# Beating Debt & Building Freedom | Craig & Megan | CHANGING LIVES | Season 3 Ep 68

An episode of [Money Mentor Podcast™](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1632604767), 30 Dec 2025, 1 h 17 min.

Audio: https://episode.flightcast.com/ny0vw7hm8ps4cu2tlofglxin.mp3

Craig and Megan, share how they turned their finances around after years of poor budgeting, credit card reliance, and financial stress. Coming from defence and healthcare backgrounds, they discovered Infinity through the free webinar, which helped them restructure their money, build better habits, and create a clear long term plan. With consistent guidance, they sold a high-yield investment property, reinvested strategically, and began building a solid property portfolio tailored to their goals. They also discuss the emotional and financial weight of their IVF journey, and how developing financial stability became crucial during that period. Focused less on material purchases and more on meaningful experiences, they’re now planning a family trip around Australia. They share insights about detaching emotions from investment decisions, watching broader trends like community-focused housing and Airbnb’s impact, and evolving their strategy with purpose and balance. 👉 Follow the link https://bit.ly/43V2jKN to watch the free webinar and start your journey to financial freedom now!

## Transcript

[0:00] I've seen some really great stuff from some really key leaders in the development construction space over some presentations lately saying like developers have a duty in governments to actually allocate a percentage of all land and apartments to affordable housing.
[0:17] So imagine if every building or every land subdivision that was getting produced, that was profitable, had to allocate 10 or 20 percent to affordable.
[0:27] It would increase supply straight away for affordable dwellings.
[0:32] Now, less margin for them, but I've heard some of the most influential developers speak about their civic, ethical, moral society duties to do that.
[0:42] Money is the root of all evil, the fucking lack of it is.
[0:44] Not money, the lack of understanding.
[0:46] outstanding money when i put that into emphasis when i realized that psychological effect and how it hit our family i fdb in the fucking way you were now watching the money man to a podcast with graham home graham home graham home you're fucking gone see ya
[1:04] Welcome back to another episode of The Money Mentor, and we're on the Changing Lives Financially series.
[1:10] And we have two special guests today, Craig and Megan, who've been with us for a while now.
[1:14] Welcome, welcome.
[1:15] Thank you.
[1:15] Thank you.
[1:16] How are we?
[1:17] Good.
[1:17] Happy to be here.
[1:18] Looking fit and healthy and glowing and been on a challenge or something?
[1:23] Just living on the Gold Coast.
[1:24] So tough.
[1:25] It's a tough life, right?
[1:27] It's a tough life.
[1:28] Gym tanning laundry each day or?
[1:30] No.
[1:32] Not quite.
[1:32] No.
[1:32] So give everyone a quick background on who you are, where you're from, family size, all that sort of stuff maybe.
[1:39] We'll start with that.
[1:41] Well, we're from the Gold Coast hinterland.
[1:43] We're living in Kanunga at the moment.
[1:45] Beautiful.
[1:45] We're a family of four with two four-year-old twins.
[1:52] What else?
[1:53] Yep.
[1:54] So I'm in the Defence Force, Megan's a hospital admin.
[1:58] And we are just living here at the moment due to work.
[2:01] Yeah.
[2:02] So obviously, military deployed, you get moved around potentially every couple of years, right?
[2:08] Correct.
[2:08] Yeah.
[2:09] How long usually?
[2:10] Typically, you have like a three-year tenure at each position.
[2:13] Yeah.
[2:13] Okay.
[2:14] Yeah.
[2:14] So you're here for the next couple of years at least?
[2:17] So one more year at least.
[2:19] Yeah.
[2:19] And then we'll see how we go.
[2:21] You're hoping you stay?
[2:22] Definitely.
[2:23] I think, yeah, if I would like to stay, I'm actually doing really well within my career at the moment where I am.
[2:28] And the support with the company has been absolutely amazing.
[2:32] So I'd like to stay where I am.
[2:35] But we'll see how that pans out in the future and how that works as a family.
[2:39] Okay.
[2:39] Two beautiful children.
[2:40] Okay.
[2:42] Good, good.
[2:43] Two years old now?
[2:44] Four.
[2:44] Four, sorry.
[2:45] Four years old.
[2:46] Okay.
[2:47] That's a good number because if you have three, you're outnumbered.
[2:50] Yeah.
[2:50] Becca and I were talking about this the other day.
[2:52] I'm like, we always said we're just going to have twins and be done.
[2:55] Yeah.
[2:55] It runs in our family, hers and mine.
[2:57] We'll just have twins, we'll be done.
[2:58] I'm like, I don't know.
[3:00] Let's get a big house.
[3:01] And then she goes, I'm not doing three.
[3:03] We'll be outnumbered.
[3:04] what do you imagine if you're at the park and one goes that way and one goes that way and her girlfriend's got twins and we're like what do you do she goes you assess the danger that one's going to the swings that one's going to the road and i'm like oh that makes sense yeah trust me two is plenty yeah okay all right i'll stop then because i was thinking oh maybe three you know like
[3:26] unless they're like different age gaps you're like we've got friends that have kids like all different age gaps and they've got three and it works out perfectly because the older ones look after the little one yeah so it depends if you're having your age gaps you still get outnumbered or you're still outnumbered i'm watching friends kids the other day debate with them and negotiate i'm like it's like a mini sassy version of yourselves
[3:47] It really is.
[3:49] And they throw it back in your face so hard.
[3:51] And it's hard not to laugh.
[3:53] Yeah.
[3:54] I would laugh at everything.
[3:56] I'd be like... That's me.
[3:58] That's me.
[3:59] He can't discipline because he has to turn his back to them and he's like, I can't, I can't.
[4:04] There's no military defense.
[4:07] You've gone to water.
[4:07] Switch that off at home.
[4:09] Girl, dad energy.
[4:10] Yeah.
[4:11] I love it.
[4:11] I love it.
[4:13] Tell us pre-Infinity a bit about yourselves financially, like mortgage, credit cards, cars, all sorts of stuff.
[4:20] Tell us a bit of background.
[4:22] So we bought our PPR back in 2017.
[4:25] So I had it a few years before we joined Infinity.
[4:27] Yep.
[4:28] Essentially doing the bank schedule, paying minimum repayments.
[4:34] We also had like a credit card just due to, so we're down in Canberra due to work for a year and a half, two years.
[4:41] Megan was sort of in between jobs.
[4:44] I was unemployed basically.
[4:45] Yeah.
[4:45] Yeah.
[4:47] And essentially using that to help fund the lifestyle, which is not a great idea.
[4:52] Okay.
[4:54] And then, yeah, pretty much like we had the money there.
[4:57] We just, if we wanted something, we bought it.
[4:59] Bought it.
[5:00] Like there was no real budget.
[5:01] No budget structure.
[5:02] Just like, if we want it, credit card, pay the card.
[5:05] Yeah.
[5:06] Did the card clear or was there months where like you just would put a bit of money on the card, but you never cleared it?
[5:11] We're just putting a bit of money on the card.
[5:13] I don't think we ever really cleared it.
[5:14] So we started using, you know, the like free balance transfers.
[5:19] Yeah.
[5:20] So I did a few of those.
[5:21] Five grand card, you max it out.
[5:23] Your balance transfer for like 0% for 12 months or something.
[5:27] But now you've got five grand debt over here with no interest, but now you've got.
[5:31] five grand balance on that card you could use again would you you then use it again well we sort of definitely less right but like so the aim was during that interest-free period we would pay it off right but it sort of happened a couple of times before we actually paid it off okay yeah okay well hard on one income so okay so card was was a bit of an issue no budget no structure was a bit of an issue
[5:59] Do you think that was just like life's busy, one income at that time, like you just go with the motion or we're not taught to budget growing up?
[6:07] What do you think was happening there?
[6:10] I think, yeah, I guess lack of financial literacy, lack of thought, like we weren't struggling.
[6:19] So it's like not really an issue we need to deal with at the time, yeah.
[6:24] What about, so when did you find Infinity?
[6:28] So because we obviously got, had a home loan, pay the minimum, credit cards.
[6:32] So there's a bit of a, we're doing okay because we've got an asset going up in value.
[6:36] But at the same token, we're kind of struggling a bit with the cards and cash flow and structure.
[6:41] When did you find Infinity?
[6:42] And who found Infinity?
[6:43] Infinity.
[6:44] Yeah, so I found you on socials.
[6:46] Okay.
[6:47] It would have been like sort of the back end of 2020.
[6:49] Okay.
[6:50] So then I signed up, did the free webinar by myself just to sort of suss it out before actually bringing it to the boss.
[6:57] Yeah.
[6:58] And then I think it was in January we did it together, the free webinar, and then we were pretty much solved.
[7:06] So we signed up to the master class.
[7:08] So we made a message and we're going, shit, I think we're being scammed.
[7:12] Well, it's because we were driving and it's the day of the masterclass.
[7:16] Like we'd just gone out and had breakfast and heading home to do it.
[7:19] And he's like, I don't have any links.
[7:21] And I'm like, what do you mean?
[7:22] You haven't uploaded anything yet or?
[7:24] Yeah.
[7:25] No, so we hadn't started that process yet.
[7:26] Right.
[7:27] And I'm just like, what do you mean?
[7:28] And he's just like.
[7:29] Lucky we check it every Saturday morning, right?
[7:31] Yeah.
[7:31] And I was just like, okay, well, I'll message them.
[7:34] And he started stressing out.
[7:35] And then I was getting stressed out.
[7:37] I'm like, you've put money into this thing.
[7:38] Good start to the day.
[7:41] It was a good breakfast and it went downhill from there.
[7:44] It was stressful on the whole drive home.
[7:46] But you got logged in.
[7:47] You're all good.
[7:47] Yeah, we got logged in.
[7:48] You sent us a contact and we all got logged in.
[7:50] And it was all good from there.
[7:52] And obviously it has been because here we are.
[7:54] Very good.
[7:55] So tell us, Masterclass, explain to us what you learned, what was eye-opening, what you already thought.
[8:03] You're like, talk through that process.
[8:05] Obviously, you've watched the free webinar alone, then watched it together.
[8:09] So you've obviously watched it on, okay, we can do a bit better here.
[8:12] Then you've obviously watched it together.
[8:14] Yep, we both agree we can do a bit better.
[8:16] Talk me through Masterclass through that process.
[8:18] What was that like?
[8:19] We learned we were doing everything wrong.
[8:21] Yeah.
[8:23] Not everything.
[8:23] Absolutely everything wrong.
[8:26] We thought the property that we were in, when we left for Canberra, we turned it into an investment because we thought that would be beneficial for us to keep it instead of selling it.
