Uncensored Money

It's a new season and we're heading back to the basics to help you reduce your financial overwhelm and start (or keep) doing money better. Today Mel and Lawsie dive into all things property and home ownership in 2025.  We know that so many people don't feel like they're really 'adulting' until they own their own home. Today, we're calling BS on that, sharing why that's simply not true. But, for th...

It's a new season and we're heading back to the basics to help you reduce your financial overwhelm and start (or keep) doing money better. Today Lawsie & Mel are talking about all things debt from what to know, why you should get comfortable with it, and what you should focus on.  Chances are, one of your new years resolutions is to get into, or out of debt. From getting rid of credit cards or per...

It's a new season and we're heading back to the basics to help you reduce your financial overwhelm and start (or keep) doing money better. Today Lawsie & Mel are here to help put a little action in you, sharing things you can start right now with some quick wins and 101s. Chances are you (like us) are someone who loves a quick win, a dopamine hit, or Mel's personal favourite, an attagirl. Today, w...

It's a new season and we're heading back to the basics to help you reduce your financial overwhelm and start (or keep) doing money better. Today Lawsie & Mel as the question: have you ever asked the question – how much should I be saving? How much should I be investing? Just… how much? By the end of the episode you're going to understand why these are the wrong questions to ask, why most people th...

It's a new season and we're heading back to the basics to help you reduce your financial overwhelm and start (or keep) doing money better. Today we're talking about your money snapshot – where you are now and where you're going. And no, we're not going to tell you to go and start a budget – in fact we're going to talk about why they don't work. But we are going to stop some of you from driving off...

It's a new season and we're heading back to the basics to help you reduce your financial overwhelm and start (or keep) doing money better. Our question today is how do you remove the remove the fear out of money and to start (or for some of you, to continue) growing in confidence?   Mel and Lawsie talk you through why women particularly feel fearful or have low money confidence, we'll share storie...

Chances are, most of us know and understand the term body dysmorphia, but have you heard of money dysmorphia? Now money dysmorphia isn't a clinically diagnosed medical illness, but it's a phrase coined by the internet to describe having a warped sense or understanding of your finances, which then in turn leads to irrational money decision-making. Sound familiar? In this episode of Uncensored Money...

What dragons have you had to slay in your life? Each of us have faced different dragons, big and small, that we've come up against in our lives. Talking health, wellness, and thriving, Jennifer Benfield joins Mel this week to discuss the dragon that entered her life and forced her to reassess everything about the way she was living. Tune into this episode of Uncensored Money for a discussion on he...

You know when you tell yourself you're not doing something anymore, and then a week later you find yourself unconsciously in the process of doing just that?  A few weeks ago, Mel found herself in just that loop. She set herself the challenge to shop her closet and not the stores, and yet when Sarah Blakely dropped her new Sneex, she caught herself adding to cart.   In this episode of Uncensored Mo...

We all know that fast fashion is bad, both environmentally and ethically, but what about the latest category which encapsulates brands like Temu, Shein, and Boohoo. With faster production cycles, faster churn, faster to landfills, and clothing made with ultra plastics which will shed microfibres into waterways for years to come, this new category is like fast fashion on crack. In this episode of U...

This week it's scam awareness week and last year, $2.7 billion was lost to scammers in Australia. That's more than $5,200 per minute – and that's only the scams we know about. So many more would have kept quiet. That's why I'm excited to be talking to Tracy Hall, who in 2017 discovered the man she'd been dating for two years, Max, was one of Australia's most prolific con men – Hamish McLaren. Also...

What inspiration can we take from the Olympics for your finances this week? In this solo episode of Uncensored Money, Mel talks about the extraordinary competitors in the Olympics, examining how we can take inspiration from their practice, so we can sprint through the the next five months, to finish this year well. Books and resources mentioned in this episode My Financial Adulting Plan If you're...

