Beanstalk: Real Talk for Single Mums

Do you, like me, feel that you have lost touch of what your personal style is? Or do you know what you want your style to be but don't have the time to rock it?

Then stay tuned.

I chat to Danielle Johansen from Threadicated, an online and shipped to your door personal fashion styling service. This is a lady who has spent years in the fashion industry understanding trends, body types and style.

Remember, style is not just about the latest trends for the rich and famous. It's about expression, self-care and feeling good about yourself when you strut out your front door every day.

Listen to Danielle and I talk about:

• Why it's so damn important to find your style (do not put it at the end of your "to do" list)

• Some really simple starter tips that you can do right now ... without even leaving the house

• How to make clothes shopping (at the actual shops) enjoyable and successful

• The services of an online personal fashion stylist and how it all works

• How to get (and stay) stylish without shelling out too much cash

• The Threadicated 20% OFF special offer on the Beanstalk Discount Directory

Lockdowns are becoming part and parcel of daily life here in Australia, but they certainly don't get easier, especially if you are losing work each time.

On this podcast, I chat to Hank Jongen, General Manager of Services Australia, who are doing a heroic job of getting covid disaster payments out to those in need, when they need it.  

This factual chat will put you on the right path to get support whether you're in lockdown or isolation, and losing money (or your mind) as a result of it.

Hank explains:

• What support is available to people in lockdown across Australia
• How eligibility works (hint: it's done by hours not dollars)
• How to make a claim for a disaster payment
• The estimated wait time for financial assistance
• Moving forward, as lockdowns continue, how and when to re-claim
• What to do if you are self-employed or a sole trader
• How these payment work in terms of tax and income support purposes
• More support services available, over and above the disaster payment

Terrified of dating after being off the scene for so long? We get it! 

I chat to Elly Johnson who, alongside Leena Sisco, owns TruthLove Academy, designed to help women date smart and date safe. Elly explains how to get perfectly poised to make your debut into the dating world. Then, once you're off and running, how to protect yourself, enjoy yourself and ultimately attract an amazing partner.

Our conversation includes but is not limited to:

• The biggest challenges for single mums getting back into the dating world, and how to overcome them
• Some of the risks to women on the dating scene and how to protect yourself
• The texting trap - what it is, how and why to avoid it ... and why some single mums do it
• The importance of the kind of stuff Elly and Leena can teach you, like learning about human behaviour, information elicitation and understanding limiting beliefs
• Why (and how) to stay positive on the dating scene
• Where to found Elly and Leena if you need to more support with dating

I talk to Tim Loh who is the Assistant Commissioner at the ATO and tax time spokesperson for 2021 to help single mums across Australia with their tax returns.

 

In this podcast we cover-off on these points:

• Whether you need to lodge a tax return and how to do it

• What can (and can't) be claimed as a work related expense

• What to do if you get a tax bill after lodging your tax return

• The tax implications if you have received JobKeeper, JobSeeker or accessed super under the COVID measures

• What you need to know if you have been working from home

• How the Services Australia end-of-year balancing works

• Specifics for lodging a tax return as a single parent

• Tips for mums with kids who are entering the workforce

• Where to get help if you need more support

 

Get the absolute latest information available about the all-new Family Home Guarantee in this chat with Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Housing, the Hon Michael Sukkar MP.

We cover: What the Family Home Guarantee is; the motivation behind the scheme; the impact owning a home can have on single parent families; the eligibility criteria for the Family Home Guarantee; property price threshold amounts (stay posted, they are increasing!); and how to apply and get further information, here's the link Michael talks about: NHFIC.

Desperate for your forever home? We can help! I chat with Louis Christopher from QSM Research about the facts that matter when looking to purchase a property, whether that be right now, or at some point in the future.

We discuss: An overview of the Australian property market with speculation to the future; the impact of Covid, JobKeeper and HomeBuilder; the implications of long-term renting; why purchasing a property is a sensible option if you struggle to save; choosing the right area to buy in (which may not necessarily be where you want to live); and clever options to propel you onto the first rung of the ladder.

Stressed out kids = stressed out parents, and vice versa. For this reason, I chat to Dr Louise Metcalfe about how to help our children manage stress and anxiety on a daily basis.

We discuss: Why it's so important for the gorgeous little people in our worlds to understand their emotions and take care of their mental health; the benefits of the much undervalued and underrated activity of breathing, the advantages of getting kids to talk and who they can talk to; different kinds of stress relieving resources that can work for kids; how to help kids manage overwhelm as part of a normal day; and how the Gheorg app can play a positive part in helping your child develop resilience and manage stress.

YES, it can work and I have seen the proof! So this podcast is all about making online dating work for you. I chat to the perfect person, Sharon Draper who is a psychologist and the relationship expert at eharmony. 

We discuss: Why online dating is a good way for single mums to meet potential partners; the importance of "self" when you online date; resources to get started; timelines around online dating and what not to expect; the new "video date" phenomenon and how it seriously helps the online dating process; and the "adventure" aspect of dating online and how to make it a positive experience.

Beyond Blue were kind enough to let me borrow their lead clinical advisor, Grant Blashki, to discuss this all-important topic of understanding and managing anxiety as a single mother.

 

Listen to us chat about: What anxiety actually is and the different types (yes, there is more than one type!); the red flags that suggest anxiety is reaching a level where you should take action; simple things you can do during a busy single mum day to help manage anxiety; why it's so important for our children that we manage our anxiety successfully; and where to go for more free support to assess, understand and manage your anxiety.

Yes! You can have a satisfying sex life with yourself! I talk to Chantelle Otten, Ambassador and resident Sexologist at Lovehoney, Australia's No.1 sexual happiness people.

 

We cover: The benefits of regular and satisfying self-pleasure (this may surprise you); Chantelle's top tips to get started with your sensual self-pleasure journey; sex toys for the novice and something new and exciting to extend your collection; how (as a busy single mum) you can find time for self-pleasure in the bedroom (or bathroom?); and the confidence factor i.e. how to build it and give yourself the confidence to explore.