[8:35] We got six years to keep it.
[8:37] But we didn't know that.
[8:38] Yeah.
[8:39] Right.
[8:40] We didn't know much about it at all.
[8:42] We just thought, oh, yeah, we own a property.
[8:43] That's great.
[8:45] And then the structuring and budgeting and all that stuff, we still weren't...
[8:52] doing any of that correctly okay like we weren't frugal with it we weren't talking we weren't having open conversations about as a couple really either um and then when we were on the master class it was really eye-opening for the both of us because it really brought us to have those conversations together to really structure us up for the future
[9:12] I think the tool, sorry, interrupt.
[9:15] The tool, like the mortgage calculator tool, like the way we were going and the way like rapid repay structure, like hundreds of thousands of dollars difference.
[9:25] So is it an eye-opener or is it a bit of a punch in the face or is it both?
[9:30] Both.
[9:30] It was both and for the better.
[9:32] Yeah.
[9:32] okay so what talk me through that feeling things obviously then go okay we want some help yep we listen to it or you can either try to do it yourself or somebody else or you can do it with us you guys are like no you do it for us what's the then what's the motivation because you get asked this a lot people like oh what why did people go here what's the motivation you're like right we've been punched in the face it's a real eye opener we could do so much better here's the
[9:57] What's then the new drive?
[9:58] What goes through your head then Saturday, Sunday?
[10:01] Like what do you think?
[10:01] You're thinking, right, we need to do this now, but what's the driving force?
[10:05] What are you trying to achieve for you guys as a couple?
[10:09] Do you want to touch on that?
[10:10] I think it's – so I had a pretty humble upbringing and I just definitely wanted to improve that for our children because we were at the time trying for children.
[10:21] Yep.
[10:22] And we just wanted better.
[10:24] Okay.
[10:26] So when you say humble, you mean went without or just a very simple basic life?
[10:32] So single mother, essentially living in housing commission.
[10:37] So I'm one of three children.
[10:40] Like we never really went without, but we definitely relied on friends and family to get us through.
[10:48] i know the feeling and there's only one of me so three would be much much higher you're like your story definitely resonated yeah like because i've played soccer all through um growing up having to rely on friends and family if they drive you there feed you get you around look after you till mom yeah okay okay it's tired single parents man fuck it single moms or single dads it's like badge of honor because they i don't know when they sleep i don't know when they eat
[11:11] They've got to run a household, do a shop, do food.
[11:15] Mind you, as kids, you probably would have experienced this a bit.
[11:17] I remember doing the washing all the time and the dishes.
[11:19] I mean, it was just mum and I, right?
[11:21] It's like if I didn't help them do the dishes, mum's not going to get home till late at night.
[11:25] There was no dishes.
[11:26] Like why I'd help try to cook.
[11:27] It was fucking terrible.
[11:29] So I think it's one of those things that I find a lot of people raised by single parents are quite independent.
[11:35] We can be quite stubborn too.
[11:38] We can be quite stubborn, but we're also quite independent because you have to do a lot of things that sometimes that perfect mum and dad household wouldn't have to go through.
[11:46] Yeah, definitely forced to grow up quicker, I think.
[11:49] Bingo.
[11:49] That's what I'm looking for.
[11:50] You do have to grow up a lot quicker.
[11:52] Yeah.
[11:53] So, you don't miss out on anything.
[11:55] Okay.
[11:56] So, pretty driven to make sure you guys are looking to start a family.
[12:01] Make sure that when you have kids that they can maybe live a bit more comfortably.
[12:05] Is that what you're saying?
[12:06] I really wanted to improve for the children that we knew we were having.
[12:10] Okay.
[12:13] For us, it was IVF.
[12:15] And that financially took a massive toll on us as well.
[12:18] Like we knew we couldn't conceive children naturally.
[12:21] And that definitely wasn't a thing for us.
[12:23] So the bills within doctor's fees, IVF transfers, freezing fees, like it all added up the medications as well.
[12:30] It's like buying a house.
[12:32] It's like a house deposit and some.
[12:34] Yeah, and some.
[12:36] And we did it privately as well.
[12:38] Like we didn't do it through any schemes.
[12:41] Like we paid...
[12:42] own money for it all yeah it's a lot of money it's a lot of money yeah and luckily i've worked with a few of the doctors as well so that did help us out because they did some of our appointments and checkups were bulk billed for us yeah so that did help but even then still it adds up so i can only imagine what other families would go through that we had a little bit of help with
[13:02] that's there's not just the financial aspect but there's the physical there's the emotional like that whole journey yeah is is pretty daunting i've got friends who went through it and eventually just gave up yeah and i they spent hundreds of thousands of dollars over the years yeah before they just went you know what it's just just not meant to be it's pretty tough so
[13:22] And that was us.
[13:23] We nearly did give up.
[13:24] Like it was the last transfer and it was unsuccessful.
[13:28] And I was like, no, I've had enough.
[13:30] Had enough, yeah.
[13:31] My body's had enough.
[13:32] My mentality, I've had enough.
[13:34] Yeah.
[13:36] I just really thought it wasn't meant for us, parenthood.
[13:39] Like I just thought it wasn't our journey.
[13:40] Yeah.
[13:41] And then after Christmas I was working and I texted Craig.
[13:44] I'm like, we've just got to do this one more transfer.
[13:46] I've just got a feeling.
[13:47] Okay.
[13:49] After you were done.
[13:50] After I said, we were done.
[13:52] And then I was like, I've just got this feeling.
[13:53] And I said, a few months later, I think, wasn't it?
[13:57] Yeah.
[13:58] I think it was like November, December.
[13:59] He said, yeah, we're done.
[14:00] We're done.
[14:00] But then January, February, like, yeah, let's do one more.
[14:05] January, we did one transfer.
[14:07] And the doctor's like, let's just transfer the last two embryos, which turned out not to be the last two embryos.
[14:14] Yeah.
[14:14] And they both stuck.
[14:15] And they both stuck.
[14:17] Right.
[14:18] And now we've got another embryo chilling in the freezer that they found.
[14:21] There you go.
[14:23] So, yeah.
[14:25] But that journey was just intense.
[14:28] And financially, like I look at them, like the amount of money we spent, I wouldn't take any of it back to where we are now.
[14:34] It's probably really important if somebody's tuning in right now and listening in our community or not in our community to go, hey, it's all worth it.
[14:41] It is.
[14:42] It really is all worth it.
[14:43] Like, and it is daunting.
[14:45] And I do see, like, anyone that is going through it, you're not alone.
[14:50] Yeah.
[14:50] Like, it is, yeah.
[14:52] Okay.
[14:53] But, yeah, I wanted, obviously, we had spent so much money to do that.
[14:57] And I'm looking at them, like, now we've got these two little humans that are coming into our lives.
[15:02] Yeah.
[15:03] I'm like, we need to now change.
[15:04] Like, we need to build back our...
[15:08] our home our future like yeah i want to do better for our family sort of a combination that process where you guys were trying through ivf you're like we also we're hopefully going to have some two little a couple little a or a couple little humans coming we really need to get our shit together yeah to speak financially so that was the driving force really was okay and today you got some beautiful little munchkins yeah we do very good very good any more than in the future uh well we've got a dog so that's enough for us
[15:35] Is it molt?
[15:36] He does molt.
[15:37] He's a cattle dog.
[15:38] Cattle?
[15:38] Oh, okay.
[15:39] Wow.
[15:39] Yeah, they molt.
[15:40] They molt.
[15:40] He molts.
[15:41] I've just been having the dog conversation with Beck again.
[15:43] I'm like, oh, you know, forever home, dog.
[15:46] She's like, no.
[15:48] Plus we lost one a while ago and that was like horrific.
[15:51] Yeah, we lost our – we had Cody and Bear, and Cody was our older cattle, red cattle, and he was my childhood dog, and he ended up just moving with me everywhere.
[15:59] Right.
[16:00] And we lost him the year we moved to Kanungra.
[16:03] Okay.
[16:04] And, yeah.
[16:04] It's hard.
[16:05] It's so hard, but they're your fur family.
[16:08] Yeah.
[16:08] Forever family.
[16:09] Yeah.
[16:10] Well, I'd probably be on a diet then because I'd have to give half my dinner back to the dogs.
[16:13] Yeah.
[16:14] Could be a good thing, but –
[16:15] Okay.
[16:16] So talk about now, so since we joined Infinity, so it's early 21, right?
[16:21] So where are we today from the old home and then early 21, IVF journey, where are we today financially?
[16:31] So since joining Infinity, so the first moves were essentially to restructure the PPR.
[16:38] So we did that, bought our first investment property in Queensland, and then we eventually sold that last year, 2024, bit of a profit there, so happy with that.
[16:52] So you bought it in 21?
[16:55] Bought it in, yeah, 21.
[16:56] And then we sold it again in 24?
[16:58] Correct.
[16:59] Okay, sounds weird.
[17:01] Yeah, definitely didn't think we'd be buying and selling within three years.
[17:04] Why?
[17:05] Why did you buy and sell in three years?
[17:09] To make money.
[17:09] Do you have to sell?
[17:10] Who told you to do that?
[17:11] Oh, yeah.
[17:13] Which just sounds weird, right?
[17:14] Yeah.
[17:15] Do you remember how much you made?
[17:16] It would have been close to just under $400,000.
[17:19] Yeah.
[17:20] So not too bad for three years.
[17:23] Wouldn't complain.
[17:23] No, definitely not.
[17:24] We weren't complaining.
[17:25] No, okay.
[17:26] So we sold the, so bought the investment, sold the investment.
[17:29] Yep.
[17:30] Yeah.
[17:30] Made just under $400,000.
[17:31] Yep.
[17:31] Okay.
[17:32] And what else?
[17:33] Oh, sorry.
[17:33] Before that in end of 2023, when we moved away from Brisbane, we were,
[17:37] We sold the owner Ock.
[17:38] Yep.
[17:40] Again, pretty similar.
[17:42] So we bought for $482,000.
[17:44] Yep.
[17:45] Sold for $936,000.
[17:46] Okay.
[17:46] So.
[17:48] Well out of that too.
[17:49] Not too shabby, yeah.
[17:50] Yeah.
[17:50] No tax on that one.
[17:51] No.
[17:52] Within the six years.
[17:53] Yep.
[17:53] So now we've got the home sold, the investment sold.
[17:56] We've got a bucket full of money.
[17:58] yeah yeah so then we've essentially put deposits down on three more um investment properties so we're doing all right yeah yeah and defense housing at the moment subsidized housing obviously been post conungra yeah we took a whole new instead of obviously owning our property rent vesting yeah um and it's been working for us fantastically okay
[18:20] obviously being more frugal with obviously budgeting.