Like the entirety of the world, Mel and Lawsie have spent the past few weeks with their eyes glued on the Olympics. Watching these extraordinary athletes, has made them ask the question, What if we applied a high performing mindset to our finances? In this episode of Uncensored Money, Mel and Lawsie talk about eight things we can learn from elite athletes and apply to our finances. From the power...

It's no surprise to most of us that things have gotten a little tougher financially in recent years. With so many indicators leading us to a measure of stress and uncertainty, knowing what to do to help things, can feel impossible. In this episode of Uncensored Money, Mel and Lawsie discuss this uncertainty, giving us 5 things we can look at to regain control during times of financial uncertainty...

In this solo episode, Mel talks about interest rates and inflation. Terrifying words for most Australians, Mel talks to what these latest inflation figures mean, and what other options could work to lessen interest rates. Tune into this episode of Uncensored Money where we break down what's going on with the economy, and Mel's opinion on whether we may or may not be in for more rising interest rat...

It's time to talk about money stories. Finance is  so  personal, and the money stories that we grew up with or have learned thanks to our jobs, parents, education and more have huge effects on that.  In this episode of Uncensored Money, we're talking about three different types of Money Stories that Mel and Lawsie have seen time after time through their careers as financial advisors. These money s...

Have you always wanted to invest ethically, but never known whether it was worth it? In this episode of Uncensored Money, ethical investing expert Alexandra Brown comes on to talk to Mel about all things ethical investing. The CEO and powerhouse behind Ethical Invest Group, Alexandra is a champion of ethical and sustainable investing. Discussing all facets of ethical investing, from the different...

For many business owners, metrics and numbers bring much more anxiety than they do comfort. This is especially true in a post Covid world, with business uncertainty is especially high. In this episode of Uncensored Money, Mel discusses the idea of taking comfort in the numbers. Using an example of a former client, Mel breaks down how taking comfort in your numbers can work, and how with a better u...

A few weeks ago Mel made a reel focused on repairing some well loved shoes that she owned. One of which was a luxury brand, alongside two others that were not. It was a simple reel which highlighted something she's done for a long time, but it sparked an interesting debate. In this episode of Uncensored Money, Mel talks about the conversation that sparked from that reel, diving into a conversation...

Last week we talked about whether investing in the property market was still worth it, using a case study to break down the numbers on whether it was still worth it. This week, we're spinning things and looking at property, vs shares. In this episode of Uncensored Money, Mel and Lawsie dive deep into the great debate of what's a better investment. Laying down all the pros and cons (some that you k...

With rising interest rates, mortgage repayments, and a cost of living crisis, it's no wonder the question of whether property investments are still worth it. In this episode of Uncensored Money, join Mel and Lawsie as they discuss, investing in property in the current market. Using a case study to understand the numbers, they break it down explaining how they feel about property investing, and whe...

Do you find that there is such a disconnect when it comes to women, hormones, and health? In this episode of Uncensored Money, Mel digs into this disparity with her guest, Dr Ginni Mansberg. Dr Ginni is a GP who specialises in the management of menopause, a well known TV host, author of The M Word, and was voted the most trusted healthcare professional in Australia in 2022.  Mel talks to Ginni abo...

After coming back from less than nothing in her thirties, Mel Browne took charge of her finances, so much so, that within a decade she had the choice to work or not.  In this episode of Uncensored Money, Mel talks about the journey that got her there. Not so you can replicate it piece by piece hoping it'll take you exactly where it took her, but so you can understand the process that she went thro...

Wish you could listen in as someone just like you chatted about money? That's what our Money Chats are all about. In this episode, Mel talks with My Financial Adulting Plan alumni, Catherine, a creative who was thanks to her financial education, is excited to learn about money, and feels she has a right to. Catherine talks about her journey, from working in theatre travelling to lumpy and sometime...

Wish you could listen in as someone just like you chatted about money? That's what our Money Chats are all about. In this episode, Mel talks with My Financial Adulting Plan alumni, Angela (or Ferg's as she permitted Mel to call her). Angela's money story growing up revolved around 'Never Enough', scarcity and fear and discusses how the My Financial Adulting Plan helped her reject this scarcity min...