreneurs , Bernadette shares the mindset shifts, digital strategies, and real‑world stories that reveal how everyday people are building extraordinary...

In this episode, Serina Bird chats with bestselling author and entrepreneurship expert Bernadette Schwerdt about the secrets behind Australia’s most successful online founders. Drawing on insights from her latest book, Secrets of the New Online Entrepreneurs , Bernadette shares the mindset shifts, digital strategies, and real‑world stories that reveal how everyday people are building extraordinary...

In this episode, Serina Bird chats with Captain FI about how the financial independence movement has shaped his life, the importance of intentional spending, and how to achieve financial freedom while maintaining a balanced life. Key topics Captain FI's journey from aviation to FI The importance of intentional spending and lifestyle choices Building passive income streams through investing and onl...

Serina sits down with award‑winning urban designer, housing expert and author Lucinda Hartley to unpack Australia’s broken path to home ownership — and why the old rulebook no longer works. Drawing on insights from her new book Finding Home, Lucinda explains why housing has become so unaffordable, how the Great Australian Dream was shaped by post‑war policy (and even anti‑communist sentiment), and...

Serina sits down with award‑winning urban designer, housing expert and author Lucinda Hartley to unpack Australia’s broken path to home ownership — and why the old rulebook no longer works. Drawing on insights from her new book Finding Home, Lucinda explains why housing has become so unaffordable, how the Great Australian Dream was shaped by post‑war policy (and even anti‑communist sentiment), and...

In this episode, Serina is joined by  Jessica Brady , financial educator, founder, podcaster and now author of Get Growing: A No‑Nonsense Guide to Cultivating Wealth and Financial Freedom. Jess has spent more than two decades helping Australians transform their relationship with money through human, neuroscience‑informed coaching. Her book uses a gardening metaphor to help us understand our financ...

In this episode, Serina is joined by Jessica Brady , financial educator, founder, podcaster and now author of Get Growing: A No‑Nonsense Guide to Cultivating Wealth and Financial Freedom. Jess has spent more than two decades helping Australians transform their relationship with money through human, neuroscience‑informed coaching. Her book uses a gardening metaphor to help us understand our financi...

Serina welcomes back the incomparable  Kate Toon : award‑winning author, digital marketing educator, SEO queen, community builder, and now three‑time published author. Kate joins the show to talk about her new book, Six Figures in Sales, which outlines an approach that features selling with heart, humour and humanity. 💡 Key Takeaways Sales has a bad reputation, but selling doesn't have to be like...

Serina welcomes back the incomparable Kate Toon : award‑winning author, digital marketing educator, SEO queen, community builder, and now three‑time published author. Kate joins the show to talk about her new book, Six Figures in Sales, which outlines an approach that features selling with heart, humour and humanity. 💡 Key Takeaways Sales has a bad reputation, but selling doesn't have to be like...

Sheridan Riles from Lost River in country New South Wales shares her insights on rural living, upcycling, frugal living, and community resilience. In this podcast, she talks about sustainable living, managing costs in rural Australia, and the importance of women in farming and community building. 🔑 Key topics Rural living challenges and community resilience Upcycling and sustainable home decor Co...

Sheridan Riles from Lost River in country New South Wales shares her insights on rural living, upcycling, frugal living, and community resilience. In this podcast, she talks about sustainable living, managing costs in rural Australia, and the importance of women in farming and community building. 🔑 Key topics Rural living challenges and community resilience Upcycling and sustainable home decor Co...

In this podcast, Serina chats with Emma Edwards, writer, podcaster, financial behaviour educator, and author of The Wardrobe Project: A Year of Buying Less and Liking Yourself More and founder of The Broke Generation. Together, they explore the emotional side of clothing, the stories we attach to our wardrobes, and the surprising ways fashion becomes tangled with identity, self‑worth, and money. E...

Serina sits down with Emma Edwards, writer, podcaster, financial behaviour educator, and author of The Wardrobe Project: A Year of Buying Less and Liking Yourself More. Together, they explore the emotional side of clothing, the stories we attach to our wardrobes, and the surprising ways fashion becomes tangled with identity, self‑worth, and money. Emma shares how a year‑long no‑buy challenge trans...