[18:25] But yeah, that's definitely worked out for us.
[18:27] Talk to me about budgeting because I'm intrigued here because you've gone on a pretty serious IVF journey and a lot of families I first meet going through that process tend to spend wildly on the kids.
[18:42] I don't know if you've ever met anyone that's been through that, but they tend to spend absolutely wildly on the kids because they're so fortunate and blessed to have them here.
[18:50] They're like,
[18:50] i'm gonna spoil them rotten and blah blah and it's really really intriguing to me because that's the whole you know stop buying kids shit you never had and like just spend the time with them and enjoy like raise them yeah how have you guys balanced budgeting and having a good life versus just spending everything you earn on your beautiful children
[19:09] The year that they came, I was a bit like that, like you just said.
[19:13] Because obviously we were so blessed that they were here.
[19:15] We wanted to give them everything.
[19:17] And then with each year, we have become more frugal with that.
[19:21] Right.
[19:21] Like now that they're getting older, we'd like to give them, instead of things that they're going to grow out of, that they're going to throw away, that they're going to break, we'd like to go give them an experience.
[19:30] Yeah.
[19:31] Like it would be a past a dream world.
[19:32] We go like every weekend to the – like and it was $99.
[19:35] Yeah, $99.
[19:37] every weekend we go straight on 10 o'clock and we're getting your money's worth we're getting our money's worth we're making memories and they have the best time like just little things like that that's pretty cool like it's just and it's things that aren't getting thrown out it's for a whole year it's things that they enjoy they ask to go
[19:55] So you're focused now, so you were doing that obviously, like all the clothes and the brands and the things and the cute little... Not the brands.
[20:03] It was more things like that.
[20:04] I was still being frugal with buying things that were on sale.
[20:06] So in summer, a lot of the winter stuff goes on sale.
[20:08] So I'd buy for the next year knowing that I was going to need that stuff.
[20:12] But I probably didn't need as lot as what I got.
[20:15] I was more thinking I could potentially need it.
[20:17] Okay.
[20:17] But instead of being like just one or two jumpers or two pairs of tights and then... Sure.
[20:21] Sure.
[20:22] but I was buying a bit more than what I should have.
[20:24] And then with the time I was like, they just will go now into a multiples association, which is within Brisbane and they do close swaps.
[20:33] So now I go in to join them and we'd swap our clothing for other people's clothing that their kids are now growing out of that we can then use.
[20:41] So it's now changing my perspective in every year.
[20:43] I swear I'm getting better and changing something.
[20:45] Okay.
[20:46] Why do you think that is?
[20:48] I don't know, it's a little bit of a challenge in myself because I never used to be like this.
[20:52] I used to be a spender.
[20:53] Growing up?
[20:54] Growing up, yeah.
[20:55] And I think it's my family and the way I was growing up, like it was just like, they never really let us go without.
[21:03] And it was like, but I was never really taught the real value of money, but it was, I knew they earned their money and they worked really hard for it.
[21:11] And, but I never really got shared within my childhood about how hard it could be or,
[21:17] what we should be frugal with and all this kind of stuff so so you're you you've gone from being the spender to being like you've cracked the whip in the budget queen now i am a bit craig we're like let's go out for breakfast i'm like no i'm cooking like we're not going out for breakfast and craig would you say spender or non-spender for you
[21:35] uh he doesn't really get to spend okay not moving right along yeah minister for finance yeah and war if you don't behave yeah i love it no he has his triathlon so he loves to spend on his like triathlon gear bikes and gear yeah yeah it's not cheap yeah okay okay
[21:55] So, household dynamics, so you've taken the role, you're managing the money and the budget and all that sort of stuff.
[22:01] And Craig, you're just doing as you're told, which is a very smart husband.
[22:05] Is that what's happening here?
[22:06] No, he does manage the more property stuff as well.
[22:09] Because he understands that a lot more than what I do.
[22:12] Right.
[22:13] I understand the household stuff.
[22:14] Okay, so you're managing the more analytical, complexy, deductions, taxes, properties, expenses, etc.
[22:22] You enjoy that and get it.
[22:23] And you're more running the household cash flow data.
[22:26] I mean, the rent and stuff.
[22:27] Appointments, medical stuff.
[22:28] Correct, yeah.
[22:29] What's going on there.
[22:31] All of their fees, yeah.
[22:32] Okay, that's a good teamwork.
[22:33] Yeah, absolutely.
[22:34] That's good.
[22:34] And you each enjoy your little sand pit?
[22:38] Yeah, it seems to be working.
[22:40] Okay.
[22:41] I like it.
[22:43] Okay.
[22:44] Do we always agree or disagree on the financial strategy?
[22:49] Like right now, are we in the same boat, rowing the same stroke, same time, same direction?
[22:54] Or have we got slightly different aspirations?
[22:58] I think for the overall investment strategy, we're on the same page.
[23:01] Yeah.
[23:02] Because it's been very successful so far.
[23:05] Yep.
[23:07] And we're working towards that goal of ours, so can't complain.
[23:11] And then just the day-to-day, that obviously helps fund the investing.
[23:16] Okay.
[23:18] So who likes the cafe breakfast but?
[23:22] Who doesn't?
[23:23] Okay.
[23:24] I've never missed a breakfast in my life.
[23:26] I make a mean scrambled eggs and I can make a mean brekkie wrap.
[23:29] And we've got a really great coffee machine.
[23:32] So you're a bit stricter on that stuff.
[23:33] I'm absolutely trying to be now.
[23:36] Okay.
[23:36] Like when Craig would suggest it, I'd be like, oh, that sounds amazing because then I don't have to cook because I normally am the cook.
[23:42] Yeah.
[23:42] But I'm like trying to be more strict within myself.
[23:45] I'm like, no, I am going to cook.
[23:46] Where does this come from if you were the spender?
[23:49] Yeah.
[23:51] Well, it was after our last REM, Casey, really got into me as well.
[23:55] Yes.
[23:55] She's just like, no, you can be more frugal.
[23:57] Yeah, when you asked her a question.
[23:58] Yeah, when we asked the question.
[24:00] She's pretty blunt like me, actually.
[24:02] I have a lot of respect for her.
[24:03] She's like, you can do it.
[24:04] I have so much respect for her.
[24:06] And obviously, you introduced us because with our last REM,
[24:09] um you said that uh you would give us like a um what was it a meal plan the meal plan yeah onto her meal plan which i ended up doing and i just paid for it myself because and it's been working for our family we're meant to pay for it no yeah no because i didn't even feel like it's been working like but we were paying for it yeah well send the receipt no i'll just ask i've got your bank details anyway
[24:34] But it has been working.
[24:37] And following her plans, I don't have time to add my...
[24:41] I'm using her meal plans that she gives us, but I'm not on it for the fitness side of things.
[24:46] You're just doing the nutrition.
[24:47] I'm just doing the nutrition because the meals are helping.
[24:49] So you're eating healthy, but you've got structure, meal plans, etc.
[24:52] So you're not trying to win a bodybuilding comp.
[24:54] No.
[24:55] But you're eating well and you've got structure.
[24:57] Yeah, and it's helping me.
[24:58] Like there's some days where I probably won't have time or I'm...
[25:02] poor time from that day being really big for me and the kids yeah that it's craig could log in and do it okay but if he wanted to but so you stuck to that since what room was that that was in august august yeah it was august yeah probably a month three of sticking to it month two or three yeah that's good to hear yeah okay so but yeah it's been more something's lit a spark since then
[25:28] our trip's coming up as well um for next year okay so it's like we're saving for that yeah so you've so you're pretty purpose driven at the moment very clear goals yeah and you're going to do whatever you can to get there yeah i just want to make sure we're doing the right things to set ourselves up especially for that trip coming up next year was this always the dynamic like back in canberra no no i think we were both spenders back then so what's happened
[25:56] our lives have changed we're just doing so much better why wouldn't you change why wouldn't you better yourself and better your position so tell me because you talk about in this big grin on the face you're like oh no camber was like there's a there's a dynamic and an energy about you guys right so talk to me about i guess explain
[26:18] how you flick that switch, how long does it take to say when you started with the infig, oh yeah, we're both spenders, right?
[26:23] We have the card and balance transfer to then like, no, like why wouldn't you?
[26:27] Like it makes sense.
[26:27] It works and it works, it works.
[26:29] You do it.
[26:29] Like how long do you, for you guys as a couple, cause everyone's different.
[26:33] How long did it take to, to have that shift?
[26:37] I think when we joined Infinity, I think our budget was different because it was just the two of us then.
[26:44] It was just the two adults.
[26:45] So our budget was different.
[26:46] I think we were very, I think 600.
[26:48] No, it was down to like 450.
[26:50] Was it?
[26:51] 450, yeah.
[26:52] Okay, there you go.
[26:52] So it was completely different.
[26:53] Obviously, we upped it because we're paying food for kids now.
[26:57] It's completely different.
[26:59] Like our formula, it was the formula we were paying for.
[27:02] And then because obviously breastfeeding wasn't,
[27:06] was hard for twins as well so we were doing dual feeds yeah so that was expensive in itself so then we upped the budget for that and then i think we upped it to i think 700 or seven no it's like 750 800 and now it's down to 700 yeah 700 okay so how long so how long
[27:24] Because you've gone through a couple of phases and there's just the you phase.
[27:27] Yeah.
[27:28] Then there's the you guys as a family evolution.
[27:30] Yeah.
[27:31] How hard have you found it each time to make those changes?
[27:34] Like from the spenders to you as a budget, how long was that change?
[27:40] How long did it take once we started?
[27:41] It would have been, I think, a few months.
[27:44] Okay.
[27:44] To settle, to really settle into it?
[27:46] Yeah.
[27:46] Because honestly, like, we create the budget.
[27:49] Yeah, we can't force.
[27:49] You just give us the parameters.
[27:50] I think that's the thing.
[27:51] We don't force you into it.
[27:52] No.
[27:52] You know, there's people out there that are, oh, these Graham guys are fucking lunatic, and it's like, I'll just give you a set of numbers.
[27:57] Yeah.
[27:58] You know it works and you do it, and you're killing it compared to other people, or you don't do it.
[28:02] It's up to you.
[28:02] Yeah.
[28:03] So it took, you think, a couple of months to ease into it?
[28:06] Yeah, just to obviously input the structure first and then sort of work out where our number was.
[28:16] I think we were pretty spot on to begin with as just us two.
[28:21] And then we sort of went up and down when we had the girls and their changing needs.
