She Couldn’t Get a Credit Card as a Single Mum. It Became a Blessing in Disguise.

She became a mum straight out of Year 12. Four years later, she had her second son and was raising two boys on her own. Money was tight. Really tight. She used to keep a Word document mapping out six weeks of expenses because she needed to know exactly what was coming in and exactly what had to go out. Some weeks, once the rent was paid, there was food in the cupboard and petrol in the car, she had $20 left. So they got hot chips. They camped in the backyard. Ate breakfast on the trampoline. Had treasure hunts around the house with a bowl of lollies waiting at the end. Years later, she asked her son whether he remembered growing up feeling like they had no money. He said no. He remembered having the best childhood ever. I think that tells you quite a lot about this Money Diarist. Today, at 44, those boys are adults and she’s in a completely different season of her financial life. She runs her own building design business, which turned over $220,000 last financial year. She’s put $50,000 into shares, has hit $200,000 in super and is preparing to buy into a home with her new partner. But she’s also trying to make up for lost time without treating the present like a waiting room for retirement. Because after spending so much of her life making sure everyone else was okay, she’s now working out what it looks like to build wealth, travel, enjoy her money and create the future she wants. Turns out, you can start later and still build something pretty bloody incredible. 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. CHECK OUT THE SOTM INVESTING HUB: Full of our best investing freebies, resources, courses and podcast episodes here. INVESTING FOR BEGINNERS: All our best beginner's investing podcast episodes in one place 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.