MONEY DIARIES: An Uber Hard Working, Business Owning, Mother To Be!

Hello, my name's Santasha Nabananga Bamblet. I'm a proud your

Let's get into it.

She's on the Money, She's on the Money.

Hello, and welcome to She's on the Money, the podcast Millennials who want financial freedom. Welcome back to another shot back money Diary Monday, where we chat to a community member about them, their story, their life, their money, and all of the fun bits in between.

It's not your favorite time of week, is it?

I mean it definitely is my favorite episode of the week. Would you like to hear about this week's direst I would love to tell me all right, our diret says, Hello, She's on the Money. I moved to Australia six years ago as an international student, got my permanent residency after two years, and I am now a citizen. I'm also very busy, soon to be mother of my first child, and I run two small businesses and drive for Uber.

I'm a hustler.

I've been a driver partner for three years, using it when I want to save up for something. Uber has really helped me on my journey to become a small business owner, travel the world, put a deposit on my home, and all before the age of thirty.

What I know.

I'd love to share my story of hard work and side hustling with the community.

Oh my gosh, I love this Money diarists. Welcome to the show.

Hey, thank you so much for having me here. I'm really excited.

I'm so excited to have a chat with you as well, a mom to pay, a small business owner, an Uber driver like what can't she do? I love this. Let's start off in the way we always start the show, and that is with our structured questions so that we all get up to spaid on where you're at money, Ris. Let's jump straight into the first one, and that question is can you tell us a little bit about your money story.

Sure, So I love money and I want to make a lot of it, you and me, Bothy, Hey, everyone loves money. Who doesn't write? And there's nothing called too much money at all. So yeah, and money is something that kind of makes me really happy. It gives me a sense of security and just makes me feel happy

Totally.

And I strongly believe in having multiple streams of income so if something fails, I always have you know, another business or another incoming cash flow into my back account that I can always fall back on.

Oh my gosh, I wish more people will like you. They just go straight out now, I love money more of it. That's very sick because people are always like, yeah, I guess money is like important, but not that important, and you're just straight out like, no, money is the best I need, Moore? Have you always been like that? Is money something that growing up your family spoke a lot about or is it something that you've just discovered that yourself.

I think I've always been like that since I was a child, because of the kind of home that I you know, I was brought up in. I was from an upper middle class family, like my dad had a business, a small business, and my mum was a homemaker. So we always grew up with a mentality that there are certain things that we don't do, you know what I mean. Or that's for the rich people. You know, you don't

So I you s's so motivated to do it as well, Black I am loving this energy. So money dois tell us what do you do for work? All of your works and how much money do you earn?

Of course, so I run two small businesses. So one is a marketing firm. It's more like a telemarketing so I help small businesses grow their sales, so pretty much like telecalling, cold calling, you know, introducing their businesses to a lot of other customers and pretty much helping them increase their sales monthly sales. That's one part of my business and this has come from my experience in sales. So since the time I graduated, I've always been working

There's like a beauty a beauty company. Cool. They're so different from one another, I know.

Yeah, there's two different things. And the best part about this is I can manage both of this together because my marketing job is like a typical you know, nine to five job, where because I can't reach out to more customers after five pm, which is you know, the working hours, and my e commerce business I work in the evenings.

So they fit together really nicely. Where does Urber come into that? Then my friend.

That's after that, so uber is Uber is for the weekends and even evening after my work. When I finish up my work, I when I have time, I feel that I have nothing to do at home, I just take my car and drive around the city and make like really good money. So Uber's been a very important part of my financial journey. And whenever I was struggling with my finances or because my both my companies are completely bootstrapped, so I didn't get take any investments from outside.

I know that obviously being in a comm and marketing and Uber and stuff, it's all quite variable. Can you put like an approximate number on how much money you make?

Yeah, so I make somewhere around, say seven thousand to ten to eleven thousand. It depends each month, but yeah, it falls under this window.

Wow.

And you're working very hard for that money, clearly, But that's awesome.

Yes, Oh my gosh, I'm making more than what I.

Used to make in my job. So I'm really that's away. Yeah, and it's worth the hard work.

So absolutely, all right, Well, tell us I feel like you are so motivated. I want to know what is your big money goal.

