90: The Subscription Economy

We are living in a time where it feels like we don’t own anything anymore — not our phones, not our entertainment. Everything is a subscription, everything renews automatically, and everything in our lives comes with a monthly fee.In this episode of Money Feels, Alyssa and Bridget explore the emotional, psychological, and financial reality of living in the subscription economy, and why so many of us feel like we’re leasing our lives one tiny charge at a time.We unpack how subscriptions prey on convenience, loneliness, perfectionism, and the desire to optimize our lives. We talk about why it feels impossible to keep track of everything you’re paying for, how companies intentionally design services to be forgettable, and how this constant drip of micro-payments affects our sense of stability and control.We’re your hosts, Alyssa and Bridget. Welcome to the podcast where we help you understand the emotional side of money — and why your monthly subscriptions might be telling a deeper story about your values, your habits, and what you’re craving in your life.In today’s episode, we discuss:Why everything is a subscription now — and how we got hereThe illusion of ownership in a world where most things are rentedWhy companies love subscriptions (predictable revenue + harder to cancel)How “just $9.99” becomes hundreds of dollars a monthSubscription fatigue and the emotional load of tracking everything we pay forWhy people forget how many subscriptions they haveThe psychology behind subscriptions: convenience, identity, belonging, boredom, self-optimizationThis episode is a reminder that you’re not bad with money, you’re just living in a system designed around tiny, invisible charges that chip away at your financial and emotional bandwidth. It’s an invitation to approach your subscriptions with curiosity, compassion, and clarity… and maybe cancel a few things along the way.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! 

Real estate is one of the most emotionally loaded topics in personal finance. For many of us, real estate investing has always felt tangled with inequity, bro-dude energy, and a sense that the whole system is rigged. But what happens when someone shows you a different way to see it? A way rooted in values, impact, and community care?In this episode of Money Feels, we’re joined by real estate investor and appraiser Christine Traynor, who has completely changed the way Alyssa sees real estate. We’re diving into the emotional, ethical, and practical layers of real estate investing, especially for women who want financial freedom but feel conflicted about how to build it.We unpack the tension between building wealth and honouring housing as a human need, explore what “ethical investing” can actually look like in practice, and discuss how women can enter the real estate space without losing their values to hustle culture.We’re your hosts, Alyssa and Bridget. Welcome to the podcast where we talk about the emotional side of money and how power, access, ethics, and identity shape our financial lives far more than interest rates or investment gurus ever could.In today’s episode, we discuss:Why real estate feels dominated by bro cultureWhether real estate investing is inherently unethicalHow to reconcile building wealth with the affordability crisisWhy so many women feel intimidated, unwelcome, or unprepared to investThe first steps for beginners who want to “dip a toe in”Red flags most new investors don’t know to look forHow to evaluate whether a property supports or harms a communityThe role of diversification, especially as women’s wealth growsThis episode explores what it means to build wealth with intention, to challenge old narratives, question the ethics of our financial choices, and make room for nuance in a world that often wants simple answers. It’s a reminder that your values can guide your financial decisions, and that wealth-building doesn’t have to mean abandoning what matters to you.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! 

Life moves in seasons. Some that grow you gently, and some that split you wide open. As Bridget steps into her 40s this week, she’s looking back on her 20s and 30s with honesty, humour, grief, and gratitude. Aging is something we all experience, but rarely talk about with this kind of openness.In this episode of Money Feels, we’re exploring the emotional, financial, and identity shifts that happen as you move through decades of your life. We unpack how money shaped each season, what she wishes she’d known sooner, and why getting older is not something to fear, it’s something to grow into.We’re your hosts, Alyssa and Bridget. Welcome to the podcast where we talk about the emotional side of money and how life stages, identity shifts, and the pursuit of “enough” shape our financial lives far more than budgets ever could.In today’s episode, we discuss:What Bridget’s 20s actually looked likeThe pressure, comparison, and self-doubt that defined parts of her 30sHow her relationship with money shiftedWhat turning 40 is bringing up emotionally and financiallyThe biggest myths we’re taught about what life “should” look likeWhy aging feels both tender and empoweringThe unexpected gifts of getting older: softness, self-trust, boundaries, clarityWhat she hopes her 40s will feel like (spoiler: less hustle, more peace)This episode explores what it means to evolve, to outgrow versions of yourself, and to realize that your 20s and 30s don’t define you — they prepare you. It’s a reminder that there is no right timeline, no perfect milestone checklist, and no deadline for becoming who you want to be.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! 