[28:26] And then when you've adjusted it with the girls, you said the first year was a bit loose?
[28:30] Yeah, first year was a bit loose.
[28:32] Okay.
[28:32] And then something's changed then too and you're like, nah, right.
[28:35] I think it's like I don't have to give them everything.
[28:38] They do have everything.
[28:39] Like we are a beautiful family.
[28:42] Like we do beautiful things with one another.
[28:44] It's just like I was in the mentality in that first couple of years.
[28:47] It's just like, oh, they're asking for it.
[28:50] why not like it's just something little but then i was just like listening to other podcasts and listening to other families and relating to them it's just like no like i can be more strict with them like we they're four years old and they're starting to gain so much knowledge and see us doing these things and like teaching them the ways of what we're doing so now it's more structure and showing them that structure and being more
[29:14] And they're happy and healthy and no one's going without.
[29:17] Still so happy.
[29:18] They don't need yogurt pouches anymore.
[29:21] Like we'd rather, rather than buying all that stuff they're just going to grow out of or break within a couple of weeks, couple of months.
[29:27] We'd rather put that money setting ourselves up so we can eventually set them up.
[29:31] Apply your own oxygen mask first.
[29:32] Exactly.
[29:34] You guys got a big trip planned next year?
[29:36] We do.
[29:37] How long for?
[29:38] It's like just under seven months.
[29:40] Seven months?
[29:41] Yeah.
[29:42] So talk about that.
[29:43] What's the trip?
[29:44] What's the plan?
[29:44] So we've always wanted to do a bit of a lap or half lap around Australia.
[29:48] Okay.
[29:50] And next year it sort of just worked out with my work.
[29:52] So I'll sort of finish up at the start of June.
[29:55] Yep.
[29:57] And then –
[29:58] go back till mid-January 2027.
[30:00] Wow.
[30:01] So we'll take the caravan that we shouldn't have.
[30:06] Or we sell it.
[30:07] Yeah.
[30:09] One last giraffe for six, seven months in the van.
[30:11] Yeah.
[30:12] Essentially.
[30:12] So, yeah, do a big trip, six, seven months, and then, yeah, we'll sell that off.
[30:18] Yeah.
[30:18] Awesome.
[30:19] Yeah.
[30:20] Because it is going to be expensive.
[30:21] Yeah.
[30:23] So I'll be on long service leave.
[30:24] Some of that will be at half pay.
[30:26] Megan will be either...
[30:28] Annual leave or... Yeah.
[30:30] Yeah, my position's being hold at the company that I've at.
[30:32] I've already had the talk with my company and they'll hold it and they'll just put someone else in the job for a while.
[30:37] For a while, yeah.
[30:38] Yeah.
[30:39] So yeah, essentially trying to save a bit now to offset that cost and then obviously selling the car and the van will offset that as well.
[30:47] And you get back.
[30:48] Yeah.
[30:48] Okay.
[30:49] Very exciting.
[30:49] Yeah.
[30:50] It is really exciting.
[30:51] And a good age for the kids as well.
[30:53] It is.
[30:53] It's just before they start school.
[30:54] So we get back as the year they start school.
[30:57] So it's a perfect time for them.
[30:58] Yeah.
[30:59] We did a demo trip to WA quickly for 30 days around Christmas last year.
[31:05] um and a quick drive to wa and a drive back and they loved it and we loved it as a family like i think we connected so much more um as a family on that trip and it really excites me really making memories yeah moments and memory and experiences that are forming and shaping their lives your lives but their lives as well i like it i love it actually okay
[31:29] Yeah, definitely.
[31:30] The making memories is a bit of a theme.
[31:32] So like I think it was last year, last year, we had a bit of a scare with one of our daughters.
[31:39] So it's definitely we want to make the most of it while with the time that we have.
[31:43] Absolutely.
[31:44] Absolutely.
[31:45] Good.
[31:46] Tell me then financially, what's the plan?
[31:50] So the whole, the trip coming up, which is fucking awesome, right?
[31:53] But beyond that, what's the plan financially with a couple of investments now?
[31:57] Yep.
[31:57] We're doing pretty well.
[31:58] We're going to, um, obviously we've got the benefit of defense housing.
[32:01] So that helps for us, the rent investing strategy.
[32:04] Do we want to continue to build?
[32:06] Do we want to settle and buy a family home?
[32:08] What's the broader plan now?
[32:10] Like if you were putting me to work today, what do you need to see?
[32:14] I think whilst we're still renting within defence, we still want to keep building and building our portfolio with investment properties.
[32:22] We don't see we need to buy a principal price of residence at the moment, or house at the moment, because we don't need to be living in it.
[32:30] We could be moving every three years, like there's no point for us yet.
[32:35] Unless Craig decides to retire, that's when we need a home, I reckon.
[32:39] Yeah.
[32:41] I think definitely continue the strategy of, yeah, buy one, sell that to buy two more and just keep building.
[32:48] Like you've done on the first one, you've been pretty fortunate there.
[32:51] Yeah.
[32:51] Only 400 grand, you said.
[32:52] So that was only in three years, two, three years.
[32:55] Yeah.
[32:55] It's pretty good.
[32:56] If we could replicate that shit, that'd be great.
[32:58] Yeah.
[32:58] And keep flipping one and pull a couple of hundred and get into two and flip two and get into four.
[33:05] Okay.
[33:05] So we probably need to, um, because we're going to do a part two of this, maybe just before or after the trip.
[33:13] Or on the trip.
[33:14] Or on the trip, yeah.
[33:15] On the trip.
[33:16] We'll zoom you in, yeah.
[33:17] Potty on the caravan.
[33:18] Yeah, potty, yeah, podvan.
[33:20] Okay, there you go.
[33:20] Uh, I'm not coming caravanning, but... Oh, that's all right.
[33:23] We can slap Infinigo logo.
[33:25] Okay, I'll send you some hats and shirts and, um, I have to get some caravan stickers for all this.
[33:30] You really should.
[33:31] No.
[33:32] That would encourage keeping them.
[33:35] Everyone knows I hate the caravan thing.
[33:38] Okay, so we'll have to do a part two, but we really need to look then as well, whilst we still have our taxable incomes, about make sure our structure's right before we have like long service leave and all of that, make sure we don't have anything settling, dropping in that period or after that, and then look a bit where to from here.
[33:56] So we look at what the current portfolio is.
[33:59] we've already turned some of it and we just sort of reverse engineer what it looks like after the trip as well maybe so that would be cool yeah we might have to do a dial in yeah yeah somewhere weird somewhere somewhere weird who knows where we'll be yeah so where which which part of australia you're gonna do
[34:17] We're heading up north, so Cairns and up to Northern Territory and stuff like that, going kind of like across to Darwin.
[34:26] Yep.
[34:27] Then going down the middle.
[34:28] Yep.
[34:29] This is all rough.
[34:30] Yep.
[34:30] And then South Australia is where we'll end up and kind of going around the coastline to Melbourne.
[34:35] Okay.
[34:36] We have our friend's wedding in Fiji in November next year.
[34:40] Oh, in the middle of it all.
[34:41] In the middle of it all.
[34:43] Yeah.
[34:44] Still trying to work out if we can make that happen.
[34:46] But I think we're kind of... Park the van up somewhere.
[34:48] In Melbourne, yeah.
[34:49] Are you going to be in Melbourne then?
[34:50] We'll be in Melbourne.
[34:51] So, because we're heading to Tassie as well.
[34:54] We know plenty of people in Melbourne you can park the van up.
[34:56] Yeah.
[34:57] I was thinking we should reach out to everyone.
[34:58] You said Port Macquarie.
[34:59] You could have just left it at Doug and Letitia's place.
[35:01] They've got this beautiful riverfront old winery they bought to retire in.
[35:05] Oh, stunning.
[35:06] In a place called Bob's Creek.
[35:07] And I reckon half the community have gone and vanned and gone sailing and camped out there.
[35:13] It's awesome.
[35:14] They've got people coming and going all the time.
[35:16] We may have to stop in there on the way back.
[35:18] 100% reach out to Duggan.
[35:19] We'll have to reach out.
[35:20] Definitely.
[35:21] Pop in and we'll be down at the Holiday House at Dunbaragon.
[35:24] You can say g'day on the way through.
[35:26] Beautiful part of the world, by the way.
[35:28] But there's so many people in the community who said, hey, we're going to be in Melbourne next month or this, you know, has anyone got somewhere we could park up and make sure it's secure?
[35:37] I don't think you'll have a problem.
[35:38] Yeah.
[35:38] I think it'll cost you a cent.
[35:40] Yeah.
[35:40] I think there'll be plenty of people to help you out there.
[35:42] Absolutely.
[35:43] And then, yeah, after that, Tassie, doing Tassie for maybe a month and then just beeline it straight home for Craig to start the job.
[35:51] Girls starting school, me starting back at work.
[35:53] I miss out too much on that New South Wales coast.
[35:55] Don't be lying.
[35:56] We do a lot of New South Wales coast.
[35:58] Oh, okay.
[35:59] So, like, we can always go back to it.
[36:00] I suppose if you'd done a bit of that when you were in Canberra as well, you would have done, like, like, Ulladulla, Mollymook, that sort of southern.
[36:06] Yeah.
[36:07] Yeah, so we went across to, like, Kiama, Wollongong, and then down the coast.
[36:11] Yeah, okay.
[36:11] We've already done a fair bit of that.
[36:13] Yeah.
[36:14] Just bypass it then.
[36:15] Well, Cray used to live in Sydney as well.
[36:16] So it's like not like we're ever going back there.
[36:18] We've got to visit his mum.
[36:20] Yeah.
[36:20] Okay.
[36:20] Fair enough.
[36:21] Fair enough.
[36:23] Okay.
[36:24] So really the family home isn't really a priority until you go, you know what?
[36:28] Okay, maybe I'm exiting Defence Force one day and retiring.
[36:31] Yeah.
[36:31] But we're going to lose that benefit.
[36:33] Now we need the family home.
[36:34] Then we'll sort of maybe, I guess, adjust the strategy and turn to, okay, let's look at the portfolio.
[36:41] What's served us really well?
[36:42] Okay.
[36:43] Okay, let's liquidate that to acquire the family home and let's hopefully maintain this chunk of the portfolio, yeah?
[36:49] Yeah, I think probably the earliest we would look at getting a PPR would be...
[36:54] when the girls sort of reach that high school age because that's when you don't want to be moving your kids around like from school to school yeah yeah like primary school not so much yeah of an issue but definitely high school yeah we want to keep them in the one school how do you control it but if you keep getting deployed and redeployed and moved around and
[37:11] So I can, if Craig was to go somewhere, I would stay unaccompanied.
