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, good laughs and the return of the listener fave - Skimp or Splurge.

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-saving tip from Jac to keep your thrifty game strong. Thanks for having us back in your ears!

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 actually saved. You might be surprised by the results!

We also dive into an SBS Insight video featuring Jack Henderson, a social media and real estate personality, who questions whether Australia is truly in a cost-of-living crisis—or if we’ve just inflated our lifestyles too far. We unpack his take and share our honest thoughts.

Plus, a heads-up: next week will be our last episode for a month as we await the arrival of baby Jensen! 👶✨ Don’t miss this one!

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, Jac herself!) in a bit of a predicament. Hear the hilarious story!

Meanwhile, Mads turns to the Chicskates for advice—has she become too cheap? A Power Rangers-related tale might just settle the debate.

Tune in for laughs, lessons, and the latest on all things budget-friendly!

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 women carry (seriously, how do we fit it all in?). Is there actual science behind why we seem to handle it better than men? There has to be. A fun, chatty ep with plenty of deep thoughts and laughs along the way!

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 how experts like Dan can make home buying way less stressful—if you find someone you trust!

And because we can’t resist, we also dive into some fun personal stories—like Dan’s baby’s surprise gender mix-up and how Jac and Mad used to treat him as a kid. It’s a different kind of episode, but super relevant for what’s happening right now!

🎧 Tune in now for easy-to-understand insights on mortgages, home buying, and growing your equity!

🎧 Episode 36 ofChic 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 wouldnever 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 legit hustle or just internet hype. Spoiler: people are selling somewild things foreven wilder prices.

🎟️ Plus, Jac shares a must-know tip on a government voucher for families in Victoria and Queensland. Don’t miss this episode—it’s full of surprises!

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 us at this point).

We also get into the chaos of school/kindy lunches—not literally, but figuratively. Are teachers now expected to be parents, educators and nutritionists? Mad has a story about a rogue blueberry muffin in her son's lunchbox, and we bet our Chicskates have had their fair share of lunchbox dramas too!

Tune in for celeb gossip, money-saving hacks, and plenty of laughs—because that’s what we do best! 🎙️💸

Jac found herself elbow deep in her son’s Lego box, and Maddy needed a minute (or ten) to recover from laughing. We also chat about the emotional rollercoaster of his first day at big school—cue the proud mum feels.

We take a nostalgic detour with Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans (where are our millennial girlies attt?!), snoop through Maddy’s chaotic Marketplace search history and our fellow chicskates’ best finds. Oh, and Maddy packed what for a beach picnic instead of getting takeaway? You already know it’s peak budget mum energy.

Hit play for laughs, nostalgia, and some top-tier money-saving hacks!