Money and relationships are complicated enough. But when secrecy, control, or manipulation enter the picture, things get heavy fast. Financial infidelity and financial abuse are two topics that almost no one talks about openly… even though so many people quietly live through them.In this episode of Money Feels, we’re breaking down what these terms actually mean, how common they are, and why they’re often misunderstood. We unpack the ways money can become a weapon, how financial control intersects with safety, and why these issues show up in all kinds of relationships, not just the stereotypes we’ve been taught.We’re your hosts, Alyssa and Bridget. Welcome to the podcast where we talk about the emotional side of money and how trust, power, shame, and survival shape our financial lives far more than income ever could.Content Note: This episode discusses financial infidelity, financial abuse, economic control, and their connection to intimate partner violence. Please listen in a way that feels safe for you.In today’s episode, we discuss:What financial infidelity actually isHow common are financial secrets in relationshipsWhy financial infidelity is rooted in shame, not spreadsheetsWhat financial and economic abuse can look likeWhy financial abuse shows up in almost every case of domestic violenceRed flags to watch for in your own relationshipWhat makes secrecy harmful vs. protectiveThe difference between financial conflict, financial mismanagement, and financial harmThis episode explores what happens when money becomes a tool of control, why secrecy thrives in shame, and how to start naming what’s happening if something doesn’t feel right.Canadian Resources & SupportIf this episode brings something up for you or if you’re experiencing financial harm, these Canadian resources can help:● Canadian Centre for Women’s Empowerment (CCFWE) Economic abuse education, survivor tools, and multilingual fact sheets. https://ccfwe.org● Canadian Bankers’ Association — Financial Abuse Support & Provincial Resources Information + links to help centres across Canada. https://cba.ca● Tech Safety Canada — Digital Financial Abuse Toolkit Support for tech-enabled financial control (online banking, passwords, apps). https://techsafety.ca● NICE (National Initiative for the Care of the Elderly) Resources for preventing and responding to financial abuse of older adults. https://nicenet.ca● ShelterSafe Canada Find local women’s shelters and domestic violence supports by province. https://sheltersafe.caYou deserve safety, autonomy, and access to your own financial life.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! 

Have you ever noticed that the people with the most power and privilege seem the most afraid of losing it? From private bunkers to doomsday yachts, billionaires are stockpiling for the apocalypse, and in doing so, revealing what money can’t actually buy: safety, trust, or community.In this episode of Money Feels, we’re unpacking the strange world of prepper billionaires — the ultra-wealthy who are preparing to survive the collapse of the very systems they helped create.We’re your hosts, Alyssa and Bridget. Welcome to the podcast where we talk about the emotional side of money and how culture, gender, and ego all shape the way we love, earn, and prepare for the end of the world (apparently).In today’s episode, we discuss:The rise of luxury survivalismWhy wealth and fear often grow togetherHow billionaires try to buy safety instead of building communityThe irony of trying to escape the collapse of a system you benefit fromThe psychology of control and scarcity at the highest income levelsWhat “emotional prepping” looks like for the rest of usThis episode explores what happens when safety becomes a solo project and why true survival might depend less on money and more on connection.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! 

Have you ever noticed how buying anything these days seems to come with judgment attached? Whether it’s the “right” kind of coffee cup, the “wrong” influencer haul, or the moral high ground of minimalism, our spending habits have become a public performance of virtue.In this episode of Money Feels, we’re unpacking the moralization of everyday consumption — how culture, social media, and capitalism have turned simple purchases into moral statements.We’re your hosts, Alyssa and Bridget. Welcome to the podcast where we talk about the emotional side of money and how culture, gender, and ego all shape the way we love, earn, and consume.In today’s episode, we discuss:How consumption became moralized: “good” vs. “bad” spendingThe four moral strategies we use to justify our purchasesWhy economists view consumption as neutral, but we don’tWhether anti-consumption trends (like deinfluencing or minimalism) are just another performance of virtueThe emotional labour of being a “conscious consumer”Why it’s okay to just like thingsAs we peel back the layers, we ask: can we truly consume without performing morality — or is that impossible in a capitalist culture? Because sometimes, the most ethical thing you can do is stop moralizing your morning latte. 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! 