[37:16] Right.
[37:17] And Craig would obviously continue on wherever he needs to go and then I can stay wherever the girls need to be.
[37:23] And that would stay, same with my career.
[37:24] Like if it's doing really well here on the Gold Coast, I would love to stay.
[37:27] Okay.
[37:29] So, and that's kind of where I am at at the moment.
[37:33] It's doing... You're off to work, mate.
[37:34] Yeah.
[37:35] Yeah.
[37:36] That's where he wants to stay.
[37:37] That's where he wants to stay.
[37:38] Fair enough.
[37:39] Fair enough.
[37:40] Well, that'll be important on the journey to sort of pre-plan that, but a bit ahead of schedule, like you say, going, okay, there's that transition period from primary school to high school and it's tough for kids these days.
[37:50] So you want to get that settled school catchment and all that.
[37:52] So it's a really good point.
[37:54] Okay.
[37:55] Tell me, what advice could you give to someone tuning in about your journey, what you've learned on the journey?
[38:01] What have you found to be really important to go from where you were, spenders, years ago, to still spending a bit on the kids?
[38:08] And don't blame you, obviously, the struggle before you had them.
[38:11] but then to like, no, I'm gamifying this shit.
[38:14] This is serious.
[38:14] Like we're pretty serious and we're going to create memories and moments and have an amazing lifestyle, but we're not going to spend our money on shit because that's a very structured life, but you're having a beautiful life.
[38:25] You're not struggling.
[38:26] You're not going with it because everybody thinks...
[38:28] Budget means diet, go without, you're broke.
[38:32] It doesn't.
[38:33] So what tips and experiences could you share for people tuning in to help them on their journey?
[38:38] Like say, for example, at the moment their credit card, balance transfer, can't meet minimum payment, like they're drowning and they think, oh, there's no way out of this.
[38:47] Yet they still put takeaway on the credit card.
[38:49] They still buy coffee out.
[38:51] Then they get paid.
[38:51] They pay the card and they're in that vicious cycle.
[38:54] What advice could you give those people from your journey?
[38:58] I think the first step is the hardest step.
[39:02] So once you take that leap, you'll just like your financial literacy will grow and you'll understand why you're making these moves, for what purpose, and you'll see the results.
[39:16] As you can see from our story and many of the other Infinity Family stories, everyone's working on their path.
[39:22] Everyone's path is different, but they all took that first step and it's all been to the great benefit.
[39:28] Yeah.
[39:28] What if I, it doesn't have to be infinity, it can be anyone, there's some great firms, there's some pretty average firms, but it could be anyone out there who's good at what they do.
[39:36] What if I'm too scared to ask for help?
[39:39] What if I'm too far gone?
[39:41] Well, what's the worst you could say?
[39:42] No.
[39:43] Good point.
[39:45] Like, you've got to try.
[39:47] Like, why wouldn't you just want to try?
[39:48] Put your foot in the door.
[39:49] Did you guys expect to be where you are financially today?
[39:52] Did you expect your first investment to do so well to be where you are today?
[39:56] I didn't expect us to be where we were today this early on.
[40:00] Okay.
[40:01] I thought we would get there, but not where we are today.
[40:04] Okay.
[40:05] Yeah, I think definitely we're ahead of where we thought we would be.
[40:09] Okay, that's good.
[40:10] If I was to look back on our goals, I'd probably laugh and be like, oh, we smashed that.
[40:16] Yeah.
[40:17] Yeah, I think if we looked back at the masterclass, like goals for five, ten years, we probably already hit that.
[40:22] We didn't, we thought our goals, we really set kind of some low goals if we're thinking about it.
[40:27] We could have like hit some really large, yeah, we could have thought so much bigger.
[40:31] So is it safe to say for those people that are just drowning at the moment or can't see the forest that,
[40:37] you don't know what you don't know.
[40:38] Yeah.
[40:39] To maybe give it a crack and think a bit bigger.
[40:41] Go and talk to an expert.
[40:42] Like it's a free webinar.
[40:44] Yeah.
[40:44] Well, I mean, if you don't want to go see someone, do our free shit.
[40:47] Like, yeah, you get a lot from our free shit.
[40:49] I get messages every day like, Hey, I'm 63 grand ahead of my loan just from you.
[40:53] And I'm like, Oh, when did you do the masterclass?
[40:55] They're like, No, it's just from your free webinar.
[40:56] And I'm like,
[40:58] I'm giving out too much of myself for free.
[40:59] I'm giving out way too much for free.
[41:01] But that's good, right?
[41:02] It is good.
[41:03] And we can't help everyone.
[41:04] So the percentage of people that come through, happy days.
[41:07] Yep.
[41:07] But I guess for even you guys, you didn't expect to be where you are today.
[41:13] No.
[41:14] But you've done it pretty comfortably.
[41:15] Yeah.
[41:16] Yep.
[41:17] Yep.
[41:18] And it's like what Craig's just said, you've really just got to give it a go.
[41:24] What's been hard?
[41:26] What's been hard on the journey?
[41:27] Like, was it hard to go?
[41:28] You said it took a couple of months for structures and this and that.
[41:32] Like, was it hard to try to go cold turkey into a budget?
[41:35] Or was it hard to adjust the budget?
[41:37] Is there anything that's been hard along the way?
[41:39] I think the budget was one of the things that I found hard in the first few years, because obviously it did change and it did fluctuate between children, us just being a couple.
[41:52] And then obviously the girls, as they grow older, they need different stuff.
[41:56] So that's something I even changing it,
[41:59] recently like it is a little bit hard to look at what we need now but like it's a good hard like everyone's going to find that hard yeah so i think also um along the lines of like the financial literacy it's hard to um hear all this sort of contrarian information when everyone around you is going down this one path saying do this hold on to the house yeah keep it as an investment property
[42:28] When you're saying, no, that's like the worst thing you can do.
[42:31] So it's very hard to hear that.
[42:34] But then once you sort of actually look into it and see the data, see the results, it all makes sense.
[42:40] It's all sort of common sense now.
[42:42] Yeah, it's interesting.
[42:43] Everyone's doing the same thing.
[42:44] Everyone's advising.
[42:45] A lot of people are telling a lot of people do the same thing.
[42:47] They're all getting the same result.
[42:49] Yeah.
[42:49] Isn't that great?
[42:50] Yet we consistently seem to be getting a different result.
[42:53] So I think whoever you're getting advice from rely on the data.
[42:56] Yep.
[42:57] um and the data needs to be proven by someone who's actually done it like multiple customers because i i'm tending to hear from everyone like community as well you get to sit and talk to or meet all these but i mean you're out of the room for the tequila shot sorry but i know devastating we'll make up for that um but you know i think it is important to have that that social proof or proof in society of people who've actually done it you know you want if not your advisor you want to talk to five or ten of their clients that's done i think that helps because
[43:24] You're making big decisions about selling an old home or selling a caravan.
[43:28] You need to know that it works.
[43:30] You can look at the numbers on a page, but how has that actually applied practically for another family?
[43:36] That's very important.
[43:37] Like the meal thing, right?
[43:38] Yeah.
[43:39] You know, I say a question in case it's like, well, yeah, I can help you, but don't bullshit yourself.
[43:43] It's pretty fucking simple when you're like...
[43:46] And now you're saying like, wow, it's pretty simple.
[43:48] It is simple.
[43:49] And she's a busy lady.
[43:50] She's a hectic lady.
[43:53] An absolute superwoman.
[43:55] Seriously.
[43:56] You messaged me the other night at 10.30 at night.
[43:58] She's got her corporate investigation job and she's out doing something.
[44:03] You can message me about all the people she's doing another fitness thing for.
[44:06] She goes, oh, hey, G, if it's okay with you.
[44:08] And Nick's done the same.
[44:09] We're going to slip in our own fitness thing in our own.
[44:12] Because usually infinity puts up all the prize money.
[44:14] Right.
[44:15] So, and then they run it all and they're like, oh, do you mind if we just slip one in so everyone's fucking healthy and feel great for Christmas?
[44:21] And I'm like, it's not my fucking money, go for it.
[44:24] Yeah.
[44:24] And I'm thinking, wow, that's wild because she's putting up that money, Nick's doing one as well, he's putting up that money.
[44:29] And it's like, they're putting up their own money.
[44:31] to make sure everyone's in a better position that's fantastic and like i don't think they're going to make money out of that because they're going to need a gazillion people to sign up to give back that three four five whatever they're giving back but they just love it yeah it's pretty cool it is pretty good too because i don't have to get involved in it all the time i'm so busy but um but i've seen another big people people jump on the bandwagon but she's a busy lady yeah busy lady like i don't think you'd ever get an excuse out of her
[44:58] Oh, my hat goes off to her.
[45:00] Like, seriously.
[45:01] And obviously, they're a family of five.
[45:03] They've got the three kids and the two of them, both fitness.
[45:06] Both jobs.
[45:07] Both businesses.
[45:08] Both other jobs.
[45:09] Hectic.
[45:10] Like, and they...
[45:13] Just amazing.
[45:14] So yeah, listening to her and having a conversation with her, especially at that last room, really made me realise I can be a bit more stricter within all that kind of stuff.
[45:23] So do you think we're all cruising a little bit in life but we like to pretend how busy we are?
[45:29] Because you're obviously...
[45:31] very structured now after that conversation and interaction somebody who is structured and not saying you weren't structured but someone's given you maybe an improved structure yeah like in an area that you were struggling with and i think that's really important because just success leaves clues yeah somebody else can do it as a bigger household with double jobs and this and that go pick their brain yeah a hundred percent go talk to that person that's inspiring you because yeah it's better you for your future
[45:57] I love that.
[45:57] It's so cool.
[45:58] That's filtered through the community.
[46:00] Have you guys been to any community days yet?
[46:03] We're coming to one.
[46:04] This week?
[46:05] The Gold Coast one?
[46:07] The Gold Coast one?
[46:09] Yeah.
[46:09] Next week?
[46:09] No, next week, the 20th of November.
[46:12] Yeah.
[46:13] Yeah, so we're taking the kids to that one.
[46:14] Cool.
[46:15] There have been some big ones.
[46:17] Yeah, they look amazing.
[46:18] Yeah, it's going to be cool.
[46:19] They cater for everything from face painting and Dino nuggets to bloody beers and wine.
[46:24] It's got like the whole jumping castles.
[46:25] It's like the kids are good, the adults are good.
[46:27] It's all happening.
[46:28] A Christmas party?
