MONEY DIARIES: Smashing Her Goals in the Seafaring Industry

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

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 for millennials who want financial freedom. Welcome back to my favorite episode of the week, money Diaries, where we get to talk with one of our incredible She's on the Money community members all about their journey. Let's jump straight into it because this week I got an email and it sounded like this.

Hi V and Team.

I'm twenty one and I have visited fifteen countries mostly through work, saved sixty five thousand dollars and have just moved states, all thanks to my career in the seafaring industry, my partner who is working towards being a captain, and I am now saving for a house. I've learned so much in this industry and it still has so much more to offer me. I can't wait to share my journey thus far. Money diarist, that's kind of cool. You're twenty one, fifteen countries and you work in seafaring.

Yes, thank you for having me.

Very fun, very niche. I want to learn more about it.

But before that, I want to know what grade would you give your money habits if we asked you to give them a grade from eight through to F.

Yeah, so I would give myself a B minus.

A B minus all right, I feel like that might not be entirely accurate given what I have learnt thus far in the two seconds we've been on the show. But money, So let's dive straight in. My favorite question, as always is can you just tell us a little bit more about your money story?

Yeah? Of course.

So.

I was always taught from pretty much when I was really young that money is not only necessary for basic needs, but it's also really important to have for stability and peace of mind. So when I was nine years old, my parents went through a divorce, and it was really important for me to understand that we have money to fall back on. My parents had always raised me to be very appreciative and grateful for the opportunities that we had growing up, and that we had money that they'd

Oh wow.

Yeah. When I was sixteen, I bought my first car outright, and I bought all of my lessons as well. And then when I was seventeen, I went on to pay for all my registration and stuff without any of their help. But you know, when I was younger, I kind of thought, oh, they're making me pay for all these things, and my friends don't have to do that. But now that I'm old, I'm really appreciative that they drilled that into me at a young age.

And you've just learned a lot through that process.

Yeah. So from there, I worked all through high school. I worked full hours during year twelve, which was a lot, and when I graduated it was peak COVID.

Oh no, yeah.

I went into university and I wasn't really enjoying it that much with you know, no one on a campus or anything. So I decided to go get a fun job and take a gap year, which turned into three gap years. Yeah, I stumbled into the seafaring industry just in hospitality, and I honestly can't look back.

So tell me a little bit more about how you stumbled into the seafaring industry to begin with, because that's niche. I don't know anybody who just goes. Oh, I stumbled into a.

Ship, So tell me a bit more about how that came to be.

I kind of had sat down with my mum and we talked through and I said, I'm not really sure of going to university right now is for me? And she kind of suggested that we had a distant family member who was working on a small luxury cruise liner, and she suggested that I go out and give it a try, and if it's not for me, then it's not for me. So I did, and within two weeks I was on a flight out of my hometown and Yeah, stepping foot into a boat.

How cool is that?

And you've loved it ever since, so much so that your partner is in the industry, and you don't see yourself leaving any time.

That is very very cool.

Yeah, Now tell me how a twenty one year old has managed to visit fifteen countries and also save sixty five thousand dollars, because sixty five thousand dollars is a lot of money in this economy, my friend.

How so, working on ships has made it really easy. When you're on board, you don't have really any expenses at all. So I didn't pay for any rent, I wasn't paying for food, I wasn't paying for my wine at the end of the day, like everything is pretty much included. They pay for your flights and your hotels, so that cuts out almost everything that anybody has to pay for. So it made it really easy to save.

I like the idea of the little wine at the end of the day being included. That's a little perk that I didn't expect of course.

Yeah.

And then also with that job, it allowed me to travel. We went to many countries like Japan, New Zealand, Indonesia, So working whilst traveling made it yeah again and really cheap and easy to go to all these places.

Yeah, how cool?

And did you get to travel while you were there, Like obviously, going to different countries, I would be so itchy.

I'd be like, I want to get off the ship.

I want to look at stuff like did you have time off the ships to explore?

Yeah? So I was really fortunate that I was working on an expedition cruise liner. So that means that they're in port or anchor every day and the guests get off and they go enjoy all these experiences. For us, obviously, we don't work twenty four hours in a day. We worked ten hours and then we had these huge breaks where we were able to get off and go ashore and you know, figure it out for ourselves. And yeah, I did some really great things.

That is very cool. So now tell me what do you currently do for work and how much money do you earn?

Yeah? So I'm currently a casual steward on board an overnight passenger ferry. My wage fluctuates each week, but at the moment, I'm averaging around three thousand, two hundred per fortnight after tax.

Oh my gosh.

Yeah, and I'm working about four days a week.

Oh money win.

And is it hard to get to and from from home? Because obviously if you're on a ferry, you'd have to live close to the port of the.

