She's On The Money

The $110-a-Month Decision That Saved Her When the Worst Happened

If you've ever asked yourself if personal insurance is really worth it... you need to listen to the episode! This week’s Money Diarist always considered herself a finance girl. She was working, studying finance on the side, investing, and saving for her first home. The kind of person who had an emergency fund and she even had her personal insurances sorted. Then, exactly 1 year after she set up her cover, she was diagnosed with stage four Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Within a week she was starting chemo, she couldn't work and the life she’d been carefully building suddenly looked very different. But the financial foundations she’d put in place meant she didn’t have to make decisions from panic while navigating the biggest challenge of her life. Now, as she approaches the end of treatment, she’s reflecting on how the experience reshaped her relationship with money, priorities, and what actually matters when life throws the unexpected your way. SORT YOUR INSURANCE: A big thank you to our partner Skye Wealth for bringing this episode to life. If you're ready to get your insurances sorted, you can learn more about them here.We have a long standing referral partnership with Skye Wealth and only ever partner with people we trust. GET VICTORIA'S BUDGETING SYSTEM: Master your money here.NEW HERE?: Take our Money Personality Quiz and we will send you free resources based on how YOU actually manage money here. Ready to binge more relatable, inspiring, and downright juicy money stories? Check out our ultimate Money Diaries playlist. Listen now Join our Facebook Group AKA the ultimate support network for money advice and inspiration. Ask questions, share tips, and celebrate your wins with a like-minded crew of 300,000+. And follow us on Instagram for Q&As, bite-sized tips, daily money inspo... and relatable money memes that just get you. Acknowledgement of Country By Nartarsha Bamblett aka Queen Acknowledgements. The advice shared on She's On The Money is general in nature and does not consider your individual circumstances. She's On The Money exists purely for educational purposes and should not be relied upon to make an investment or financial decision. If you do choose to buy a financial product, read the PDS, TMD and obtain appropriate financial advice tailored towards your needs. Victoria Devine and She's On The Money are authorised representatives of Money Sherpa PTY LTD ABN - 321649 27708, AFSL - 4451289See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

High Pay vs Flexibility: What’s the Best Career Choice?

International Women’s Day is this weekend, and while we love celebrating incredible women, it also felt like the perfect time to talk about some of the very real career trade-offs a lot of us are still navigating *and this episode comes with a content warning below*.So if one job offers a higher salary and paid parental leave… but almost zero flexibility. The other pays less, but gives you more freedom. With kids potentially on the horizon, which one actually sets you up better long term? We unpack the parental leave maths, the reality of juggling work and childcare, and why flexibility can end up being one of the most valuable things a workplace can offer. Then we had a community member write in because she was concerned about her friend. Her partner earns significantly more, keeps most of the money himself, and has shut down her plans to go back to study because it would affect his income. From the outside it feels like a huge power imbalance… but it raises the question is this actually financial control. What would you do when you notice something in a friend’s relationship that doesn’t sit right? It opens up a really thoughtful conversation about financial independence, the invisible cost of motherhood, and how to raise concerns with a friend in a way that is supportive rather than confrontational. As always, the community also had a lot to say on this one.CONTENT WARNING: This episode talks about coersive control and financial abuse which might be triggering for some listeners. If you, or a friend needs support 1800 RESPECT offers free, confidential counselling and resources. You can visit them here. NEW HERE?: Take our Money Personality Quiz and we will send you free resources based on how YOU actually manage money here. Ready for more laughs, lessons, and unhinged money chats? Check out our oh-so-bingeable Friday Drinks playlist. Listen here. Join our 400K+ She's on the Money community in our Facebook Group and on Instagram. Acknowledgement of Country By Nartarsha Bamblett aka Queen Acknowledgements. The advice shared on She's On The Money is general in nature and does not consider your individual circumstances. She's On The Money exists purely for educational purposes and should not be relied upon to make an investment or financial decision. If you do choose to buy a financial product, read the PDS, TMD and obtain appropriate financial advice tailored towards your needs. Victoria Devine and She's On The Money are authorised representatives of Money Sherpa PTY LTD ABN - 321649 27708, AFSL - 451289See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Equity Explained: Is It Really the Shortcut to Getting Rich?

