MONEY DIARIES: The FIFO Nurse Force of Nature!

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 are millennials who want financial freedom. Welcome back to another one of our money diaries where I get the privilege of talking to one of our beautiful She's on the Money community members all about their journey. Let's jump straight into it, because this week I got a message and it went like this Hive. I came to Australia from the Philippines on a student visa almost thirteen years ago. I was a struggling student who worked odd jobs to support my studies.

And cost of living here.

I had some pretty traumatizing experiences that made me almost want to go back home. However, I was firm that I wanted to make Australia my home. Fast forward to today, I'm an Australian citizen who earns between one hundred and eighty and two hundred thousand dollars a year plus super works as a travel nurse all over the country and

What I feel like crying here is that.

Wow, I'm just so impressed. Is your family like super proud of you?

I think? So?

Yah?

What do you mean you think so? I absolutely know so.

That is crazy to me to go from being in the Philippines knowing what the average salary is like, wanting a better life, having gone through some traumatic experiences, and now going, you know what, I earn between one hundred and eighty and two hundred grand.

All by myself, Like, are you joking? I'm so proud of you. Can we learn a little bit more about this, Let's do a money diary.

Oh, I'm actually very nervous.

Oh, don't be nervous. I promise I don't buy it. Let's jump into it.

The first question I always ask our money diarists, what grade would you give your money habits from an A through to an F.

I've been thinking about this a lot. I think I want to give myself a B plus.

A B plus.

All right, let's learn more about that, because I already know I don't agree, but that is Okay, money diarist, tell me a little bit more about your upbringing and your money story.

Okay, So I'm the second eldest of six kids. I think we are from a middle income family. My parents own a meat shop, and whilst I know they were earning good money for Philipino standards, my dad is a chronic gambler.

No.

Yeah, for almost four decades of their married life, Like, I've witnessed them fighting over money, and I've witnessed my parents telling at least nine properties to pay for my dad's debts. My dad is a good guy, but it's just as an addiction.

I like that you preface that because I think sometimes when you talk about addiction, people automatically go that's an awful thing.

That's a bad person trait.

It's not like people who have addictions are just people with addictions, Like they can be the kindest, best human beings in the entire world, and they're struggling with something and need support.

So that must be really hard on your family, very hard.

Growing up. I've seen how my mom has weathered all the storm. She was really good with money. I knew that we had the money to buy things, but we grew up not forgetting what we want. I remember going to Thistroy store and I wouldn't say a word because I know what my mom would say, Oh, we don't have the money to buy that, although I knew that they had the money. But thinking of it, if my mom wasn't like that, we probably would have not graduated.

Oh my god, she must be so proud of all of her babies.

I'm so proud of my mom, Like, yeah, she's my inspiration.

I love her.

What a woman like, especially to go through that for literally four decades and to still be like, no, I'm supporting my family.

We're going to get here. I need to be the strong one, like, uh, women acquaens, aren't they?

Yeah? And she was the one who pushed me to go to Australia. So to give you a bit of a background, So I'm a registered nurse back in my country, but at that time, there were so many nursing graduates and there wasn't enough work for us. What's happening before was we would go and be forced. Did you volunteer work so unpaid labor so that we could get experience? Because my ultimate goal at the time was to get out of my country.

Yeah.

Wow, Like a registered nurse probably will get paid less than three hundred dollars a month.

My god, three hundred dollars a month for such a critical role.

That is so unfair. Absolutely not.

I remember I was in my early twenties and I didn't have the money to go for holidays or to buy things and all that, and I would still ask money for my parents. I remember bringing work kilos of meat to sell for my colleagues so I can help, I can lit a bit of fundy.

Oh my gosh, how did you source that?

Well, my parents have meet shop.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's right.

I was like, so you're just organizing all of their snacks and dinners as well as doing your work.

Oh my gosh.

And so tell me more about this journey. Obviously at this point you still hadn't left the Philippines.