In this episode of The Joyful Frugalista, Serina sits down with someone who has inspired her especially when it comes to startups and angel investing. Nick McNaughton describes himself as “retired,” though anyone who knows him would say he’s simply entered a new, more self‑directed chapter of creativity and exploration. After decades as one of Canberra’s most influential innovation leaders (invest...

In this episode of The Joyful Frugalista, Serina sits down with someone who has inspired her especially when it comes to startups and angel investing. Nick McNaughton describes himself as “retired,” though anyone who knows him would say he’s simply entered a new, more self‑directed chapter of creativity and exploration. After decades as one of Canberra’s most influential innovation leaders (invest...

James Wrigley , one of Australia’s most-followed financial advisers and author of Retire Life Ready: Practical Steps to Build Your Wealth and Live Your Ideal Retirement, joins The Joyful Frugalista to chat about demystifying retirement planning and challenge what a “good retirement” really looks like. With over two decades of experience helping Australians take control of their finances, James sha...

James Wrigley , one of Australia’s most-followed financial advisers and author of Retire Life Ready: Practical Steps to Build Your Wealth and Live Your Ideal Retirement, joins The Joyful Frugalista to chat about demystify retirement planning and challenge what a “good retirement” really looks like. With over two decades of experience helping Australians take control of their finances, James shares...

Serina sits down with Virginia Wells, professional organiser and founder of WellSorted , to explore the deep emotional, psychological, and financial layers of clutter. From the hidden costs of “too much stuff” to the surprising ways clutter reflects our money mindset, Virginia brings compassion, clarity, and practical wisdom to a topic that affects almost everyone. Together, they unpack why Austra...

Financial advisor and author of The Financial Reset: Take Control of Your Money and Your Life, Gemma Mitchell shares her insights on navigating financial upheaval during major life transitions—like divorce, job loss, or unexpected change. Drawing from her own experiences and professional expertise, Gemma shares details of her 12-step financial reset plan, designed to help listeners rebuild with cl...

In this episode of The Joyful Frugalista, Serina Bird is joined by Bryce Holdaway and Ben Kingsley — co-hosts of The Property Couch podcast and authors of How to Retire on $3,000 a Week. Together, they explore how everyday Australians can build long-term wealth through smart property investing. Holdaway and Kingsley discuss the evolution of their investment philosophy, the importance of managing c...

In this episode of The Joyful Frugalista, Serina Bird is joined by Bryce Holdaway and Ben Kingsley — co-hosts of The Property Couch podcast and authors of How to Retire on $3,000 a Week. Together, they explore how everyday Australians can build long-term wealth through smart property investing. Holdaway and Kingsley discuss the evolution of their investment philosophy, the importance of managing c...

Join Serina Bird as she sits down with Mel Browne, author of Unf*ck Your Finances , to explore the importance of financial empowerment for women. In this episode, they cover financial literacy, superannuation, investing, frugal living, and the ways menopause and ageism can shape women’s financial journeys. Mel shares her personal experiences, unpacks how traditional gender roles have influenced wo...

Join Serina Bird as she sits down with Mel Browne, author of Unf*ck Your Finances , to explore the importance of financial empowerment for women. In this episode, they cover financial literacy, superannuation, investing, frugal living, and the ways menopause and ageism can shape women’s financial journeys. Mel shares her personal experiences, unpacks how traditional gender roles have influenced wo...

In this episode, Serina is joined by her former boss, Grant Dooley, whose real-life memoir Bomb Season in Jakarta is more gripping than an action spy thriller. A former Australian diplomat with postings in Guangzhou, Shanghai, and Jakarta, Grant takes us inside the high-stakes world of mid-2000s Australia-Indonesian diplomacy – a turbulent era of bombings, political unrest, and personal resilience...

In this episode, Serina is by her former boss, Grant Dooley, whose real-life memoir Bomb Season in Jakarta is more gripping than any spy thriller. A former Australian diplomat with postings in Guangzhou, Shanghai, and Jakarta, Grant takes us inside the high-stakes world of mid-2000s Australia-Indonesian diplomacy – a turbulent era of bombings, political unrest, and personal resilience, all while n...