Everyone keeps saying “just use your equity” like it’s some kind of cheat code to getting rich… but what does that actually mean? To break it all down properly, Victoria sits down with Mortgage Broking queen Jaclyn Walsh to breaking down equity properly. We're talking what it is, how much you can really get, why the bank doesn’t see it the way you do, and when using it can genuinely accelerate your wealth. Because yes, equity can be powerful... but it can also lock you into more debt, more risk, and less flexibility if you don’t understand how it works.In this ep: 🏡 The equity myth most people believe🏡 Why the bank can say no (even when your house has skyrocketed)🏡 The 80% rule banks use to decide how much you actually get🏡 When equity can boost your wealth… or cap your future borrowing🏡 Why a value drop can leave you owing money after you sell🏡 What question you should ask before releasing a single dollar of equity IF YOU WANT TO KNOW IF YOU HAVE EQUITY: You can contact the team at Zella hereand find them on Instagram. MORE PROPERTY EPISODES: Check out our How to Buy and Save For Property playlist. FREEBIE: Get our She's on the Money Mortgage rate calculator here.Join our Facebook Group AKA the ultimate support network for money advice and inspiration. Ask questions, share tips, and celebrate your wins with a like-minded crew of 300,000+.And follow us on Instagram for Q&As, bite-sized tips, daily money inspo... and relatable money memes that just get you.Acknowledgement of Country By Nartarsha Bamblett aka Queen Acknowledgements. The advice shared on She's On The Money is general in nature and does not consider your individual circumstances. She's On The Money exists purely for educational purposes and should not be relied upon to make an investment or financial decision. If you do choose to buy a financial product, read the PDS, TMD and obtain appropriate financial advice tailored towards your needs. Victoria Devine and She's On The Money are authorised representatives of Money Sherpa PTY LTD ABN - 321649 27708, AFSL - 451289.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

She Bought Her First Home With a 2% Deposit on an $86k Salary

If you’ve ruled out owning property because you don’t have a 20% deposit… or you’re single… or your salary isn’t over $100k, well this week’s Money Diary is here to show you it’s possible without any of that. This time last year our diarist was in a share house that wasn’t great for her mental health, assuming she’d be renting forever. The decision to move back with her parents at 30 didn’t feel like a strategy, it felt like she was going backwards. But her sister challenged her to use that time to her advantage instead of wasting it, so she did. She paid off her credit card, got intentional about saving, and instead of scrolling past it, she decided to properly understand the 2% Help to Buy scheme most people assume won’t apply to them. We chat what the government’s equity stake actually means in real life, and the practical moves that turned “that’s not realistic for me” into keys in her hand. If you’ve taken property off your vision board, this one might make you rethink what’s actually possible. SORT YOUR INSURANCE: A big thank you to our partner Skye Wealth for bringing this episode to life. If you're ready to get your insurances sorted, you can learn more about them here.We have a long standing referral partnership with Skye Wealth and only ever partner with people we trust. GET VICTORIA'S BUDGETING SYSTEM: Master your money here.NEW HERE?: Take our Money Personality Quiz and we will send you free resources based on how YOU actually manage money here. Ready to binge more relatable, inspiring, and downright juicy money stories? Check out our ultimate Money Diaries playlist. Listen now Join our Facebook Group AKA the ultimate support network for money advice and inspiration. Ask questions, share tips, and celebrate your wins with a like-minded crew of 300,000+. And follow us on Instagram for Q&As, bite-sized tips, daily money inspo... and relatable money memes that just get you. Acknowledgement of Country By Nartarsha Bamblett aka Queen Acknowledgements. The advice shared on She's On The Money is general in nature and does not consider your individual circumstances. She's On The Money exists purely for educational purposes and should not be relied upon to make an investment or financial decision. If you do choose to buy a financial product, read the PDS, TMD and obtain appropriate financial advice tailored towards your needs. Victoria Devine and She's On The Money are authorised representatives of Money Sherpa PTY LTD ABN - 321649 27708, AFSL - 4451289See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why Owning Property Isn’t Always the Safety Net You Think... And the Relationship Red Flag That Has Us Concerned

Property is supposed to be the ultimate safety net… so why does it sometimes just feel like stress (and a second full-time job you never applied for)? Today we’re getting into the accidental landlord era. AKA what happens when your old home becomes an investment property, but you actually hate being a landlord? We’re talking profit maths, property managers, emergency funds, what “safety net” really means, and the truth about whether you could even move back in if things went sideways.Then it gets very spicy with a DM that asks: should you give your partner your banking password? They don’t live together, it’s not a shared account.... and suddenly we’re in full red-flag territory. We break down financial boundaries, fraud risks, what the banks actually say and the difference between transparency and handing over the keys to your emergency fund. Plus of course, your money wins, elite broke tips, and your classic Friday chaos. WANT TO INVEST IN PROPERTY WITHOUT BEING A LANDLORD?: Listen to our episode You Can Invest in Property With $5. Yes, Really. (A Beginner’s Guide to REITs)MORE MONEY & RELATIONSHIPS EPISODES: We've got a whole playlist here. NEW HERE?: Take our Money Personality Quiz and we will send you free resources based on how YOU actually manage money here. Ready for more laughs, lessons, and unhinged money chats? Check out our oh-so-bingeable Friday Drinks playlist. Listen here. Join our 400K+ She's on the Money community in our Facebook Group and on Instagram. Acknowledgement of Country By Nartarsha Bamblett aka Queen Acknowledgements. The advice shared on She's On The Money is general in nature and does not consider your individual circumstances. She's On The Money exists purely for educational purposes and should not be relied upon to make an investment or financial decision. If you do choose to buy a financial product, read the PDS, TMD and obtain appropriate financial advice tailored towards your needs. Victoria Devine and She's On The Money are authorised representatives of Money Sherpa PTY LTD ABN - 321649 27708, AFSL - 451289See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.