Yeah. So what my end goal was to go to the US. I did my qualifying exam and passed my it's called MPEx, so I got my license to the US, got a sponsorship for being hard. But then the piece of backlog was so hard and it was taking me ages to go there. I was like, okay, maybe I'll try to Canada, but then I got scammed. No what, My mom gave a lot of money to them and for nothing, and I decided I'll probably go to Saudi Arabia, but my experience at the time wasn't enough, so they

Yeah, for international students. It's so insane, it's so ridiculous.

Yeah, So there's no way I could be able to afford it. So I've got the cheapest course I could get from the cheapest school that could accept me. Yeah, and I did certificate for Information Technology and I had no plans at the time. I was like thinking, or maybe before my visa ends, I'll find a guy who I fall in love with and give me a bison or something.

I love.

This planet's gone from I should find a guy to give me a visa to. By the way, I earned two hundred grand on my own and I don't need no man.

This is a good story. This is my favorite story.

I'm thinking very much single.

Now, you're just too intimidating for the men. I I don't know.

But anyway, so I had to work on jobs, do house cleaning and babysitting, and I was actually at one point put into a position where my client didn't actually want me to clean and do something else for him.

No.

Yeah, I was super scared at that time, but thankfully he did not force me. And yeah, I told my sister and I told her not to tell my mom, but she ended up telling my mom. She was asking me to go home, but I was like, come this way to go home, I'm not going. So I just learned how to be more mindful of accepting jobs and all that, and I made it through. And then I remember I had this client who told me that she

I cannot believe that.

And so we ended up being lucky enough to get you in Australia and you're gonna stay here.

Oh of course, yes, this is my whole now.

So we get to keep you.

I love this, and we now have your sister and your nineteen year old brother. I adore this. So let's talk more about money. You obviously mentioned that you're a traveling nurse. We've mentioned what you earn, but can you get into what is a travel nurse and how does the pay system work?

Okay, So I've been nursing here in Australia from early twenty thirteen to now you're twenty eighteen. I hit a cross road. I was so stressed out with nursing. I didn't want to do it anymore. I felt like I had compassion for tea, but that's all I knew. I was already doing a senior role, and I decided, before I go nurs I will restart. And I tried doing cosmetic nursing, which I hated. I felt like my hands weren't made for it. So I thought of what do I really like doing and what tools I know how

Yeah wow. And you get to see all of Australia and travel and you love that.

And we do have downtime as well, so the constant stress is not there, like we get down times and we're able to recuperate and all that. But of course it has its trade offs.

Yeah wow. So how often are you actually home?

Then that's the truth question, because I don't have a home base now. So from twenty eighteen, I've given up my rent although my sister and father lives in Sydney. If someone asks me where do you live, I live where I get sent At the moment, I'm living in north like Queensland. In last month, I was living in Victoria.

Wow, So do you just live from a suitcase?

Because I could not do that, Like I would get so stressed being away from home.

I have two suitcases, yea, one winter and one summer. So I left my other suitcase at my sister's place.

Yeah, of course, but now I try.

This with everything in one suitcase, you know, like warm clothes and stuff. Because with my job, you'll never know. You'll be in somewhere really hot, and then next thing you know, you're in Tasmania or you're in Victoria whatsoever.

Yeah, absolutely, especially within two weeks of each other. Like it's been reason cold in Victoria and then you go to Queensland and it's like forty degree weather, so like, oh my gosh, I wouldn't know what to do.

That's actually so cool.

So have you the whole time that you've worked as a travel nurse always earned between one eighty and two hundred thousand or is that something that you've kind of worked up to no.

For financial year twenty twenty two, I earned two hundred seventeen thousand. Oh my gosh, yeah, because I was doing a lot of other times. Last year I earned one hundred eighty six but because I went on a lot of holidays. Because if we're on our personal leads, we don't get paid of course.

Yeah.

Well, prior to the corvid searge, I was earning maybe around one hundred or the most one hundred two thousand, but I was doing a lot of traveling overseas at the time.

Yeah.

Wow, I feel like you're living the dream. Do you think that that's sustainable? Like will you always be a travel nurse? Or you said before, I am still single, Like do you think that you'll find and someone and settle down and want to, you know, maybe stay in one place.