So my big money goal is that I don't want to be I don't want to live in a million dollar house or anything like that. I want a life where I should be able to travel wherever I want to, and my business is not location specific and it allows me to work from anywhere I can. So yeah, that's pretty much my plan. And I want to sleep and then make money, you know what I mean. I want the money. I want my businesses to make money for me, even when I don't have to work nine to five,

Oh my gosh, I love this. You are literally living our dream. Jess and I just got back recently from a holiday that we went on together. Because we're obsessed with besties and work pals, but we were sitting by a pool, going this is the life. Like imagine if we had a life where we could work from beside the pool, and that is the dream you are creating for yourself. So like that, besty, I get it. I'm envious. That is an epic money goal. Next question, working towards

Of course, so I invest in our cryptom So I've invested a good amount in some of the coins like bitcoins, ethereum, and a lot of few others because I think crypto is going to be the next big thing. Imagine if I invested whatever amount like ten years before and now we know the value of crypto like bitcoins like gone up so crazy. So yeah, we have been millionnaires at the right time.

So hindsight's always twenty twenty though. I look at the share market all the time and think the exact same thing. I look at property and think the same thing.

Like where I'm from, property is like so expensive nowadays, But growing up I was like, oh I could afford three hundred K for hours, Well that's reasonable. One day like that's pretty big, and now I'm like, oh, one point five million dollars. I think not, sir, we are not going to be doing that in my hometown. So I feel like when we look at investments, hindsight is

Of course, of course, And I think any time to get started is the right time. So it's never too late to start investments, too.

True. I have a more perfect question. You said, obviously you've got a pretty good salary and you're investing. How much do you invest regularly?

So I wait for the right time to buy. For example, now of the crypto is down, it's a bear market, so you know the currencies have gone down, like the cryptocurrencies has gone down, so I probably buy during this time. So I would probably just have my savings and when I see the coin has gone down and it's not going to go down further. If I see the price chart going up, that's when I just buy. I invest in buld probably ten to twelve grand or whatever budget

Cool. I love asking that question because there are some people like me who automates my investment and just happens set amount every single month, like I don't even look at it, It just happens. And then people like you who are really onto the market and what's going on and when to buy, and you kind of like stockpilot and then buy and bulk. And it's just so interesting learning how people manage their own investment journeys because it's

I do have a debt, and I think it's a good debt. So I have a property that I live in my first term.

That is not bad debt.

Yeah, yeah, it's a good debt, and I would love to have more debts. Why not?

The kind of set the way like it shares on the money is the kind that helps us create wealth, which is what it looks like you are doing. Tell us about that property, though, like what did you pay for it? And how much is on your mortgage right now?

Sure? So I bought this. I think it's about a year and a half now that I've been living here, and I bought this for about five hundred K. It's a small apartment to bedroom and I think it's efficient for me. Perfect so now. So yeah, and I paid a deposit on this for I paid twenty percent deposit, oh like the full full twenty percent. Yeah, because I didn't want to play. I didn't want to pay Elmai, you know, the lender mortgage insurance. And I was like, oh,

I love that.

What a queen get it.

And that's when Uber came into picture and helped me a lot because I used to work when I was, you know, wanting to you know, purchase my property because I want I didn't want to quit my job before purchasing a property. Yeah, because that's when I'll get my bank loans. So I was still doing my job and in the evenings I used to drive Uber. And Uber helped me a lot, you know with securing my deposit.

How cool. I love that all right. Next question is about shopping, my friend, Do you use shop Act?

Not really, I've heard about it, but I haven't used it yet.

That is fair. I feel like it's a good time to recommend that to you because I feel like you're pretty money savvy, so that wouldn't be a bad idea to check it out. Next to question what is your best money habit, I.

Think my best money habit would be that I don't I don't know if this is the right answer, but I think I don't spend much on unwanted things, Like I'm very clear about what I want to spend on, which is my business, my travel, and my family. So I don't believe in having expensive clothes. I don't go behind brands or you know, I don't want to buy expensive furniture or anything that has a value that will

So that is the gay, funny habit. I like that you said, I don't know if this is the right response. There's no such thing. There's no right or wrong when it comes to money, and I feel like that's a good one. I need to learn to be a little bit more like you. Recently, I've been a bit naughty, so I do need to rein it in. I've got some pretty bad money habits. But speaking of pretty bad money habits, what are yours? What is your worst money habit?

I think sometimes I'm really impulsive or when it comes to traveling, and I end up spending too much. So if I have to give you an example, because I'm pregnant now and I won't be able to travel obviously as much as I used to travel, you know before, So I went for it to to Bali and straight after that I went to Fiji, and then I went to Auckland. I did all this last minute without any plans. And that's how I am when it comes to traveling. I don't know, my mind just paralyzes, and I don't

I think I like that though, Like I know that that sounds like you're like, oh my gosh, I wish I was better at it, But it really sounds like you're good at spending your money in line with your values. Like you're not going, oh my gosh, like I've got this value of traveling, but I impulsively go shopping every single weekend, and like, it just sounds like your money is being spent in line with your values. So yeah, you probably could do a little bit more planning, but

I think I'm pretty good with managing my money, like I said, because I don't spend much and I just spend where it's required. So I think probably I'll give myself an eight. But there's always cope for improvement in everything.