[46:30] Yes, we're absolutely going to the Christmas party.
[46:32] Kmart, Salvo.
[46:33] Absolutely.
[46:33] We've already made our donation and we're going to take the girls shopping at Kmart to choose some toys.
[46:37] Yes.
[46:38] They're probably not of an age to really understand yet, do you think?
[46:42] I don't know.
[46:43] I think if we have the conversations that we're giving stuff, because we donate some of their toys at the moment.
[46:47] Like we go through when they have a birthday and family gives them stuff.
[46:51] We get rid of some old stuff and then we end up donating it.
[46:55] So I think we will, obviously when their friends have birthdays, we talk about that's for giving, you're giving.
[47:00] Okay, so that's a good age for them to sort of start to understand.
[47:04] It might be some tears, I think.
[47:06] When they pick out toys, they don't actually get the toys.
[47:08] Get them?
[47:09] Yeah.
[47:10] That's why I'm asking you, like, are they at that age for the lesson?
[47:12] Because a bit younger, there's, like, the tantrum of I just pick the toy, I want the toy, versus the leaving it at the, you know, the tree at the front of the store.
[47:19] It's a learning lesson for everyone.
[47:21] Yeah.
[47:22] Good luck.
[47:24] I'll take the tips from you guys later.
[47:28] Have you got your outfits for the party yet?
[47:30] Yeah.
[47:30] Oh, yeah, I think you do.
[47:31] I do.
[47:32] No, I haven't even thought about it.
[47:33] Yeah, I'm sorted.
[47:34] I'm sorted.
[47:34] I don't know what I'm going to do yet.
[47:36] It's going to be fun.
[47:38] It's going to be fun.
[47:38] It's going to be wild.
[47:39] Well, give me a...
[47:41] So this morning, we're at $721,000.
[47:45] That's amazing.
[47:47] I knew it got to 700.
[47:48] Yeah.
[47:49] So what's your guess for what we'll get to by Chrissy?
[47:53] Oh.
[47:55] Yeah.
[47:55] Because last year was 200 plus then the contribution of the shop, the presents and that.
[48:01] I think we donated about another 48 or 50, which was super cool because Kmart matched it as well.
[48:06] So it was about 250 last year.
[48:08] This year I said let's do 500 grand and 5,000 presents because I'm like, well, if we get –
[48:13] three four thousand people at the christmas party and everyone brings a present or two few people yeah there's five thousand presents on the day you know i mean plus clients nationally are sending in receipts and they're already heading into kmart with their kids and stuff i'm like we might do ten thousand presents that's pretty cool yeah what's your guess for the we hit the five hundred thousand like four and a half days i think you're gonna get well over the hundred kmart
[48:37] I reckon about $8.50.
[48:39] No.
[48:39] You reckon another $1.50?
[48:40] You reckon over a mil?
[48:42] I reckon.
[48:42] A mil?
[48:44] Oh, I don't know about that.
[48:45] $8.50, I think.
[48:46] Yeah.
[48:47] No.
[48:47] Like $8.50 is amazing.
[48:48] Because we went like five in under five days, like boom, you know what I mean?
[48:52] That's wild.
[48:53] There was a lot of really highly valued business associates in there.
[48:57] So solicitors, accountants, financial planners, and all sorts of builders.
[49:02] Everyone chipped in pretty quickly.
[49:04] And then the clients have all come in hard too and thousands of clients.
[49:07] I'm like, I don't know.
[49:09] I'm sort of thinking we might stop at 750.
[49:12] I don't know.
[49:13] 750, 800?
[49:13] I don't think so.
[49:17] 850?
[49:18] I reckon around 9 then.
[49:20] 9?
[49:20] I reckon it's going up there.
[49:21] Okay.
[49:22] All right.
[49:24] We'll see.
[49:24] Well, you know, actually, maybe we'll do it live at the Christmas party.
[49:28] We'll do another little push.
[49:30] Everyone will be super by then.
[49:31] I reckon 100%.
[49:32] Everyone whipped out their phone and did 20 bucks or something.
[49:34] If you're giving tequila shots out, there's 100% people who are going to be donating.
[49:37] Yeah.
[49:38] I should charge for the tequila shots but not keep the money.
[49:40] I should donate it.
[49:41] Yes, 100%.
[49:43] Beck came out with infinity bombs.
[49:45] So you know the new drinks?
[49:47] Have you seen the new energy drinks you've got?
[49:49] The Nexus ones.
[49:49] Yeah, we've got some.
[49:50] So you know when you're younger, they have Jager bombs.
[49:52] So you pour the can of Red Bull in and then you drop the Jager in the middle.
[49:56] Beck's because she loves tequila.
[49:58] She's like, infinity bombs.
[49:59] You pour a can of infinite energy instead of Red Bull and you drop a shot of tequila in the middle.
[50:04] Yep.
[50:05] That's dangerous.
[50:05] Yes.
[50:06] Maybe we should do those for charity or something.
[50:12] 100%.
[50:13] I'll come up with something cool that isn't on the open bar.
[50:17] And be like, hey, if you have one of these, but you've got to show it.
[50:19] All money's donated.
[50:20] It's $10 to Kmart or something.
[50:21] I'll come up with something cool for sure.
[50:23] I don't know.
[50:25] But, man, power of community.
[50:27] It's absolutely amazing.
[50:28] I think we were on the master class.
[50:31] No, the...
[50:32] The ma'am.
[50:33] The ma'am.
[50:34] And, like, we were just... Just climbing.
[50:36] Yeah, it was just climbing.
[50:37] Yeah.
[50:37] And at the end of it, like, they were all running... All the team were running in just absolutely proud and pumped.
[50:43] Yeah, it was pretty special.
[50:44] So in, like, 20 minutes it jumped, like, to near 700.
[50:48] And it was, like, insane.
[50:49] Yeah, it's a weird community.
[50:52] It's an infectious community.
[50:54] Yeah.
[50:55] It's absolutely stunning.
[50:56] It is.
[50:56] Like everyone's talking to each other and, hey, how do I do food and how do I do health and where do I leave my caravan?
[51:03] It's pretty cool.
[51:04] It is amazing.
[51:05] And everyone supports everyone.
[51:07] Yeah.
[51:08] Absolutely.
[51:09] Everyone has your back.
[51:10] Yeah.
[51:10] Everyone's wanting you to achieve good things.
[51:14] Yeah.
[51:14] And amazing things.
[51:15] And they support you.
[51:17] Sometimes we're going to stop and pinch ourselves and go, what have we created?
[51:21] You guys have created something so freaking amazing.
[51:23] So much more than just a finance company.
[51:25] Yeah, it is.
[51:26] It gets a bit of a good thing.
[51:28] We can direct like the Kmart thing this year because we started early.
[51:31] I kept harassing them.
[51:32] Where's my link?
[51:33] Where's my link?
[51:33] And they're like, settle down, mate.
[51:35] Like you'll get it soon.
[51:35] I'm like, where's the link?
[51:37] Because I wanted to make sure that funds and presents were deployed early.
[51:41] Like even this year with the Christmas party, it's November.
[51:43] because i want to make sure they took truckloads away from seaworld last year i want to make sure they get to the salvos depot and they get you know distributed all over the place and so same as the cash i don't want to sit in a bank account i want to make sure they've got food hampers and they're giving i want to like make sure those resources are deployed yeah but yeah it's it's getting wild like everyone's telling me they're going if you don't crack a mill this year i'll be very surprised but next year
[52:08] got to be over a meal i'm like can't come out and say we're going to raise a meal like that's wild well but i reckon we could do it well we'll look like you super cheap this year yeah i'll get them fuzzies it's it's pretty cool so well i'm really excited for you guys to go do that you're doing the shop with the kids yeah we want to do the kids yeah it'd be cool send in the receipts and we'll uh
[52:30] We'll add it to the tally and it'll be really cool.
[52:33] Share it on socials.
[52:34] Like if one of your family or friends, like that's the mission for it.
[52:37] It's like if one person sees every person in our community with that bit of kindness, this thing can go viral.
[52:45] Like I just think there's got to be this one day of the year where no one goes without.
[52:49] Yeah.
[52:49] And I also have talked to mum about it.
[52:51] It's mum not feeling like she'd let me down at Christmas, if that makes sense.
[52:57] Like the single parents doing it tough.
[52:59] It's not just the kid getting the present, it's the parent actually feeling like everything's okay that day too.
[53:05] So it's a big impact.
[53:07] I remember when I was a child actually, we were in a full-wheel drive club with my family, my mum and dad, and I was on a day with the club and we actually delivered some of the gifts to the families like the club did.
[53:21] And it was absolutely just so lovely to see those families get those gifts, get those hampers.
[53:28] really special as a child to see that yeah like that's something that i still take with me to this day you'll never forget it no it's that that random act of construction not random but that act of kindness yeah i love it well we're going to do a part two of this as well we're going to maybe on travel or pre-post travel as well and see what we're doing with portfolios and stuff and
[53:50] Maybe we'll do a sell that dog podcast at the end of the trip or something.
[53:55] No, you get to the trip and go, we're never selling the bed.
[53:58] It was amazing.
[53:59] And I'll be like, fuck.
[54:01] No, we definitely said we were selling it.
[54:03] We're definitely going to do a part two.
[54:07] But tell me, while we're here, have you guys got any questions for me while we're here today?
[54:12] Yeah, we do.
[54:14] Cool.
[54:15] What's one of the most surprising things that you've learned through your clients throughout all the years that you've been doing this?
[54:23] One of the most surprising things I'd say is, and it's not surprising, but it's how resilient and determined human beings can be and what we are actually capable of.
[54:36] Like I've seen in 25 years, the worst of the worst.
[54:41] So actually I'll give you two answers to this.
[54:42] One is the, the level of turnaround somebody can have from catastrophic spender, skeptic, no way.
[54:51] I'm not listening to the, like, like, forget it.
[54:53] Like the worst of the worst borderline bankrupt to completely flipping to be capable of like five, six, seven investments, pay off a hair.
[55:02] Like, like,
[55:03] that's surprise not anymore but that's probably one of the most surprising things along the journey of how vast the turnaround can be yeah um that's definitely probably the most surprising one because you think okay there's a level of getting out of the shit to being okay but the turnarounds are just you meet some of these people you've met them right it's fucking wild yeah
[55:24] And that fills me up.
[55:25] And every day I'm still like, I even look at stuff and I know the numbers, but I don't think that the human's capable of seeing it through for a lengthened period of time.
[55:36] But you all do.
[55:37] You're like any position you come, you don't just have a crack.
[55:40] You gamify it.
[55:41] You become addicted to it.
