Chelsea Fagan got her first credit card when she was a senior in high school. She quickly maxed it out, racking up debt that would burden her through her early twenties. Then, in 2014, Chelsea started a blog as a way to keep track of her spending habits and get her financial life back on track. She called it “The Financial Diet.”This week on How I Built This ... Show More
Oct 12
Alamo Drafthouse Cinema: Tim and Karrie League (2023)
In the early 1990’s, Tim League spent $50,000 in savings to lease an abandoned movie theater on the wrong side of the tracks—a shaky experiment that eventually grew into a thriving national chain. As Tim and his wife Karrie built theaters in Austin and beyond, they made a name fo ... Show More
1h 16m
Jun 2025
TikTok Made Me Buy It: Overconsumption & Tradwife with Chelsea Fagan
This week, Sim sits down with Chelsea Fagan, founder of The Financial Diet, to unpack the hidden pressures behind overconsumption, financial independence, and modern relationships. From lifestyle inflation to the tradwife trend, Chelsea shares her honest take on what it really me ... Show More
38m 32s
May 2025
Interview | Money, Iranian-American Identity, and Romance: Chelsea Fagan on Building a Business and Writing a Political Love Story
In this episode of Growing Up Irooni, Leyla sits down with Chelsea Fagan—founder of The Financial Diet and author of the new novel High Dive. Known for blending personal finance with cultural critique, Chelsea joins Leyla for a wide-ranging conversation that covers:Why she wrote ... Show More
45m 49s
Jul 2025
Boost my Budget: Bringing accountability to this "parking fine princess"
In this instalment of Boost My Budget, we meet Chloe; 21 years old, self employed and the first to admit her money habits are a bit of a mess. Sporadic saving and impulse spending, blurred lines between business and personal cashflow, a budgeting system based mostly on vibes. She ... Show More
27m 1s
Aug 2020
So Money is Tight and Tensions are High - 589
Living paycheck to paycheck is, believe it or not, something Chalene can relate to. She remembers the feelings of shame (credit cards declined at the grocery store!), embarrassment, fear and desperation. Well, today Chalene will share major tips that she and Bret followed to get ... Show More
29m 46s