So what do you think it would take to get to a ten?

Stopping my impulsive spending? I think, and I think investing more in better places probably would be the thing. Yeah, very cool.

All right, We're going to go to a really quick break, and on the other side, I want to know how you manage all of this. I've got so many work life balance questions. See you on the other side. All right, we are back money Diarist. You are very impressive. You have two small businesses, you have a baby on the way, which is really exciting, and you still manage to have

Actually not. I do manage to spend a lot of time for myself and you know, doing things that I really love. So to be honest, when I used to do a job, my nine to five typical it job, I think I was finding things to be really difficult. I would probably get really tired after four hours of work and I'd be like, oh, I can't wait to go home and things like that. But now when I know it's my own, like both my businesses are like my babies.

I get that. I get that through and through.

So I never whinge about them. Like I'm really happy with whatever I'm doing, so it doesn't give me stress at all, and I'm enjoying doing that. And the best part is my husband works from home as well. So we both work from home, so it's nice. We have lunches together, we could breakfast together. I do spend a lot of quality time with him as well while I'm working. So yeah, I really feel that it's too much. I'm super comfortable doing the things that I'm doing right now.

I feel like that's a really special way to be and something that I wasn't expecting you to say, Like as a business owner, I feel like I and I hate this word. I really don't like the word busy because I feel like busy as a choice, Like you can't just keep saying like, oh my god, I'm so busy, like usually just fluffing around or procrastinating. Like Jesse's looking at me like, yeah, that's all you do, Victoria. But it's one of those things where I just don't feel

So I don't have a particular time message for Uber. So I basically I think there's what Uber right, the smart way of making money is and this is just from my own experience. People might have different experiences on

Oh I just thought that was like automatic and then the drivers didn't know. So are you saying you make more money if there is a surge directly money when I thought it was either making more money not the drivers. I love that. Yeah, yeah, that's awesome.

X two x three. So it tells you, like, depending on how busy it is, you make more money. So I drive around those areas so that I can you make most of my time and I don't have to drive many hours.

You know, working smarter, not harder. I like it.

I want to know actually, because now that I'm thinking about it, I don't think I have ever had an Uber driver who is a female.

And I have, I have, but it's really rare.

Yeah, what has your experience been like as a woman, because I know, I think as a female generally we're a little bit more conscious.

Yeah, for sure.

You know you're like, we get taught as kids strange danger and now you're like, I'm going to pick up a random person in my.

Car after this chat though, Like I want to go in your Uber. I think we would have a really fun time.

Yeah, you'd passed me the OX for sure, But like, what has that been like for you as a woman, Like, has it been a positive experience? I mean, you're doing it now, so I'm going to assume so, but just how have you found it all?

It's always been a positive experience for me, Like you just said, whenever I have a customer on board, like on a passenger, the first thing to tell me is that, oh, you're the first female uber driver ever scene and I'm like, yeah, I know, I get that a lot. Oh definitely, So there's not a lot of female drivers, And I think the passengers that I've had are really respectful and they appreciate that I'm working for Uber and I'm brave and

Ah, that's really clever. Has anyone ever thrown up in your car just out.

Of shea.

Yuck?

What would happen?

Well, I mean I've never done it, but I've heard.

That you work, yess. I'm proud of you. Thank you.

I've heard that they pay like a fee or something to cover the cost of cleaning.

I think they do, yes, because I had a friend he had that experience.

Oh no, I think they do.

Girls in one of them pub in the car or something very clean in charge that Uber pays you driver, So that good good, That.

Would be the thing that would give me the most anxiety, like especially as a passenger as well. And you're the same as me. Like both Jess and I pride ourselves on our Uber ratings. Jess is a five star and I'm like a four point eight. And I'm salty about being a four point eight because I'm like, which one of you drivers rated me less than a five? Because I am perfect in the car, I'm nice, I get in, I always make sure I haven't left anything. I'm respectful.

I don't know, actually, while we're talking about that, I'm just getting so sidetracked right now. I have always wondered, as an Uber driver, what do you want from a passenger? Because it's such an interesting transaction when you think about I guess, like the rating system and stuff. And I always get quite nervous when I get into an Uber because sometimes I'm like, I'm just not in the mood to talk, like I'm like.

I'm getting an Uber because I'm exhausted.

I had a long flight or I did something and I don't want to talk. But I don't want to make my driver uncomfortable. Or seem rude, and so sometimes I'll be like, all right, buck up, make the conversation, be nice, be for it, like do you guys care or are you just like, as long as you're not mean, it doesn't matter.

