Falling in love again can be the easy part. Combining two financial lives, children, ex-partners, assets, debts and very different ideas about money? That’s where things can get complicated.

In this episode of Money Talk, Real Talk, co-hosts Trish Gregory and Suzanne Alexander are joined by financial planner Amie Baker from Rekab Advice to unpack the financial reality of blended families.

Amie brings both professional and personal experience to the conversation. As a divorced mum who built a business as a single parent before remarrying and creating a blended family herself, she knows firsthand that the spreadsheet is often the easy part. It’s the emotions, expectations and family dynamics underneath it that make these conversations difficult.

We talk about:

💰 Combining finances without giving up your financial independence
❤️ Why the honeymoon phase isn't the best time to ignore the money conversation
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Managing money when children and ex-partners are part of the equation
⚖️ Why fair doesn't always mean equal in blended families
🏡 Property, debt and assets each partner brings into the relationship
📜 Estate planning and protecting children from previous relationships
🛡️ Life insurance, TPD, superannuation and beneficiary considerations
🤝 When a Binding Financial Agreement may need to be considered
💬 Why some financial decisions need more than one conversation
🧠 How our individual money stories follow us into a new relationship
✈️ And Amie’s very honest experience of becoming the saver in a relationship with someone whose lifestyle looked very different to hers.

One of the biggest takeaways?

You can build something together without giving up everything you've built independently.

Resources & where to find Amie

Amie Baker | Rekab Advice
🌐 Rekab Advice website
💼 LinkedIn: Amie Baker
📱 Instagram: @centsable_amie

If this episode raises questions about your own blended-family arrangements, consider speaking with your financial adviser and, where appropriate, an estate-planning/family lawyer and tax professional before making changes to your assets, estate planning, superannuation or financial arrangements.

Email: moneytalkrealtalkpod@gmail.com

Disclaimer: The advice or information shared on this podcast is general and doesn't consider your personal circumstances. You should consider if the advice or information is appropriate for you before acting. Make sure you read any product disclosure statements and or target market determinations of any financial product you use or purchase and consider obtaining professional advice appropriate to your need. Trish Gregory, Authorised Representative number 1252041 is an Authorised Representative of Dirigere Advisory Pty Ltd trading as Intelligent Planning AFSL number 524371. Suzanne Alexander, while a former Financial Advisor, is now a Certified Money Coach (CMC®) and Mindset Mentor.

Most couples don't have money problems. They have communication, expectation and equity problems that show up through money.

In this episode, Trish Gregory and Suzanne Alexander speak with Dr Amanda Craft about the invisible dynamics that influence money in relationships.

Together they explore how childhood experiences shape financial beliefs, why the mental load has both emotional and economic value, and how couples can create healthier conversations around spending, caregiving, financial independence and decision-making.

This episode is essential listening for anyone navigating relationships, parenting, household finances or major life transitions.

Because money is about time, opportunity, contribution, care and power.

Connect with Dr Amanda Craft:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-amanda-craft-31335134b//

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61573235237235

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/auriaviaptyltd?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

Website: www.auriavia.com.au

Email: moneytalkrealtalkpod@gmail.com

Disclaimer:The advice or information shared on this podcast is general and doesn't consider your personal circumstances. You should consider if the advice or information is appropriate for you before acting. Make sure you read any product disclosure statements and or target market determinations of any financial product you use or purchase and consider obtaining professional advice appropriate to your need. Trish Gregory, Authorised Representative number 1252041 is an Authorised Representative of Dirigere Advisory Pty Ltd trading as Intelligent Planning AFSL number 524371. Suzanne Alexander, while a former Financial Advisor, is now a Certified Money Coach (CMC®) and Mindset Mentor.

Being single doesn't mean you're doing your finances alone.

Whether you're single by choice, rebuilding after a relationship, navigating divorce, widowed, or simply the person taking the lead with money in your household, there comes a moment when you realise:

Nobody is coming to save you financially.

And while that can feel overwhelming at first, it can also be one of the most empowering discoveries you'll ever make.

