She's On The Money

Spoiler: Our goal-setting habits are broken. But, it’s not your fault. It’s the psychology we’re raised with.

It’s Deep Dive time! And this financial new year, Victoria and Jess are here to help you get out of your own way, so you can start ticking off those EOFY resolutions nice and early. How? By revisiting the psychology behind setting and sustaining financial goals for the year. 

During this episode, the girls share insights about how current approaches to budgeting, investing and general goal-setting might actually be limiting our capabilities, plus ways we might...

This week's Money Diary starts with what should have been a straightforward hospital visit.

Her husband was 32, healthy, active, and recovering from glandular fever when doctors spotted something completely unexpected on a scan. A few months later, they received the news nobody expects to hear: it was cancer. What followed was months of waiting, uncertainty and trying to keep life moving while living in limbo.

But there's another part of this story that really stuck with me. Just over a year earlier, after hearing countless conversations about money, they finally decided to sort out their...

Who among us has struggled with spending? Alright, how many of you answered ‘yes’ because you struggle to *spend* money, rather than spending it too freely?

This week on Friday Drinks, Bec and Jess discuss a handful of money dilemmas from our community, including one about having a frugal money mindset that’s actively impacting your ability to spend. They also discuss whether it’s worthwhile to withdraw your investments to fund a business idea. 

Join us for another playful episode featuring a silly Question of the Week, plus, Money Wins and Broke Tips, including how to ex...

Tax. You’ll do it “later”, right? Famous last words, my friends. This week’s Deep Dive is here to save your EOFY by giving you a laundry list of things to consider ahead of June 30. 

Whether you’re employed, a side-hustler or a sole trader, Victoria and Jess have gathered their recommendations for approaching the new financial year with confidence – and they’ve got the receipts to prove it.

They’ll cover the latest changes to CGT, including how and when it might impact your investments, as well as immediate considerations if you’ve been worried about...

Growing up this week's money diarist remembers boiling water on the stove for baths because the gas had been disconnected, landlords turning up at the front door looking for unpaid rent, and feeling like she never quite fit in because everyone else seemed to have things her family couldn't afford.

Determined to create a different life for herself, she worked hard, saved aggressively, finished university and built what she thought was her dream future with her long-term partner.

Then, two months before their wedding, she received a message request from his ex-girlfriend.

The...

Say it with me: equal isn’t always equitable.

On Friday Drinks, Jess and Bec cover a very juicy DM concerning inheritances, where one sister has received a lifetime of financial support, while the other is fighting for what she believes is her fair share of the will. Is it considered equal for the more independent child to get a larger share in the end or is there more to it than that?

This episode is also packed with insights for the side hustlers and how they might allocate their earnings. Do you split it in...

You’ve started your investing journey (yay!), but you’re oblivious about how your portfolio is going to be taxed during this financial year (boo!). 

If this year’s budget convos about Capital Gains Tax (CGT) have you sweating, strap in for a deliciously informative Deep Dive.

In this episode, Victoria and Jess discuss how shares and ETFs are taxed, explaining the difference between dividends, distributions and franking credits, plus how to offset your earnings or your income when completing your tax return.

Learn how to make the most of your investing platforms, why it...

She's 25, owns her home, has paid off her HECS debt, has more than $50,000 in super, is building an investment portfolio and somehow still rated herself a B- when I asked how she felt about her money habits.

Growing up in regional Victoria, she got her first job at 14 and never really slowed down. While most of us were spending our weekends hanging out with friends, she was working supermarket shifts, saving for her future and helping her parents renovate investment properties.

That work ethic followed her everywhere.

Through nursing placements, night s...

Be honest. Has money ever got in the way of a friendship? Sure. It’s nice when everyone you know has the same money values as you, but it’s far more likely that your earnings, spending habits, and beliefs are just as different as your birth charts! 

This week on Friday Drinks, Bec and Jess answer your pressing questions around pausing investments to pay for a wedding, fast food preferences and what happens when your friends are in their spend-now-worry-later era. 

While V’s away, we’re bringing you some cheeky Broke Tips plus your marve...

It’s mid-year money reset-time! The end of financial year brings all of that new money energy, without the post fireworks slump. Not only is it a time where people are already looking at their finances (or looking out for a tax return), it’s a brand new chapter for folks who want to rewrite their money story. Frankly, with all of the cost of living pressures adding up, it feels right to pause and hit reset.

Join Bec and Jess for a Deep Dive into EOFY energy; our highlights and lowlights from the year that’s been...