Faery and vice versa.

Like, how does all of that work if you end up in a different location for the evening. Do they still pay for your hotels and stuff like that?

Yeah, so the particular company I work for does pay for fuel. I live around an hour away from the port, so they do compensate for a lot of the fuel. And if I finish at midnight, I had the opportunity to stay at the onshore accommodation as well.

Yeah.

Cool, So you're also kind of safe as well, which I think is really important, like if you've had a really big shift at work or something like not having to drive that extra hour or I really.

Like that they do that for you.

And so you're earning about three thousand dollars each after tax per fortnite. And is that something that you will continue? Like are you currently studying in the industry, Like what's the plan for the future.

Yeah, so at the moment, I'm in a first year of Bachelor of Science majoring in marine biology. Currently this industry is working really well because I have the opportunity to study whilst working. So I do see myself doing it for the next couple of years.

How exciting. I love this.

I need to know now, what are your big money goals? What are you currently working towards? Because you got sixty five grand saved, so you're well on the way.

What does that look like?

Yeah, so the biggest money goal is for my partner and I to step into the property market. We are looking at purchasing an investment property hopefully next year.

With Zella, no doubt. Obviously you're going to come through us. We'll look after you.

Of course, I've already let my boyfriend know who are going through.

Oh, you're a solid one, I owe you.

Yeah, so we kind of came across that decision because we both have the opportunity to live at home still, and we also both work away for long periods of time, so it only made sense for us to look into renvesting.

Yeah, that's very cool and a good idea at your age where you still don't know where you're going to be placed. I was saying to you off air before we started recording. In the maritime industry, I've had a fair few friends go through this and they always end up in the most random location. So you kind of can't predict where your family home is going to be, so I feel like we're investing will really work for you.

Into the property market is the biggest money goal. But obviously my partner and I do have itchy feet. We do want to travel to a lot of places, so saving up a bit of a travel fund as well is yeah.

On the books, I love this.

Where to next I don't know, but still sort of deciding hopefully Southeast as do a couple of months there.

A couple of months. Ah, you're living the dream.

I feel like I have additional fomo now that I'm a mum. I'm like, also, it must be nice to be able to go and spend a couple of months in a different country that's now no longer an option for me, so a little bit envious. That sounds awesome. I actually have a whole heap more questions for you. But let's go to a really quick break and on the flip side, I want to know more about investment.

So guys, don't go anywhere.

Money diarista. We are back, and I want to know do you invest if not?

Why not? If so?

In what?

I have started dipping my toes into investing. I currently have three thousand dollars in Rays.

Ooh, that's exciting.

I'm using the roundups feature and also investing fifty dollars weekly.

At the moment, what made you pick that platform?

And what was I guess the trigger to even download an investing platform to begin with, Like, what was your all right now I'm gonna do it moment?

Yeah, So I'd never really considered investing just yet until I'd listened to Shoes on the Money and I had a few friends that were using Rays kind of just to get their head around it. They recommended that as well. So that's why I chose that platform.

At what point were You're like, you know what, I'm actually going to start this because I feel like so many of us really struggle with that pulling the trigger moment, like we talk about oh yeah, I'll do that, I'll download the app, and like it can feel like an admin nightmare, even though it's not like you literally download the app. I feel like we all put it off, So what made you download it?

I was talking about it with one of my friends and he kind of mentioned about how he's just started doing it, and that was like.

I'm missing Outoo. I like it.

Yeah, absolutely, Pea pressure works for a lot of things, and I'm honest not mad if it works to get people investing, Like, I'm happy to be that little bit of a bully if it means that you're in a better financial position.

So I really like your friend. What a legend.

Yeah, and I also have eighteen thousand in my super.

Oh very cool. Eighteen grand at twenty one is looking very very nice. Is there anything about your super that you're like, I want to contribute more or are you just watching it tick over?

Like do you have a super plan?

Yeah, I'm hoping that once I become a permanent, full time employee that I can start salary sacrificing. For now, it's just not really viable. I also have a goal to look into my superannuation because I haven't really looked into how it's going. I just sort of checked the balance and that was it.

I like that.

I feel like that is a very good plan and it's super easy to do. So smash that one out, my friend. I want to know. I feel like the answer is no. But do you have any debts? If so, what are they? If not, have you ever been in debt? And how do you feel about it?

I do have two two thousand dollars in my hex at the moment, which is going to grow as I finish my degree, but apart from that, I've never been in any other debt.

That's very cool.

Now two thousand dollars on hex is looking pretty good. But as someone with a hex step, that's only going to increase over time, how does that make you feel? Have you got a hex plan or are you just looking at it going nope? That's absolutely fine by me, Like, what are your thoughts?