In this episode, Trish Gregory and Suzanne Alexander unpack the realities of being financially responsible for yourself. They share personal stories, lessons from clients, financial mistakes they've made, and the practical steps that can help you build confidence and financial security.

Together they explore:

✅ Why being single financially can feel overwhelming (and why that's normal)

✅ The importance of emergency buffers and financial safety nets

✅ How insurance can protect your greatest asset: your ability to earn an income

✅ Why indecision can cost more than making a mistake

✅ The hidden risks of holding too much cash

✅ Estate planning considerations many single women overlook

✅ Lifestyle creep and other common financial traps

✅ The mindset shifts that helped them take control of their own financial futures

But most important of all, this episode reminds you that financial confidence isn't built from knowing everything.

It's built taking the next little step forward.

Email: moneytalkrealtalkpod@gmail.com

Disclaimer:The advice or information shared on this podcast is general and doesn't consider your personal circumstances. You should consider if the advice or information is appropriate for you before acting. Make sure you read any product disclosure statements and or target market determinations of any financial product you use or purchase and consider obtaining professional advice appropriate to your need. Trish Gregory, Authorised Representative number 1252041 is an Authorised Representative of Dirigere Advisory Pty Ltd trading as Intelligent Planning AFSL number 524371. Suzanne Alexander, while a former Financial Advisor, is now a Certified Money Coach (CMC®) and Mindset Mentor.

"Women hold up the world." Bron Williams

In this episode, speaker and researcher Bron Williams reframes financial self-responsibility as an extension of a woman's inherent power, not something she needs to be granted.

It's a reminder that financial wellbeing, emotional wellbeing and mental wellbeing aren't separate tracks. They reinforce each other.

Listen to the full conversation on Money Talk, Real Talk, where we explore ageism, gender equality and money for women in mid-life.

https://www.bronwilliams.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/bron-williams/

https://www.instagram.com/bron_williams_speaker/

Email: moneytalkrealtalkpod@gmail.com

Disclaimer:The advice or information shared on this podcast is general and doesn't consider your personal circumstances. You should consider if the advice or information is appropriate for you before acting. Make sure you read any product disclosure statements and or target market determinations of any financial product you use or purchase and consider obtaining professional advice appropriate to your need. Trish Gregory, Authorised Representative number 1252041 is an Authorised Representative of Dirigere Advisory Pty Ltd trading as Intelligent Planning AFSL number 524371. Suzanne Alexander, while a former Financial Advisor, is now a Certified Money Coach (CMC®) and Mindset Mentor.

Carlii Lyon, personal branding speaker, coach and author of Courage to Be, joins Suzanne and Trish to talk about why so many women feel invisible in mid-life, and what it actually takes to restart a career after a break.

Carlii shares her own pivot from running an international PR consultancy representing high-profile clients to becoming a stay-at-home mum, and the identity shift that followed.

The conversation moves through the internal (not just external) barriers to visibility, why courage comes before confidence, and Carlii's four Ps framework for personal branding: promise, packaging, positioning and promotion.

It's a practical, energising conversation for anyone wondering whether their experience still counts after time away from the workforce.

Connect with Carlii here:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/carliilyon/

https://www.instagram.com/carlii_lyon/?hl=en

https://www.carliilyon.com.au/

Enjoy!

Suzanne & Trish

Email: moneytalkrealtalkpod@gmail.com

Disclaimer:The advice or information shared on this podcast is general and doesn't consider your personal circumstances. You should consider if the advice or information is appropriate for you before acting. Make sure you read any product disclosure statements and or target market determinations of any financial product you use or purchase and consider obtaining professional advice appropriate to your need. Trish Gregory, Authorised Representative number 1252041 is an Authorised Representative of Dirigere Advisory Pty Ltd trading as Intelligent Planning AFSL number 524371. Suzanne Alexander, while a former Financial Advisor, is now a Certified Money Coach (CMC®) and Mindset Mentor.

We like to think we're rational decision makers.

But 95% of our beliefs are made subconsciously.