Someone's telling me that with this job you won't be able to find someone. Who take this seriously because I feel like we're in the transient box. So that actually motivates me to make the use of my time now so that i'd be able to have the freedom to do what I want in the future, because I know that I also do want to have a relationship and maybe a family one day, So I'm not sure if I want to have this year as my last year as a travel nurse, but we'll see at the end

Yeah.

Wow, we know you own three properties and you're about to buy your fourth. Can you tell me about your money goals, like what are your big money goals at the moment?

What are you working towards?

Oh, big money goals? So my short term is to get the Ford investment property this year and also top up my super so I could buy my ship investment property through Super this year as well. That's my short term money goal, and then my long term money goal is to be able to live off of the properties and have you know, more freedom, like not exchange my time for money anymore, and do different things.

I am shook at how good you are at this, Like I'm just looking at it, going, holy moly, Like having come from the Philippines, gone through what you've gone through to now earning what you're earning and knowing how to invest it.

I'm just looking at you, going, holy moly, you are so good. I have a lot more questions.

Let's go to a really quick break and on the other side, I want to know about your investment strategy, how you got into your first property, and all of the juicy details around that. So guys don't go anywhere, all right, money diarist, you are absolutely.

Killing it, Like I am so proud of you.

We know that you have three properties and you're about to go onto your full Then the next question I want to ask is about investments. So can you take me through the investments that you own? So what properties do you own? Do you have any other investments? And how on earth did you know how to do this?

Yes, okay, So my mom talked me into investing properties, but I was investing in the Philippines. I sold two properties and bought another two.

Oh, just a property flipper, You just have millions of properties.

No, it's just that I saw it from my mom like whorst comes to words, like she could just sell property and build my dad out of trouble.

Oh my gosh.

So now the Philippines. I have one property that I share with my sister and then I've sold one but she's still paying it off like I sold it to my sister. The other property, I call it my yolo money, your yolow money. My Yolow money is the money I got from my properties from the Philippines.

Okay, well, I wouldn't be looking at it as like a Yolow money.

I would be looking at as well.

But you know what, whatever's working for you, it's working for you, beb Yeah.

And then here in Australia, so I've got three properties one inch long, one in sinside Victoria in Melbourne, which is just turning over hopefully this month. I was able to see the inspection when I was there, and then the third ones in one ray Wa.

Yeah.

So I'm currently working in my court. The pre approval was already all good to go, and I have my deposit as well ready, so I'm just waiting for the right property to be presented to me. And then I've got one hundred two thousand dollars in Super?

How much in Super?

Sorry?

Could you repeat that?

One hundred and two?

You were one hundred and two thousand dollars in Super as well? You are a money queen.

I took some money out as well before I knew that I shouldn't be taking money out.

Yeah, okay, clearly didn't impact you too negatively.

And then I've got shares as well.

Of course you do. What are they I'm not really.

Proud of my shares investing experience, but I've put one hundred k on shares and thirty thousand in crypto, and they're very negative at the moment.

Tell me how you picked your shares.

One hundred thousand dollars in shares, You must be a savings queen to I have a one hundred grand in super one hundred grand in shares. I mean, I don't love the crypto, but you get what you get, and you don't get upset.

You've got so much property.

What? Okay? So before I got into property, I wasn't too shares. Yeah, And someone introduced me to shares, and initially I was picking blue chip stock yep. I was very risk averse. But then I got someone showing me her portfolio and she was like, you should try penny stocks because I'm earning so much from it. Yes, I have a gambling blood.

Yeah, it runs in the family, I get it. Yeah, but this is way more constructive, Like investing is not gambling, so like I feel like we're panneling this properly now.

Yeah, but I was more of a gambler before when I was doing shares. I was chasing speculative stocks. I was going over with the herd and all that. I was chasing the thrill of, you know, the volatility. And I'm actually not looking at my shares at the moment because I'm really not proud of it at the moment. But I'm holding it as long as possible and hopefully it turns out well. Like my goal is to maybe check it one undid years old and see if you know, I might could retire from that one.

I think with that amount of money in shares and in crypto, you should be getting some advice to put it together properly, Like don't.

Bury you ahead until you're fifty. Go get some advice.