This week's Money Diary feels a little bit like proof that where you start doesn't have to determine where you end up. She grew up in a tiny village in Eastern Europe in the aftermath of communism, where family holidays weren't a thing, money was scarce, and the future often looked a lot like the past. But even as a kid, she couldn't stop wondering what was on the other side of the horizon.

At 16, she won a scholarship that changed everything. A few years later, she arrived in Australia with just $20 to her name, planning to st...

Your bestie just asked you to be their bridesmaid, which has you wondering: will you (or your friendship) ever financially recover from this?

Happy Friday Drinks to all who celebrate. In this week’s episode, Victoria and Jess cover the costs of being a bridesmaid in a distressed (but very relatable) DM. With nuptials on the menu, they also respond to a Money Dilemma which asks which money chats should we be having before getting engaged? 

Before linking your life (and your finances) with your lover, what money stories, habits and convos need to be tab...

Skincare, makeup, and beauty treatments. When did they first pop up on our spending radar and why?

This week’s Deep Dive gets a little… deep. Bec and Jess discuss the cost of beauty standards: who sets them, sustains them, and how we might look at the whole topic with a raised (and sometimes fluffed) eyebrow. 

Because, whether you overtly subscribe to them or not, beauty standards don’t just affect folks who love a trend, they have the tendency to impact our spending habits and perceptions of value, and even our self worth. And it’s no...

This week's Money Diary is proof that earning more money doesn't automatically make you feel secure. Growing up, she was constantly worried about money. Not because her family was struggling, but because she'd picked up on snippets of conversations and quietly convinced herself there was never enough.

So she did what a lot of us do. She worked hard. Really hard.

She got her first job at 14, worked multiple jobs through uni, saved obsessively and thought financial security would come from earning more. But after graduating and looking closely at her spending for the first time...

They’re in the same role as you, have less experience and are somehow being paid more? A whopping $25k more. So, are you being underpaid or simply not asking for what you’re really worth?

On this week’s Friday Drinks, we’re covering career-coded Money Dilemmas. One person asks whether it’s ever worth it to stay in a job you love, even if it means taking longer to reach your money goals. 

And someone’s being underpaid! Or are they? With a less-experienced colleague being paid more for the same role, this community mem...

So you can be overinsured and you can be underinsured, but can you ever just be insured enough in your super? 

‘10 Things I Hate About You’ jokes aside, we yapped about insurance with friend of the pod Phil Thompson from Skye Wealth. Join us on the Deep Dive couch as we unpack a couple of case studies to demonstrate what it might look like to be overinsured, plus how an underinsured person might get sufficient cover, followed by a quickfire round of questions from our She’s on the Money community.

Tune in if you’ve ever w...

A little heads up before you press play: this episode contains conversations about financial abuse and coercive control. It’s an incredibly important conversation, but please look after yourself while listening.

This week’s Money Diary is raw in a way I don’t think I was fully prepared for.

At 21, she fell in love with an older man and slowly built a life around him. Over time, she gave up uni, stopped working, helped raise his children, and handed over control of her finances without really realising how much of herself she was losing in the...

The dentist can be spenny, but necessary. So what happens when you can’t afford an appointment? And what if your treatment is kinda important or worse… urgent?

This week on Friday Drinks, we discuss a Money Dilemma that questions whether we can ever really afford to miss health-related appointments when we’re in debt.

We also answer a DM that’s all about diversification and whether buying diversified ETFs is enough. If you’ve been afraid to ask the question or considering how to diversify your portfolio, this episode’s for you. 

New here? Joi...

Spoiler: ETFs aren’t that deep. So why are so many of us (okay, you) still so intimidated by them when it comes to investing? On this week’s Deep Dive, Bec and Victoria cover the acronym that’s causing a stir in our comments section. 

Exchange Traded Funds or ETFs are just one of the ways that many Aussies are investing, and for good reason too. They’re a bundle of shares that give you some healthy exposure to a range of companies, industries and asset classes that you mightn't have otherwise. 

In this episode, w...

This week’s Money Diary is one of those “wait… this is actually so relatable” conversations. She’s a newly admitted lawyer who spent years living paycheck to paycheck while studying, prioritising travel over investing and genuinely having no idea what an ETF even was.

Fast forward a few years and life suddenly got very expensive, very quickly.

An apartment. A wedding. A honeymoon. Another holiday. A puppy. Moving costs. Furniture. And somewhere in the middle of all of that, she and her husband had the slightly nauseating realisation that they’d spent hundreds of thousands of...