Have you ever noticed how success can make women feel more alone — not more secure? In this episode of Money Feels, we’re unpacking why wealth and independence can come with unexpected emotional costs, and why partnership — once seen as an economic safety net — doesn’t always add value anymore.We’re your hosts, Alyssa and Bridget. Welcome to the podcast where we talk about the emotional side of money and how culture, gender, and ego all shape the way we love, earn, and connect.In today’s episode, we discuss:The rise of single women and the economic evolution of marriageWhether wealth makes partnerships harderThe psychology of “dating up”How society moralizes women’s choices around wealth and independenceWhy female friendship often becomes the most emotionally satisfying relationship in women’s lives.The Nicole Kidman / Keith Urban moment:What it means to find love that doesn’t require shrinkingAs more women reach financial independence, the economics of love are changing — and so are the emotions that come with it. This episode explores why partnership looks different when you already feel whole, and why the richest thing you can have might just be peace.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! 

Have you ever wondered why money feels so emotional, even when you know what you “should” be doing? In this episode of Money Feels, we’re unpacking how psychology, therapy, and financial planning all overlap, and why the numbers only tell half the story.We’re your hosts, Alyssa and Bridget. Welcome to the podcast, where we talk about the emotional side of money — and how culture, identity, and lived experience shape the way we earn, spend, save, and share.In today’s episode, we discuss the following:Why your financial plan should include your feelings (not just your goals)How shame, guilt, and anxiety show up in your money habitsThe weight of generational money trauma — and how it keeps us stuckThe constant tug between scarcity and abundance mindsetsHow capitalism, inequality, and gender roles quietly influence our sense of “enough”Money touches everything — our relationships, our security, our joy. But until we understand why we feel the way we do about it, even the best financial plan won’t feel right.Book financial therapy with Alyssa 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! 

Have you ever wondered if we’ve completely lost the plot on lifestyle spending? In this episode of Money Feels, we’re unpacking how what used to be luxuries have slowly become defaults — and what that shift means for our wallets, our emotions, and our ability to just sit with discomfort without buying something.We’re your hosts, Alyssa and Bridget. Welcome to the podcast, where we talk about the emotional side of money, and how culture, social media, and convenience are reshaping what “normal” spending looks like.In today's episode, we discuss the following:How the “default” has changed: from used cars to new, from one vacation a year to multiple international tripsWhy every experience now comes with a spending component The role of social media in fueling constant consumption (and why not sharing is seen as gatekeeping)The loss of friction in spending decisions, and what it might look like to bring some friction backWhether we’ve collectively forgotten how to sit with discomfort without pulling out our walletsThanks 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! 

Have you ever wondered why you keep saying “yes” with your money when you really want to say “no”? In this episode of Money Feels, we’re joined again by out very first guest, Chantel Chapman — founder of Trauma of Money, internationally recognized educator, and now author of Trauma of Money — to unpack something called financial fawning.We’re your hosts, Alyssa and Bridget. Welcome to the podcast where we talk about the emotional side of money — including how our nervous systems, past experiences, and need for safety shape the way we spend, give, and say “yes.”In today’s episode, we discuss the following:What “financial fawning” means and how it differs from people-pleasingWhy do we over-give, over-spend, or say “yes” to money requests even when we can’t afford to?How trauma and social conditioning make fawning feel like safetyThe difference between generosity and self-abandonmentHow this shows up in friendships, families, and relationshipsPractical ways to stop fawning and start setting boundaries — without guilt or shameA quick thank-you to ATB Financial for sponsoring today’s live episode! If you’re a new client, you can earn up to $820 in welcome bonuses by clicking here.Thanks for listening to our first episode of Season 8! 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!