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 un...
Mar 05, 2026•32 min
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,...
Mar 03, 2026•38 min
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...
Mar 01, 2026•44 min
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 get...
Feb 26, 2026•28 min
You’ve got investing questions… because wanting to build wealth and still being confused is completely normal. And instead of pretending we all have it figured out, we handed the show over to you, and let you pick Victoria’s brain on everything you’ve been wondering about shares. Does $10 a week actually matter? Is two ETFs enough? And how do you know if your strategy is completely off? We’re answering these and more, because if you’ve had a question, chances are the rest of the community has ha...
Feb 24, 2026•50 min
Have you been waiting to start investing because you’re scared you’ll get it wrong? This week’s Money Diarist started with a hot stock tip from her Dad and then it… didn’t perform. Instead of spiralling, she levelled up. She stopped chasing individual shares and started understanding what she was actually buying. She started automating her investing so emotions weren’t running the show (and she wasn't checking her app every 5 minutes). Now at 32, she has around $100,000 in shares, another $100,0...
Feb 22, 2026•37 min
You know that moment where you see your HECS balance, and immediately reconsider every life choice you made at 18? This week we’re unpacking that HECS regret spiral. We chat through what banks actually care about (and what they don’t), whether HECS is really the villain in your home ownership story, and when paying extra off it is a smart move versus just an anxiety-driven one. Then we slide into a workplace dilemma that starts off generous and slowly gets… uncomfortable. It opens up a much bigg...
Feb 19, 2026•39 min
Being single isn’t a money downgrade… it’s just a different rulebook. One where you’re covering the full cost of life, making every decision solo, and are somehow expected to hold it all together. So this ep is all about ditching the idea that life (and finances) only get easier once you’re partnered, and giving you the tools to build something solid, confident, and completely your own so you thrive in your single era and beyond. Inside this ep: 💅Why a man is not a financial plan 💅How to reset...
Feb 17, 2026•50 min
Ever looked at house prices and thought that could never be me? This week’s Money Diarist had that exact moment. She was newly married, with $50 in the bank after the honeymoon, watching Sydney property prices climb while they were still trying to get ahead. So instead of accepting their fate as “forever renters,” they made a decision most people talk about, but don’t actually follow through on... they packed up and moved to a regional town. It meant leaving behind friends and family, and starti...
Feb 15, 2026•32 min
You know you should be investing… You’ve heard the words bonds and ETFs.... but which one is going to make you better off? This week we’re putting bonds and ETFs head to head. What they are, how they behave, and why it’s less about choosing a winner and what it's more about instead. The we help out a community member who's tax accountant is giving red flag behaviour. So we're chatting what’s normal, what’s absolutely not, and how to protect yourself if something feels off. Plus, we've got all yo...
Feb 12, 2026•37 min
If you believe the finance bros on TikTok, debt recycling is the magic wealth building hack everyone with a home should already be using. But is it really that simple? So, in this episode, we’re looking beyond the hype to explain what debt recycling actually is, how it works in the real world, when it can work well and why it’s not a shortcut or a strategy that suits everyone. In this ep: 💰Why debt recycling looks like a no brainer on TikTok 💰What it actually means for your mortgage (and your ...
Feb 10, 2026•49 min
You don’t need a uni degree to earn $180k a year. This week’s Money Diary proves it. Oh and did we mention she’s only 24?!?! So of course Victoria gets pervy about how she actually got there. The career moves that paid off. The money habits that stuck. And what earning big this young really feels like when the stakes are high. We also unpack the full story behind the two properties she owns, including the one she bought with a friend. Spoiler. It did not end well. This episode goes into what hap...
Feb 08, 2026•40 min
Have you ever been offered financial help that sounds generous… but you're worried if it comes with strings attached. This week’s Friday Drinks dives into one of those emotionally loaded money decisions: whether to let your parents go guarantor so you can get into the property market sooner, when you’re already worried about boundaries and control. We unpack what a guarantor loan really means (and what it doesn’t), why the 20% deposit rule isn’t as rigid as people think, and how to weigh financi...
Feb 05, 2026•37 min
The biggest money glow-ups rarely come from one big decision. They come from the small changes you stack without realising how much they’re adding up. So this episode is all about the small, low-effort money habits that have made our community richer. We talk about the tiny switches that stop impulse spending, the boring admin that pays you back, and the systems that run in the background so you don’t have to. If you like the idea of “lazy girl finance” but still want real results, this one’s fo...
Feb 03, 2026•29 min
This week’s Money Diary is a property rollercoaster. One that starts off feeling sensible… and then does three loop-de-loops. Our diarist bought, renovated, sold, and started building again while raising a family and spending long stretches on one income. Then a builder collapse meant she had to find $75k more to cover costs.She shares how she kept things steady when cash flow was tight, the calls she made to protect her family, and the point where she realised property didn’t have to do all the...
Feb 01, 2026•41 min
You don’t need spare cash to make your future better. You just need to make sure the future fund you already have is working as hard as it can for you. Super is usualy one of the last things we think of when it comes to our finances. It’s boring, it’s confusing, and it feels like a future problem. But quietly? It’s one of the easiest places to make real impact without changing a single thing about your day to day life. This is the last episode of our Summer Starter Series (episodes 1-4 are linke...
Jan 30, 2026•41 min
Which one makes more money sense? Smashing down your mortgage faster, or putting that money to work in shares? This week’s Friday Drinks opens with one of the most divisive money questions we get, and Victoria gets very honest about how she approaches it in her own life. She walks through what she prioritises when building wealth, the maths she actually uses to make sure every dollar is working it's hardest for her, and why the answer that feels obvious, isn’t always the one that makes you riche...