Okay… this one still feels a bit surreal to say out loud. Right after the federal budget dropped, I sat down with Australia’s Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, and Finance Minister Katy Gallagher to ask the questions our She’s on the Money community actually wants answered. We covered a lot.

We spoke about housing affordability, negative gearing, capital gains tax changes, childcare costs, women’s health, paid parental leave, fuel prices, the gender pay gap and what the government is actually doing about the cost of living pressure Australians are feeling right now. We also had a really...

Right after the federal budget dropped, I sat down with some of Australia’s most powerful ministers and political voices to ask the questions our community actually cares about. Not the polished political talking points… the real stuff. Housing affordability, childcare costs, rising bills, negative gearing, fuel prices, domestic violence support, women’s financial security and whether Australians are genuinely better off after this budget.

Across this bonus episode, I speak with Housing Minister Clare O'Neil, Social Services Minister Tanya Plibersek, Infrastructure Minister Catherine King, Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen and Independent MP Monique Ryan about...

The federal budget has dropped… and Australians have opinions.

So Victoria sat down with Australia’s Treasurer, Jim Chalmers, immediately after the budget announcement to ask the questions everyone actually wants answered. From negative gearing and capital gains tax changes to the cost of living crisis, fuel prices, housing affordability, tax cuts and why blueberries suddenly cost what feels like a small mortgage repayment.

They also get into the political backlash surrounding the budget, why the government changed its position on housing tax reform, whether Canberra is disconnected from how tough things feel financially right now...

Sometimes being nosey pays off. Other times, it reveals that your partner hasn’t paid off their $40k credit card debt.

Stressy and a little scandalous, this week’s episode of Friday Drinks covers a Money Dilemma about whether a listener should use their reno savings to help pay off her partner’s business debt. All $140,000 of it. 

And, is debt worse if it’s a secret? This week’s DM comes from a listener who stumbled across something they wish they hadn’t… their boyfriend’s secret $40k credit card debt. We tackle the question of confr...

This episode is what happens when financial planning and family planning have a baby.

Why is it that egg-freezing and IVF feel like buzzwords; distant things that are only relevant once we (or the people we care about) start to consider the options? This changes now.

Joining us on this week’s Deep Dive is sought-after fertility specialist and friend of the pod, Doctor Nicole Hope. The Medical Director at Newlife IVF has helped people to conceive and grow families for the last 20 years. Naturally, we pitched her all of your spicy DMs about financing yo...

The federal budget officially dropped at 7:30pm tonight, but we recorded this episode from inside Budget Lock-Up BEFORE the rest of the country got their hands on it.

At 6pm, while the internet was still speculating and journalists were speed-reading hundreds of pages of announcements and fine print, we sat down inside Parliament House to unpack the headlines we think actually matter to our community.

Victoria is joined by Glen James from Money Money Money and Vince Scully from Retire Right, who also happens to own our financial services licence, which you’d think would me...

Have you ever thought, “maybe I’ve missed my chance.”

This weeks diarist started uni three separate times and dropped out every single one. Worked 50-hour weeks in retail management for minimum wage. Genuinely believed that without a degree, there was a limit to what she’d ever earn or achieve. Relatable. Then life happened. A baby. A relocation. A partner changing careers. Another baby. A mortgage. A massive amount of imposter syndrome. But somewhere in the middle of all of that, she met a leader who saw something in her before she could fully see it herself…...

It’s all too familiar. Work has you burning you out. And even your manager has suggested that you take some time off. So, why does it still feel weird to accept the offer, especially when you’re desperate for a break?

In this week’s Friday Drinks we cover that icky feeling some of us get around taking leave, even though it literally exists to be used. Beyond the stigma, we unpack how taking stress leave might affect your insurances and what to consider before submitting your request.

Say it with me: you cannot call y...

Manifesting home-ownership, but priced out of buying a house? Maybe building your own is the way to go. But where do you even begin?

She’s on the Money’s Jessica Ricci joins Bec Syed on the Deep Dive couch to tell us everything she’s learned (so far) about her building journey.

After recently going through the preconstruction phase, Jess shares updates around pre-build appointments, budget considerations and just how important it is to read your contracts. We’ll hear about the loan application process, fixed-price building costs, as well as what is (and isn’t) i...

You know when you meet someone younger than you and think… oh. You’re doing money better than I was. That’s this week’s Money Diary. She’s 21, still at uni, working multiple jobs and quietly building a six-figure portfolio. Not loudly, not perfectly… just consistently. Working in luxury retail, she’s watching people her age spend entire paychecks while she’s investing hers instead. Which, honestly, says a lot. This one isn’t about perfection. It’s about starting early, thinking differently, and what that can actually turn into.