[55:43] Like there's like this...
[55:45] almost militant style like boom you guys just run with it it's wild like yeah that's become a bit surprising to me because um on the flip side i also still am surprised daily by people that want help but are not prepared to do the work yeah uh that's still so because we get people we sign with some we slip through and we're like yep we approve the application and then they just flake off
[56:09] Right, yeah.
[56:10] Like, oh, I'm not getting my value.
[56:11] It's like you're not following a budget.
[56:13] Look at your spend.
[56:14] It's like, why did you sign up if you're not going to follow what's proven to work?
[56:18] So I think there's two big surprising things in there.
[56:20] There's the people that you just think would absolutely like, yeah, we'll get you from really bad to good.
[56:26] But these people go to glory, like they smoke it and it's like, fuck.
[56:31] Like, and you don't, you hope that for people, but you don't expect it.
[56:35] Yeah.
[56:36] And then there's the flip side.
[56:37] I still get surprised at people that go through the process, invest in it, time, energy, resources, money, and then just don't fucking stick to it.
[56:45] Yeah.
[56:45] Though both of those are like still really surprising.
[56:49] Yeah.
[56:49] Yeah.
[56:50] it's you definitely see that like especially like you said the clients are absolutely smash it and like they share that as well with some of their stories and even clients are like we've not smashed it like as far as quickly as what they have and it's just i'm so proud of like proud yeah like to even like hear that that someone can achieve that stuff so quickly
[57:10] And I think it's good.
[57:11] Everyone's so proud of each other.
[57:12] Yeah.
[57:13] I mean, it's also weird because, you know, if you go to ABC Home Loans, they don't have any sense of community.
[57:19] You're just a client of the person who wrote your loan.
[57:22] And that's fine.
[57:22] That's a business.
[57:23] It's a service.
[57:24] But, yeah, we just made a decision to develop this sense of community where everyone's in it together.
[57:29] Everyone helps each other.
[57:31] And it's, I don't know, it just happens.
[57:32] It's just weird.
[57:34] It's weird.
[57:34] But it's good.
[57:34] Everyone's so happy for each other.
[57:36] Yeah.
[57:37] What else?
[57:37] What else?
[57:38] What else can you think of to pick my brain while you've got me today?
[57:44] How do you balance the emotional side of buying a property but also investing?
[57:50] The emotional side of buying.
[57:52] So as in, do you mean like... Making a smart investment.
[57:56] Oh, yeah.
[57:57] Really hard.
[58:00] I was really good at it forever, ever, ever.
[58:04] I'm still good at it, but I have made some more emotional decisions lately because I can afford to.
[58:10] Those emotional decisions are a bit more difficult.
[58:14] Like, you know, we spent $11 million on an apartment at Burley.
[58:18] And we didn't even know what we were going to do.
[58:19] Now we're living in it at the moment, but we didn't know what we were going to do because we moved out of our home.
[58:23] Like, oh, we'll move into it.
[58:24] Do we like apartment living on the beach or not?
[58:27] That was an emotional decision.
[58:29] It's a branded residence.
[58:30] So it's the Mondrian Hotel, but there's a residence tower.
[58:33] We have room service, but we're in the residence tower.
[58:35] Yeah.
[58:36] So I can order two poached eggs and a coffee on the room service QR code and it's upstairs within 30 minutes to the room and have breakfast on the balcony looking at the beach.
[58:47] So it's like, oh, tough gig.
[58:48] Tough.
[58:49] So that was actually purchased potentially as an investment because branded residences, I believe, are going to be one of the biggest things.
[58:57] I'm going to do some content on it soon and actually film and go, hey, guys, just be aware whether it's a one-bedroom or a four-bedroom or penthouse –
[59:04] branded residences are going to become a big thing in Australia.
[59:06] They're very big overseas, like Ritz-Carlton's, not so much Hilton's here, but where you actually have hotel resort brands with a hotel tower and a residence tower.
[59:18] And the residents get to live as if they're in a hotel.
[59:21] So the cleaning's done by the hotel at a fee.
[59:24] I can pull up at the valet and walk up the lift and they drive into the basement for me and park the car in my car park.
[59:31] plug in your ev if you've got an ev yeah do you clean do dry cleaning room service so you know day spa down so those sorts of things are like wild now people bought properties in there for like seven eight hundred grand back in the day when it was off the plan and they're worth millions now so it's the old story of nothing gets cheaper but that emotional because i bought into that
[59:53] very much emotional or I guess you'd say ego driven a bit of I really want to have one of those branded residences maybe to live in maybe to flip as an investment but it's very hard that you have to when you're investing it's business you're providing a service which is a roof over another family's head that couldn't afford to do it themselves with all of the outgoings the debts the loans so you are providing a service but it has to be commercial and kind but commercial
[1:00:23] Typically you say to people, you're not going to live in it, just completely detached.
[1:00:27] Like most of my stuff is just all bought on numbers and information, not going and inspecting even or going to the site if it doesn't exist yet.
[1:00:38] It's all just done off the data.
[1:00:40] And that helps you because if you walk through it, you're like, oh, it's lovely and you pay more or you're going, oh, that's shit.
[1:00:47] You don't buy it, but it could have been a great transaction.
[1:00:50] So you really have to have that, almost that sense of detachment and remove yourself from the transit, so to speak, from any of the emotion.
[1:00:57] It's very hard.
[1:00:59] Yeah, I've done, I've been great at it for years, but I've been a little bit more emotional of late.
[1:01:05] yeah um but it's hard it is hard so how i would say takes time it takes practice it's a it's definitely a decision you have to make to say yes i'm going to be a commercially minded investor and detach from the transaction and just look at you know like you guys did with your queensland property it's hey we probably wouldn't live there nothing wrong with the area it's a booming area now but
[1:01:29] that's a great area where there's land available.
[1:01:32] You've bought land, paid a little bit of stamp duty.
[1:01:34] You've created a great dual occupancy from memory, I think it was.
[1:01:38] And you've been able to sell that to another family or another investor and get a great premium.
[1:01:42] Happy days, right?
[1:01:44] That was purely commercial for you and it's put nearly 400 grand in your family's pocket.
[1:01:48] Whereas had I said to you, guys, go out and find an investment property you want to buy for seven or whatever as you paid, you would have come back, oh, could we spend 820?
[1:01:58] oh we found this play oh this is you know it would have went on for months and you get that analysis paralysis as opposed to just enter the market let time do its thing yeah so that result for you is a really good example of detach and just do the numbers which is where we stepped in and went here's the numbers here's option a b c so for you it was just commercial you had to trust but you went through the data and it's worked for you
[1:02:22] Um, that's a really good example of how it can work.
[1:02:25] It can also not work, but I say, if we let you go shopping, you would have been looking for things that you want to live in, or could you see yourself there or who would your tenant be?
[1:02:35] Um, so I think you've got to remember any of those things where you start to feel about the asset, whether it's property or whatever it is, art, whatever, why you've got to not have feelings.
[1:02:47] You've got to have data.
[1:02:48] don't get warm and fuzzy with it oh do not get warm and fuzzy with that the investment property you just spoke about that was a bit of an eye-opener as well like we're never going to live in it so what does it matter the color of the walls the color of the curtains um so that was something that we had to detach from as well yeah it's hard yeah but once you get good at after the first one or two you realize that's where the money's made and
[1:03:12] My best money is made from the ones I'm detached from.
[1:03:16] The ones I'm attached to, I've put extra benches in, like thicker benches and fancy this and I don't make as much money.
[1:03:24] It's a good question.
[1:03:25] What else?
[1:03:26] The other one was, what trends are you noticing in the property market?
[1:03:29] Yeah.
[1:03:30] Oh, the branded residence.
[1:03:31] Yeah, I was thinking you kind of just answered that with that one.
[1:03:33] The branded residence, I think, is going to become a good one.
[1:03:36] Now, branded residence isn't something for the mid to average socioeconomic family because they're always going to have a bit of a price point and a bit of prestige to them.
[1:03:47] but something for people to work to or a higher net worth or mid-tier investor.
[1:03:51] Definitely picking up one or two bedroom apartments in branded residences.
[1:03:55] Also communities.
[1:03:57] There's a big shift to community.
[1:03:59] So gated community, the community you're within.
[1:04:03] So, you know, complexes now where it's a gated community, they might have security in the community, you know, going around at night on a car or a golf cart.
[1:04:12] They've got the parks in built or the water park in built.
[1:04:16] They've got the cafe, the daycare.
[1:04:19] So I think we're seeing a real shift to, and traffic congestion these days and all that sort of stuff.
[1:04:25] I think we're gonna see big shifts to holistic inclusive communities in the sort of house and land space where everything is pretty much there.
[1:04:34] The little medical center, the little news agent, the chemist, the schools, et cetera, daycare, and sport and rec and parks, open space, as well as branded residents.
[1:04:43] So I think they're two big shifts.
[1:04:45] I think we already are seeing a really big shift to going up.
[1:04:51] The great Australian dream of the house and the yard, if you want to say the white picket fence and kids playing cricket in the back, lots are getting smaller with affordability issues.
[1:05:01] I've seen some really great stuff from some really key leaders in the development construction space over some presentations lately saying like developers have a duty and governments to actually allocate a percentage of all land and apartments to affordable housing.
[1:05:18] So imagine if every building or every land subdivision that was getting produced that was profitable had to allocate 10 or 20% to affordable, it would increase supply straight away for affordable dwellings.
[1:05:34] Now, less margin for them, but I've heard some of the most influential developers speak about their civic, ethical, moral society duties to do that.
[1:05:44] but they might need some assistance to do that, i.e.
[1:05:47] if they're doing 100 blocks that are 600 square metres, but they're not allowed to build 250s or 300s, what if the government or councils or the planning scheme, what if they were allowed to chop up 20% of the site into blocks that were 250 and do terrace homes?
[1:06:05] And then the young first homeowner or families could get into those terrace homes in the estate at the beginning.
[1:06:11] And then there's still the bigger blocks for the family that can afford it at the back.
[1:06:15] So I think we'll see some shifts to what I'd say is like blended communities, like affordable.
[1:06:21] They're not saying I'll put housing commission everywhere.
[1:06:24] But I think you'll see some real shifts to affordable housing being part of approved development approvals moving forward.
[1:06:31] I think that would be a great initiative as well.
[1:06:33] Is that nationally, those communities you speak of, or is it more sort of that South East Queensland?
[1:06:37] I think everywhere.
[1:06:37] I think there needs to be a push for it nationally.
[1:06:39] We've got a crisis, right?
[1:06:41] But the other thing we're seeing is trade crisis.