Yeah, it is a little uncomfortable to know that it is going to go up a little bit. I haven't really thought too much about it as of yet. I always had the idea that I was just going to let it tick along. But now the indexation being a little bit bigger than I had anticipated. I might have to look into doing some contributions towards that, but I haven't really gained enough information to sort of make a decision yet.

I feel like one of the best things you can do, given your mix of circumstances, so your HEX is going to increase, but you also are planning on buying property and you have a nice amount of savings, one of the best things that you can potentially do is talk to a mortgage broker. And the reason I say that is so that you can understand how your HEX is going to impact on your ability to get a loan. Now,

Money darist.

I'll stop on my rant because I want to go back to you. Tell me feel like you're going to have some good money habits to share with us.

What have you got? What's your best money habit?

So my best money habit would be that I'm very good at living within my means. For example, I currently share a two thousand and two car with my boyfriend. We're not very interested in buying anything new or shiny. If it'll do, it'll do. I'm also very good at, like not falling into micro trends and purchasing something just because it's cool at the time. I think that that's yeah become a real big issue lately.

Micro trends is a good one.

I hadn't really heard it framed that way before, but I totally am buying into this micro trend thing. I'm assuming when you say micro trends, you're talking about like consumer items like the Stanley cup or a particular lipstick.

Is that what you mean by micro trends?

Yeah, like the Stanley cup, or like buying the new Sumbers when you know you've already got perfectly good shoes at home.

Yes, I love this concept.

I'm going to steal this concept from you and make it an entire podcast because I feel like micro trends could be ruining our financial lives probably. So what other good money habits have you got?

I've just become really good at saving where I need to. I won't purchase something that's expensive without really good thought about it. I've learned not to be really impulsive, So I'll let it sit in my shopping cart for a week, and if I really want it, I will get it.

Yeah. I love that.

I feel like putting at least twenty four hours between you and your spending leads to better financial decisions. But if you can leave it a week, like, I feel like that's even better. But my friend, I have itchy feet and I'm impulsive, So I'm just gonna stick with my twenty four hours because I feel like that's reasonable. But if you can leave it a week sligh, do you have any bad money habits, like what do you think is your worst?

I do? And you're really not gonna like me for this?

Not a thing.

I love everybody, regardless of their decisions.

I have got absolutely no structure or budget towards managing my money.

How do you save sixty five grand and not budget at all? I feel like you're better at it than me.

Then I don't know. I just sort of get paid and then I take out what I need when I need it, Like I don't transfer four hundred dollars a week for this. If I need to go to the shops for groceries, I'll just transfer what I'm about to pay.

Yeah, okay, I feel like that is very common for your demographic, because obviously you don't have heaps of overheads like I'm assuming in this situation. You said you were living at home, so there's clearly no rent and there's no real big bills. You don't have a car repayment or anything. So this makes sense for your situation. But

Yeah. Absolutely, So my twenty twenty four goal is to get my budgeting sorted and start managing what comes in and out. But I'm still sort of yet to get there.

That's okay, I'm going to fix you up. I feel like I've been doing this a lot on the show recently. It's not normal for me to do this, but we're going to keep doing it because I like it. I'm going to give you my Money Masterclass, which will do all of the budgeting and cash flow for you. So it's like an epic spreadsheet. I'm biased because I made it,

I think the budgeting as well as being more resourceful. I have access to be able to look into lowering my phone bill, or exploring different banks, or exploring my super but I just haven't done that yet. As soon as I get into that and step into the property market and start budgeting just becoming more organized all over, I think it would take me up to an.

A plus totally.

And I need you to be good at budgeting before you get a mortgaged, my friend, like it is going to give you whiplash. A mortgage, it's not terrifying, but having that amount of money leave your account and you go, wait, what, Like this month, I didn't want to save that amount, I wanted to go on a holiday. Like it locks you in in a way that you've probably never been

I look perfect on paper.

But also just putting yourself in a position where you're like, no, I'm actually totally in control of this, and I can afford a mortgage or a payment of X, or maintaining my lifestyle and still be able to travel and whatnot. I think just puts you in the best possible position to be successful long term.

Wonderful. Thank you.

How good is this money Diarist? Unfortunately, I think that's all we have time for today.

But I've loved this. This has been so.

Fun knowing that you're in an industry that you're really passionate about. But also you're a killer saver and you are absolutely smashing it out of the park. I'm so proud that you're in our community. So thank you so much for sharing your story with us today. I know our community are going to listen along and maybe be a little bit envious that you've saved so much at such a young age, But I think we've also taken some tipbits along the way to put ourselves in a better position.

So thank you, We really, really appreciate it.

Thank you so much for having me. It was great to meet you.

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