SORT YOUR INSURANCE: A big thank you to our partner Skye...

Finding it hard to keep your cool when share prices are plummeting? Tap ‘play’ for instant relief from hasty portfolio decisions.

In this week’s Friday Drinks, we’re reminding one wary investor of how it pays to stay level-headed when the sharemarket has you feeling off-kilter. If you too are wondering if you should sell your shares during an economic downturn, this episode may have you reconsidering things. 

The DM gods have delivered! This week we discuss a destination wedding-themed dilemma that questions how much you should gift a family member, if you’re already att...

The cash rate. It’s up. It’s down. Honestly, it’s giving ‘chaos’ when it comes to our everyday spending. Almost as if the cash rate rules everything around us… In this week’s Deep Dive, we’re taking on the RBA; who they are, what they do, and how they call the shots when it comes to the cash rate. 

We’ll explain how often they meet, what facts influence their rate decisions and how to be more financially prepared for whatever they throw at us. Because whether you’re investing, running a business, looking for a job or simply t...

She went from owing money to everyone… to building her dream home.

This week’s Money Diary is a story about starting over. After having kids and going through a separation, she found herself navigating life as a single mum on one income, with the kind of financial pressure that leaves no room for error.

But instead of staying stuck, she rebuilt.

New mindset, new boundaries, and a completely different approach to money and relationships. Now she’s earning six figures in sales, has a deposit ready, and is about to start building her ho...

Be honest… are you actually spending more, or does it just feel that way?
In this week’s Friday Drinks, we’re unpacking the very real confusion between lifestyle creep and the rising cost of literally everything. If you’ve looked at your bank account lately and thought “how am I spending this much when I’m not even doing anything outrageous?”… this one’s for you.
We’re also diving into a DM that hits a little close to home. What happens when you’re the one making all the financial decisions in your relationship… not because you want to cont...

If you’ve opened your investing app lately and immediately closed it again… this one’s for you.

The share market has been all over the place, headlines are talking about global uncertainty, and it’s very easy to feel like you should be doing something with your investments or your superannuation right now.

So let’s talk about it.

Victoria and Bec break down what’s actually driving the market movements, what’s behind the recent drops, and how global events are flowing through to Australia and your portfolio.

And more important...

This week’s Money Diary is from a 31-year-old nurse who fell pregnant at 30… while single and working 70-hour weeks.

At the time, money wasn’t the problem. She was earning well, picking up shifts, saying yes to everything and just getting on with life. But there wasn’t much structure behind it. It was busy, but not necessarily intentional.

And then everything shifted.

Not because she didn’t have enough, but because she suddenly had a reason to think about money differently. To slow down, to plan, and to actually build something that could...

This week’s Friday Drinks starts off fun… and ends in absolute chaos. Because what do you do when you get headhunted and try to negotiate your salary, only for it to completely backfire? Job offer gone. Pay rise denied. And now you’re stuck wondering if being honest at work just worked against you. We definitely had some opinions.

As always, we also unpack a DM from someone in our community who found themselves in exactly that situation, and it opens up a bigger conversation about loyalty, transparency, and knowing your worth. Because in theory, you did ev...

If you’ve been feeling like you need to make a bit more money right now… this episode is for you.

This week, Jess and Bec are getting nosy (in the best way) and diving into the real side hustles our community is using to bring in extra cash. And not the usual “fill out surveys” kind of advice… actual, clever ideas that are working.

From people turning small ideas into proper income streams, to flexible gigs you can start on the side of your 9–5, this episode is full of inspiration if you’re trying to get ahead o...

What actually happens when you start investing… and just figure it out as you go?

In this week’s Investing Diary, we’re chatting to a Money Bee who has been on a full journey over the last four years. Blue chip stocks, trying to time the market, accidentally buying multiple ETFs that all hold the same companies… nothing has been off limits.

It’s the kind of story that will make you feel a lot better about your own investing decisions.

We talk about what it looked like starting out with a $10,000 head start...

This week’s Friday Drinks is a little bit rogue… and we’re not mad about it.

We’re diving into a money dilemma from someone earning a very impressive income… but feeling completely burnt out, overwhelmed, and stuck. Think multiple mortgages, a business, big financial commitments, and the very real question of “how do I change my life when everything depends on this income?”

It’s a conversation about burnout, lifestyle creep, financial pressure, and what happens when your income grows… but so do your responsibilities.

We also get into a DM that has us asking...