Jan 29, 2026•38 min
Everyone wants to give their kids the best start in life, and investing for them feels like the obvious answer… right up until the tax rules turn the whole thing into a mental no go zone. So how do you set your kids up financially without accidentally handing a chunk of it to the ATO, overcomplicating your life, or creating a problem you’ll have to untangle later? This episode is all about how to invest in the share market for your kids in a way that actually makes sense. We talk through how to ...
Jan 27, 2026•56 min
January 26 isn’t just another public holiday. For many First Nations Australians, it marks the beginning of invasion and the impacts of colonisation that are still felt today. That’s why we're interupting your normal Money Diaries programming to bring you this conversation, with very special guests Laura Thompson and Sarah Sheridan. Laura and Sarah are the co-founders of Clothing The Gaps, the Aboriginal led and controlled, and majority Aboriginal owned business and social enterprise behind the ...
Jan 25, 2026•58 min
What would you do if you woke up tomorrow and couldn’t earn an income anymore? How long would it be before your safety net ran out? In the forth episode in our Summer Starter Series, the conversation tackles the foundation most people skip, even though it’s just as important as budgeting, saving, or managing debt. Because every money plan relies on one thing first. Your ability to earn money. In this episode, Victoria breaks down why protecting your income is non-negotiable if you actually want ...
Jan 23, 2026•57 min
Do you ever worry your parents are making bad money decisions… or heading toward retirement totally unprepared? This week’s Friday Drinks starts with the situation where you love your parents, they’re adults, and you’re still lying awake wondering whether someone is taking them for a ride. We talk about how to raise money concerns without lecturing or burying your head in the sand. And how to live with the reality that sometimes, even when you say everything right, the decision still isn’t yours...
Jan 22, 2026•34 min
This is the episode every woman needs to hear. Because most of us think money in relationships will just sort itself out, or that breaking up is something that happens to other people. Sorry to burst that love bubble, but today is here to show you this mindset can cost you everything… and how to protect yourself (while still building a life together). To do that, we’re joined by special guest Claire Walczak, a family law expert who sees the reality of this every day. She walks us through the ear...
Jan 20, 2026•57 min
If you’ve ever looked at your debt and thought how did I even get here, this one’s for you. Because that’s exactly where our Money Diarist found herself when she realised she was about $60,000 deep. There was a car. A wedding. Setting up a home. All the things that feel like you’re just meant to do as you build a life. Until one day she zoomed out and realised a life in debt wasn’t what she wanted for her family. Once she started learning how money actually works, everything shifted. She wasn’t ...
Jan 18, 2026•49 min
Saving money is one of those things we’re told should be simple, but somehow rarely feels that way. In this Summer Starter episode, we unpack why saving feels harder than it should, even when you understand the basics, and what actually needs to change for it to start working in real life. Victoria is joined by behavioural scientist Dr Lily Susman to explain how money habits form, why being tough on yourself often backfires, and how to build saving behaviours that align with your values and life...
Jan 16, 2026•40 min
So who should actually pay on a date, and what are you meant to do when the bill arrives and someone suddenly gets a bit weird about it. This week’s Friday Drinks tackles a DM from someone newly back in the dating world who’s trying to work out whether she’s being too picky, or whether she’s just finally noticing the stuff she used to brush past, like the keeping score, the silence that feels like a test, and the little gold digger jokes that aren’t really jokes. We talk through what’s a fair pr...
Jan 15, 2026•32 min
If buying a home feels harder (and way more confusing) than it did a year ago, no, you’re not imagining it. The rules have changed, the competition has changed, and suddenly everyone is talking about 5% deposits like they’re either your golden ticket or the end of the world. Lucky for us, mortgage queen Jaclyn Walsh is here to break down what’s actually going on in the property market heading into 2026. We unpack the headline changes everyone’s yelling about, what they mean in real life, and Jac...
Jan 13, 2026•39 min
If you’ve ever told yourself investing is something you’ll get to later, when you have more money, more brain space, or a slightly more put-together life… this episode is about to ruin all of those excuses in the best way. Today, the one and only Bec Syed has volunteered to jump into the Investing Diaries seat so we can get pervy on her first year as an investor (and yes, it’s exactly as Bec-coded as you’d expect). She walks us through how she went from not really understanding what investing ev...
Jan 11, 2026•40 min
If you’ve ever looked at your debts and thought… I know I need to deal with this, I just don’t know where to start, this episode is for you. This is the next step in our Summer Starter Series, where we’re going back to the foundations that help you get on top of your money, in a way that actually feels manageable. In episode one we got ontop of our 4 most important numbers to know... what you earn, spend, own and owe, and today we're making a plan for that last one. We talk through how to priori...
Jan 09, 2026•42 min
If you’ve ever thought you should see a financial advisor, but also wondered if it's a now or later thing… this one’s for you. We’re chatting about that stage so many of us sit in. You want to do the right thing with your money, but you’re not sure whether a financial advisor makes sense for your current situation. We talk through when financial advice can really help, when it’s probably not necessary, and the other ways you can get clarity without spending a small fortune. Then things turn into...
Jan 08, 2026•44 min
If you’ve been saying “I really should start investing" this episode is for you. Because wanting to invest and actually investing are two very different things. And for most of us, it’s not laziness or lack of ambition that keeps us stuck. It’s the quiet spiral of I don’t know enough yet... or I don’t have enough money... or what if I pick the wrong thing... and what if I mess it up. This episode takes all of that and changes it to confidence, because Victoria is breaks down exactly how she’d st...
Jan 06, 2026•1 hr 4 min