Have it all structured properly, like a financial advisor will, like rebalance your portfolio properly and make sure you're in the best possible position because that's so much money. No burying our head in the sand. You're too smart for this.

I was so that when the market dip, I went into the travel nursing two point zero, so it didn't really affect me that much because I was earning a lot of money and I wasn't really spending a lot because I don't pay rent at all, So I shifted my focus from shares to property investings. I came across someone who's got thirteen properties. There are a couple. He was only thirty seven when he retired and now it's

Smart girl us So smart.

My focus now is just property. But I'm hoping once I get my numbers, I'll go back to shares and I'll probably focus on blue chip stocks and dividen't paying stocks.

So yeah, so smart, I want to know a little bit more about your properties.

So you have properties in Geelong, Melbourne and Bunbury.

And when you say Geelong and Bunbury to me, as an ex financial advisor, I know that they are growth suburbs like Geelong and Bunbury have been pinpointed in my mind for a while. There's lots of them, but more recently, I feel like a lot of bias agents and investors are looking in these areas to buy property because they're basically growth corridors. Have you got a bias agent is someone advising you on where you're purchasing?

I do, so I have to Property Portfolio Partners.

Yeah wow, how did you find them listening to podcasts?

So I got into this company because I have always been listening to their podcast because I was trying to learn about property investing and like, I don't really want to do it myself. I want to utilize someone else's expertise.

And make them most sut you I was asking because I was like, interesting because those properties are in locations that I know a growth corridor. Is like, where are you getting this information from? That sounds like you've got a bias agent.

I love that. Have your experiences with them been really good?

Yeah, it's been really good. So my first one was this off the plants, and they do a lot of mentorship. I've had a really good experience with them. But my strategy now is going for established properties because I don't know how long I will be in this job for and of course my service ability will be infected once I change jobs. So now that I have this powering capacity and my income is high, I like you maybe fast track it. That's why now I'm to establish properties.

Yeah, because you don't have to wait around for the property to be built and then have to get the loan at the end.

Like, that's quite smart. Tell me, now, how much debt are you in and what does that look like a lot look with nearly four properties. I didn't expect you to say zero.

Yeah, so my first one, I have five hundred and seventeen thousand on that and I'm paying at six point twenty nine percent. But the value of that now is around six hundred and sixty thousand.

Oh, very nice.

Yeah, and that's renting.

Now, how long have you had that for?

Well, I've been renting it at all almost six year now. I got it here twenty twenty one. Yep, so I started my property investing in Journey twenty twenty one.

How much are you renting that property out for?

It's only two thoy twenty six a month. I'm heavily negatively geared on this one, but I'm actually very excited from tax return time.

Because yeah, because it will offset your tax. Yeah, yeah, yes, smart woman.

All right, tell me about property number two.

Property number two, I have a loan of four hundred forty nine thousand, four one hundred ninety eight at six point ninety nine percent. I haven't actually checked the valuation for this one, but when the land settled it was up forty thousand.

Oh my gosh, how good.

Yeah. I think the comparable sale price is around six hundred to six hundred fifty k in that area. So this will settle soon. I'm hoping to get a good valuation from that one as well.

Is that one layd out?

Oh? This one is almost turnover. I've just been there for pre inspection last week.

All right, that's what you said before. Yeah, and what do you think you rented out for.

Hopefully five hundred a week?

Yeah?

Cool? And then property number three.

Yeah, that's the Bunbury Wah three hundred thirty seven, nine hundred fifteen and interest is at six point seventy nine percent. And I just had a look and the valuation is four hundred thirty four thousand. Wow, this one's the best one. I'm renting it out four five hundred a week.

No you're not. That's actually so good.

And so the first property that you mentioned is that Geelong, Yeah, Geelong.

Second is the Inside Melbourne, and then the Bundary wa.

How exciting. And then you've got a plan to purchase another one later in the year.

Yeah, I'm getting frustrated because so Michael was to get that property last year for my birthday, so I had it already, but then they said the stock levels right now is very low and the competition is really high because I'm almost a capacity, So I'm like, I really want to get it over and of it because I already have the deposits and all that.