I think, as long as the pastoma is not mean, it truly doesn't matter. It goes the other way around, as well as when the driver's super exhausted. Yeah, and you have a customer who's like super chatty and just goes like NonStop, and sometimes you're like, okay, I mean you have to be nice.

To of course, comfortable silence. It's nice for everyone, I feel.

I think the thing I like because I learned a little while ago that obviously the ratings are really important, and you know, if you rate too little, like you can't ride in Uber, Like I know someone who's literally been kicked off the app. That's all on them, though, But the vice versa happens, right like money dirist, you have to be a good driver and respectful and kind because if you don't get good ratings, like Uber might be like, we don't want you as a driver.

Right, true, too true, of course, And they take those things really seriously, Like if a customer you know, had a negative experience and they go complain about you know, you not being nice to them or whatever. They do investigate and might you know, get your account be activated.

So which I really like, Like that makes me feel like when I get in an I'm getting a consistent, nice experience. I know that the person is safe and kind and you know, has done all the things that they are meant to do. As an Uber driver, because Jess and I, oh yes, and I were recently overseas, Like I'm going to keep dragging this out, guys. If you thought that we weren't going to talk about the fact that we went on holiday, like you were wrong,

Yeah. I like the rating system makes me feel very safe because I have actually canceled an Uba once before because they had a rating that wasn't high enough and it was late at night and I was already feeling sketched out and I was just like, oh, I actually don't want to risk that, and I just another one came along, and I just I like the rating system. It makes me feel quite comfy, but it did make me nervous when I'm like, am I being a good passenger?

You literally tell everybody that you've got five stars, like whenever we're out and we're like, oh, do you want to get an Uber, Like we'll go back to Victoria's house or whatever, just as like, well, I've got five stars. The old book slowly accept me first, Like okay, Jessica, looping this back around to your goals, right, you said that you want to travel around the world and travel is like your main priority? Can you drive ubers in

I think it's I think it's not possible because you have to register your self again. You know, you need to have a different driver's license in a different country, and every country has a different, you know, requirement. I believe. I wish it was possible.

That would be really cool. I mean you don't need it because you have two small businesses.

Yeah that's true, but I wouldn't mind doing it if it's a busy hour, you know, make more cash.

All right, Well tell me though, you're pregnant right now? How far along are you tell us about that.

I'm thirty five weeks now.

Oh my gosh, so soon. Congratulations, thank you.

And it just went by so quick, like yeah, yeah, just I've just got another four or five weeks to go for my final day, the day.

That's so exciting. How are you budgeting for baby?

I have enough savings which I've not touched at all for the baby, and it's going to be untouched, you know, till the baby grows up and everything.

So yeah, how cool. So are you going to star be able to drive, uber, or like, is that something that you're like once I have this baby, like that's not going to be possible, or like, what's the plan for money making in the future, my friend.

I think I'll definitely do it, even after the baby. I obviously will take a break for about a month or two or whatever was required. I don't know. I'm a first time mom, so I don't know how this thing works. Yeah, but I think as soon as I'm healthy and I can go back to driving, I think I'll definitely do it. And it's not just the money aspect for me or Uber. I think for me it's like a really good stress buster because I love driving and it's like my own space, you know what I mean.

What about your other businesses? When you're a small business owner, a lot of the time you're wearing all of the hats. Do you have any employees in your business currently or will your partner or do you have someone who will step in for you while you are out? And you know learning the ropes is in Newma.

Of course, the e commas I can still manage because my stock is at my home. Like I've converted one of the rooms into my office and that's where I store all my stock as well, So e commas I can still do it from home, so it's not an issue. But for a marketing business, I have a small team of two people who I employ on a casual basis. So when I'm away for you know, my baby and my maternity le or whatever, I probably won't go to maternity.

Oh I love that. I just remember, Jess. One of my favorite things about getting in ubers is you always ask like or I don't know, maybe it's just me, but I always like ask the uber driver. I'm like, what do you do when you're not driving ubers because they always have such good stories. Like imagine getting in an Uba with Today's Money Diarist and being like, what are you doing? She's like, oh, well, I have these two business I'd be like, what are you doing? Like

Yeah?

It's super interesting. All right, Money, Doris, I'm so sorry, but I think that is all we have time for today. So Jess, I think you need to wrap the boring but important stuff and let our money Doris get back to work.

Alrighty. Don't forget, guys, that the advice shared on She's on the Money is general in nature and just not consider your individual circumstances. She's on the Money exists purely for educational purposes and should not be relied upon to

Two three See you on Wednesday, guys bye.

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