In this episode, we're unpacking unconscious bias. How it shows up, and how it's quietly costing women opportunities, promotions and pay.

We cover:
🔹 What unconscious bias actually is
🔹 Where it shows up most in our careers
🔹 The most common biases women face
🔹 How bias impacts pay and promotions
🔹 What you can do to navigate it
🔹 What workplaces should be doing better

Have a listen to the latest Money Talk, Real Talk episode.

Enjoy x
Suzanne & Trish

Email: moneytalkrealtalkpod@gmail.com

Disclaimer:The advice or information shared on this podcast is general and doesn't consider your personal circumstances. You should consider if the advice or information is appropriate for you before acting. Make sure you read any product disclosure statements and or target market determinations of any financial product you use or purchase and consider obtaining professional advice appropriate to your need. Trish Gregory, Authorised Representative number 1252041 is an Authorised Representative of Dirigere Advisory Pty Ltd trading as Intelligent Planning AFSL number 524371. Suzanne Alexander, while a former Financial Advisor, is now a Certified Money Coach (CMC®) and Mindset Mentor.

Are you actually asking to be paid what you're worth?

Most of us aren't. And it's not because we don't deserve it, it's because nobody ever taught us how to have this conversation.

In this episode, we're unpacking:

Why women ask for pay rises just as often as men, but are far less likely to actually get them

The exact time to negotiate (hint: before you sign, not after)

How to "know your worth" without it just being a hollow phrase

What to actually say when you sit down for that conversation What to do if the answer is no

Why "acting your wage" might be the fastest pay rise you can give yourself

This episode is your permission slip and your playbook to finally have the money conversation you've been avoiding.

Suzanne & Trish X

Email: moneytalkrealtalkpod@gmail.com

Disclaimer:The advice or information shared on this podcast is general and doesn't consider your personal circumstances. You should consider if the advice or information is appropriate for you before acting. Make sure you read any product disclosure statements and or target market determinations of any financial product you use or purchase and consider obtaining professional advice appropriate to your need. Trish Gregory, Authorised Representative number 1252041 is an Authorised Representative of Dirigere Advisory Pty Ltd trading as Intelligent Planning AFSL number 524371. Suzanne Alexander, while a former Financial Advisor, is now a Certified Money Coach (CMC®) and Mindset Mentor.

What happens when the paycheck stops?

For many Australians, you think retirement is a financial transition, but it's an much more an identity shift. In this episode, Trish & Suzanne are joined by retirement specialist and financial adviser Jenny Brown, who shares what really matters when preparing for your 60s and beyond.

We discuss:✅ Where your income comes from when you're no longer working
✅ Why retirement is often a bigger mindset challenge than a money challenge
✅ The biggest regrets retirees share
✅ How to find purpose beyond your career
✅ Why spending plans matter more than budgets
✅ Estate planning conversations every family should have
✅ What younger Australians can do now to create more choices later

Whether retirement is around the corner or decades away, this conversation will help you think differently about the future you're creating.

Retirement is the next great inevitable adventure, so you may as well start planning for it.

🎧 Listen now and start building your own Great Escape Plan.

Enjoy x

Trish & Suzanne

Resources:

BOOK: Retirement; The Great Escape Plan, by Jenny Brown https://www.amazon.com.au/Retirement-Great-Escape-Plan-thriving/dp/1923630148

Connect with Jenny here https://jbsfinancial.com.au/team/jenny-brown/

Email: moneytalkrealtalkpod@gmail.com

Disclaimer: The advice or information shared on this podcast is general and doesn't consider your personal circumstances. You should consider if the advice or information is appropriate for you before acting. Make sure you read any product disclosure statements and or target market determinations of any financial product you use or purchase and consider obtaining professional advice appropriate to your need. Trish Gregory, Authorised Representative number 1252041 is an Authorised Representative of Dirigere Advisory Pty Ltd trading as Intelligent Planning AFSL number 524371. Suzanne Alexander, while a former Financial Advisor, is now a Certified Money Coach (CMC®) and Mindset Mentor.