Yeah.

Wow, So tell me about your savings habits because I know you said, oh, I'm a bit of a gambler in the share market. Like, you can't be that big of a gambler if you're able to purchase properties.

Like, what do your savings habits look like?

Well, when I was doing shares, I was really really bad. I would put almost all my pay to shares. I even got a credit card, but what the credit card was zero persons interests, but I was using it to buy shares as well. That's how bad I was. Yeah wow, Yeah, but then as soon as I decided to go into property, the savings game has gone up.

A lot of people say that they say they're not amazing with money until they have property, which is kind of like forced savings, but it's like, yeah, a double edged sword, right, because you have to have some money to be able to get into property to begin with.

Yeah, you're forcing to a lifestyle, but I don't feel like I'm actually compromising on my lifestyle because I get to travel for free. I have like a one bedroom apartment all to my own for free and all that.

So I love it, And I love your viewpoint. You're so positive about all of this and you're just killing it. What do you think your best money habit is?

Of course, I live within my knees, Yep. I'm not really big on shopping. I don't like branded stoffs. Not that that I have anything against those who likes that, but I just don't find happiness in that. I'm for experiences, yeah, fair, Yeah, And I also know a lot of hacks, especially when it comes to eating out, Like I use apps, it, club first, table, the fork, anything that you give me discount because I love eating out.

Yeah, fair, fair, and all of those websites are so good at giving you a discount when you eat like it just makes it a no brainer, right you go?

Why would I go if I'm not getting a discount? Now?

Yeah?

True?

True.

I love that. So what do you think your worst money habit is?

Whors money habit. I splurge a lot on my family, like I would always shout out dinners and all that, and then I've made them come to Australia a few times in all expenses staates.

But I love that you're treating your family because you love them.

Yeah, but I'm thinking in a financial perspective, my money could have gone further if I wasn't really splurging a lot on this. But I don't regret it, like it makes me happy.

Yeah.

And you said that you like experiences over things anyway, and I'm assuming you would love to experience things with your family.

True.

I don't think that's about it all.

I really like it, you said at the very start, and I scoffed at it.

You said, I.

Think my money habits a B plus, and then you went on to explain that you not only have three properties, you want four, and you're working towards that. At the end of the year, you've got one hundred and two grand in super You've got one hundred grand of shares, thirty thousand dollars worth of crypto, You've got all these properties lined up, Like you have your head screwed on and you're so positive.

Why do you think you're a B plus and what would make you an A plus?

Okay, The thing is, I have been presented with this great opportunity to earn money and save money, and I feel like if I were an A minus or an A plus, I could you have probably bought more proper.

No, you're way ahead of all of us.

I don't know. That's just what I'm thinking. It's like I've had a massive opportunity cost loss with my shares because I wasn't really thinking properly. I was emotionally investing in. If I wasn't, you.

Were learning, I'm learning.

Yeah, give yourself a little bit more credit. People are listening to this, going, oh my gosh, she's incredible, Like this level of financial literacy you've given yourself and taught yourself, and you're still being generous to your family to bring them over and just give them their best lives. Like, oh my gosh, you're an A plus to me. Like, I'm not gonna argue with you if you've got more to achieve, but at the end of the day, I think you're so impressive I.

Think I consider myself as ape us if I no longer trade money with time, like if I have the financial.

Free, Yeah, that would be very sexy. I like it.

Yeah, my goal is to semi retires forty. I'm not sure if i'd be able to get it, but yeah, I think I'm on track.

Oh my gosh, I'm so proud of you, Money Diarist. Unfortunately, that is all we have time for today. It has been beautiful getting to know you and learning a bit more about your story, and you've been so generous with your time, but also just how open you've been.

Thank you so much for sharing.

Oh, thank you so much. Like you've been a great instrument to this. I've been listening to your podcast and I've read your books, and yeah.

You are so kind. Oh my gosh, I love it. Thank you. I really appreciate it.

Thank you for having me.

The advice shared on She's on the Money is generally 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 invent meant all financial decision. If you do choose to buy a financial product, read the PDS, TMD and obtain appropriate financial advice tailored towards