Sports betting has exploded in the last few years, driven by legalization, aggressive advertising, and frictionless apps that make placing a bet feel as easy as ordering takeout. What used to be a niche activity is now embedded directly into sports culture.

In this episode of Money Feels, Alyssa and Bridget explore the emotional, psychological, and financial reality of modern sports betting and why this isn’t just about money. It’s about dopamine, identity, relationships, and the normalization of risk.

We talk about how gambling has shifted from a destination to something in your pocket 24/7, why sports betting feels different from “traditional gambling,” and how the design of betting apps keeps people engaged longer than they realize.

We also discuss why young men are especially targeted, the ripple effects on partners and families, and why women in relationships need to be aware of how normalized betting can quietly impact shared finances.

We’re your hosts, Alyssa and Bridget. Welcome to the podcast where we explore the emotional side of money, and why sports betting might be telling a much bigger story than just winning or losing.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How sports betting became normalized almost overnight
• The role of legalization, advertising, and accessibility
• Why sports betting feels different from “gambling”
• How betting apps are designed to keep you engaged
• The psychology of risk, reward, and dopamine
• Why young men are especially drawn into sports betting
• The social culture around betting and group dynamics
• Why partners (especially women) need to be aware of financial risk
• The reality of gambling economics (the house always wins)
• How gambling shifted from a place you go to something in your pocket
• The emotional highs and lows that reinforce betting behaviour
• Warning signs that betting may be becoming a problem
• The ripple effect gambling can have on relationships and families
• Why this conversation is also about public health, not just money

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!

We are living in a time where it feels like groceries don’t make sense anymore! Not the prices, not the sizes, not the sales. The same cart costs more every week, packages are shrinking, loyalty apps change the “real” price, and something as simple as buying food now feels like a mental math test.

In this episode of Money Feels, Alyssa and Bridget explore the emotional, psychological, and financial realities of grocery inflation and why so many of us feel exhausted, confused, and, frankly, a little suspicious every time we walk into a store.

We unpack how grocery pricing actually works, why it can feel intentionally confusing, and how behavioural pricing, shrinkflation, and constant price changes create decision fatigue around something that’s supposed to be basic. We talk about the grief of “backwards lifestyle creep” — going from not checking prices to suddenly calculating every item — and why that shift feels so emotionally heavy.

We’re your hosts, Alyssa and Bridget. Welcome to the podcast, where we help you understand the emotional side of money—and why your grocery cart might be telling a deeper story about stability, safety, and what it means to feel financially secure.

In today’s episode, we discuss:

• Why grocery prices feel like a scam — even when they technically aren’t
• How groceries in Canada have increased faster than overall inflation
• Why feeding yourself now feels like a part-time job
• How grocery stores actually price products (margin targets, elasticity, competition)
• The psychology behind sales, “2 for $8,” and urgency pricing
• Shrinkflation and why packages keep getting smaller
• Loyalty pricing and why the shelf price isn’t the real price anymore
• Loss leaders and why milk is cheap but everything else isn’t
• The mental load of constantly recalculating your grocery budget
• “Backwards lifestyle creep” and the grief of losing grocery stability
• Why grocery inflation hits harder than other expenses
• The emotional impact of decision fatigue around food
• How consumers push back — quietly and collectively
• Why this isn’t about being bad with money, it’s about navigating a system designed for optimization

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!

We're back, baby! Season 9 and feeling fine!

We are living in a time where our attention is constantly being pulled in every direction — notifications, scrolling, ads, emails, content, news, shopping, and algorithms designed to keep us looking just a little bit longer.

The average person now spends over 7 hours per day looking at screens. Gen Z? Nearly 9 hours a day. And mobile screen time alone sits around 5 to 7 hours daily.

In this episode of Money Feels, Alyssa and Bridget explore the emotional, psychological, and financial reality of living on our phones, and how screen time is quietly shaping not just our focus, but our spending, habits, and sense of control.

We talk about what happens when our attention becomes fragmented, how constant exposure to ads and aspirational content drives spending, and why reducing screen time can have a surprisingly powerful impact on your finances.

We’re your hosts, Alyssa and Bridget. Welcome to the podcast where we explore the emotional side of money, and why your screen time might be costing you more than you think.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The average screen time statistics (and why they’re shocking)
• How 5 hours per day equals 2.5 months per year
• Why more screen time = more spending
• The link between ads, scrolling, and impulse purchases
• How screen time reduces cognitive bandwidth for planning
• Dopamine, resilience, and the ability to say no
• Why reducing screen time improves financial decision-making
• The emotional pull of phones: boredom, loneliness, avoidance, habit
• Why screen time quietly drains both money and mental energy

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!