[1:06:45] You know, if you're in Perth, brickies are probably $3.50 to lay a brick right now.
[1:06:49] Pre-COVID, it was $1, $1.50.
[1:06:51] They got to $2.50.
[1:06:53] Perth's double brick, and they're $3.50 a brick.
[1:06:56] So they're making one to two times as much per brick, and they're doing twice as many bricks per house.
[1:07:02] So...
[1:07:03] um and again there's no i'm not picking on brickies they work bloody hard but there's no justification for it what's happening is that there's just no labor and we keep talking about migration and skilled labor but we're not importing skilled labor because we haven't solved the crisis if we wanted to right we'd be importing bricklayers carpenters chippies tilers and that sort of thing
[1:07:26] At the moment, you try to get work done on a house, the quotes are wild, and they're just hoping that you just say yes, and they'll just take the most profitable job.
[1:07:35] It's wild.
[1:07:36] It's really scary.
[1:07:37] So otherwise, we're going to get into these, and I've watched them and I've studied them.
[1:07:41] They've got these bricklaying robots and concrete robots, and they've got all these machines now that can build houses alone instead of hundreds of trades.
[1:07:49] We'll get to that point.
[1:07:50] Now, the other issue about...
[1:07:53] probably half of a house when we're building it is mostly tax.
[1:07:57] There's a lot of crap that could be removed to make housing more affordable.
[1:08:03] But I'll tell you what I think one of the big tricks could be.
[1:08:07] Fuck off Airbnb tomorrow.
[1:08:11] Because if you think about our housing crisis right now, when I grew up, if you went away, you stayed at the motor inn or the caravan park or the cheaper hotel, the star inn or whatever, the mantra.
[1:08:26] I do not think society needs Airbnb.
[1:08:30] Yeah.
[1:08:31] Personal opinion, but also semi-professional opinion because I've started to look and I'm going to get Dr. Model some data.
[1:08:38] If we were to scrap Airbnb tomorrow in Australia, I don't think any property owner when we have a housing crisis needs to charge thousands of dollars.
[1:08:50] You know, say it's $500 a night for Friday, Saturday, Sunday when someone could have went to a hotel for a similar price.
[1:08:56] Yeah.
[1:08:57] The hotels keep people employed from maintenance, engineering, room service, hospitality, like all these jobs that always have.
[1:09:05] I don't think Airbnb benefits society.
[1:09:09] Yeah, that's such a good point.
[1:09:11] I could be wrong, but I'm starting to model it to actually want to put it together and actually have some data around this early in the new year.
[1:09:18] Over the last couple, it's always good to do stuff at the year end, a calendar or in year.
[1:09:23] And I think, and I don't know the numbers yet, but if we put...
[1:09:27] every little one bedroom unit that's been in airbnb back on the market and i'm going to tell you what's going to happen and people are going to hate this hate me for saying it rent values will drop overnight because you'll flood the market with supply and i'll give you a real life example where this idea came from for me when covid was coming on through melbourne
[1:09:46] Melbourne apartments died in the ass, especially in the city, right?
[1:09:51] Because of COVID, because there was no one Airbnb.
[1:09:54] They flooded the market with permanent rentals and the Melbourne apartment market rents died in the ass.
[1:10:00] It's a perfect example of why this could work, okay?
[1:10:05] They also just did this in Spain, in Barcelona, right?
[1:10:10] So they come out politically in Barcelona and said, no more Airbnb in Barcelona.
[1:10:16] Rents dropped 9% overnight.
[1:10:20] Very interesting.
[1:10:22] Because everybody instantly has to go to market and get a full-time family or tenant.
[1:10:28] So I'm getting a bit passionate about, I call it a brain fart.
[1:10:32] I need to go and model it.
[1:10:34] I could sound like an idiot right now.
[1:10:35] But I'm going to go and model it.
[1:10:36] And my gut tells me,
[1:10:38] If we cut Airbnb tomorrow, people go, oh, but you can't tell me what to do with my property if I can get a great rental return.
[1:10:45] Houses are for humans.
[1:10:47] I think you can make a good ethical moral return out of a long-term permanent tenant.
[1:10:51] It will, if we did this nationally, and it could have to be staged, if we did this nationally, it would drop rents overnight because there'd be so many more properties to rent.
[1:11:02] You'd have to drop your rent to get a tenant.
[1:11:04] Yep.
[1:11:04] Yep.
[1:11:05] tick now it would drop values temporarily and i don't know i have to model it could be a five or ten percent drop in air key areas like say melbourne apartments where there's heaps of airbnb or cities right it could drop values three five ten percent it could drop rents five ten percent i'll model it and get doc to look at it but i could say it will drop rents it will create competition everyone's scrambling to get a permanent tenant just in the first period once everyone's got a tenant
[1:11:35] It will normalise.
[1:11:36] It will smooth out.
[1:11:37] Yeah, it will smooth out.
[1:11:39] I don't think we need Airbnb.
[1:11:40] Unless you can tell me hotels everywhere in Australia are fully booked, which they're not.
[1:11:45] Hotels won't cancel on you either.
[1:11:46] Airbnb, they can cancel on you last minute.
[1:11:49] There's no hidden camera.
[1:11:50] There's no person's fucking food in the fridge.
[1:11:53] There's no creepy person hiding in a secret room.
[1:11:56] You're not sleeping in somebody's...
[1:11:58] I just don't think we need it.
[1:12:00] And I could be wrong and maybe people will blow up in the comments.
[1:12:03] But I mean, I might do some polls and put some data and start testing it and talking about it more.
[1:12:09] Yeah.
[1:12:09] But I reckon we'd have a good crack at not solving.
[1:12:13] We can't build enough homes quick enough.
[1:12:15] We don't have the materials, supplies and trades.
[1:12:17] Okay.
[1:12:17] And it's wildly expensive.
[1:12:19] Let's flood the market with what we've got.
[1:12:21] Yeah.
[1:12:22] So I'm going to go, I'll go get the data.
[1:12:23] I'll come back to you on a bit.
[1:12:24] Yeah, I'll be interested to see.
[1:12:25] I reckon it's something to run to Graniga.
[1:12:27] You know what?
[1:12:28] We've got a gap of, so we've got a gap of 100 homes.
[1:12:32] And if we can Airbnb, we can plug 60.
[1:12:35] Well, fuck, we're 60% better off for families in Australia.
[1:12:38] Yeah.
[1:12:39] Now, like I said, everyone will be pissed off that rent, maybe we make a rule and it's over six months.
[1:12:45] Maybe the policy say, hey, you've got six months to normalise Airbnb and we don't fucking cop it in Australia anymore.
[1:12:51] And maybe each state does it at a different time, but over the period of a year or two.
[1:12:55] That would stop rents from dying overnight.
[1:12:58] Because a lot of those investors will go, fuck that amount of property.
[1:13:01] I want the three days at 500 rent, the 1500 rent.
[1:13:05] If I'm going to go back to 700 a week, I'm going to sell it.
[1:13:09] I don't think anyone needs to profit that high.
[1:13:13] I think it's okay for investors to take debt, take risk, profit from a home and put a family in it.
[1:13:19] I don't think you need to make fucking That's a 5% 4% yield You get tax deductions For taking the risk I don't think anyone needs to make $1,500 a week And make a 10-12% yield Out of a red Because it's still a home At the end of the day I don't know I'm going to run this to ground I reckon it could help
[1:13:36] I think it absolutely will make a massive difference.
[1:13:38] It's a big chunk, but it has to be done.
[1:13:41] When you let politicians and the policy writers do this, it can break.
[1:13:46] You need like a series of people, maybe 20 Grahams and five Doc Wilsons and real estate experts and gurus and then economists and astrologists.
[1:13:57] Because some economists make astrologists look good with their fucking predictions of that wrong.
[1:14:01] But I think we need to get the right group of people to model it and go, yeah, if we started in, where's the worst crisis?
[1:14:08] It's New South Wales, Sydney.
[1:14:10] Let's start there.
[1:14:11] Pull Airbnb out.
[1:14:13] You would get people that are forced to live at home with mum and dad in Western Sydney now being able to rent a one-bedroom apartment in Sydney or share with a friend in a two-bedroom apartment on a normalized rent.
[1:14:25] They wouldn't have to commute an hour and a half on the train.
[1:14:27] Yeah.
[1:14:28] I reckon it'll fix it.
[1:14:29] Yeah.
[1:14:30] It'll go a long way anyway.
[1:14:31] It'll definitely help.
[1:14:32] It'll help.
[1:14:33] So, yeah.
[1:14:34] It's good questions.
[1:14:35] Thank you.
[1:14:36] Yeah.
[1:14:36] Anything else?
[1:14:37] The last one was only to see what you enjoy most about all these conversations that you have with your clients.
[1:14:44] I enjoy the journey because then I get to watch them all back when I'm in the gym or when I'm traveling and download them.
[1:14:50] So I get to watch them all back and I'm like, oh, and I get to go and play with strategy.
[1:14:55] So quite a lot comes out of these because from what you do say and what you don't say and I get a better feel for people in that time together.
[1:15:03] And then we go off and get to play with your current strategy and have an evolution of it.
[1:15:08] So if you notice and you watch Casey and Lenny's first podcast to second, or like if you watch Brooke and Brent Emery's first, second, for like the journeys, that's cool because then like you get to play with it and go, oh.
[1:15:24] okay so when they get back from traveling we fuck off the van we do like and the brain starts ticking with the team and the team all get to watch them as well so yeah i kind of like that that evolution now for when we do the next episode like 2.0 for you guys yeah yeah yeah i can't wait to see it either yeah can't wait to see what we do yeah did you want to ask any questions no i think you've covered it okay they're very good questions thank you
[1:15:48] Well, you should be very proud of yourselves, one.
[1:15:53] And two, and also very proud to stand up and ask questions like that at REM and then have someone like Casey.
[1:15:59] And that's why it's surprising what people are capable of.
[1:16:03] And it's surprising that I've seen people get up and ask what you've asked and do nothing with the knowledge.
[1:16:07] Yeah.
[1:16:08] So you should be very proud of yourselves to actually see it through and take hold of what's available.
[1:16:14] You know, there's the community, there's the podcast, there's your actual coaches, your team.
[1:16:19] Like to take hold of all of it is a bit of a job.
[1:16:21] Yeah.
[1:16:22] You've got to be serious about life and not float through life.
[1:16:24] So you should be really proud that you guys are grabbing hold of all the resources and tools and running with it.
[1:16:29] So well done.
[1:16:30] Thank you.
[1:16:31] Thank you.
[1:16:31] And we'll get back for episode two.
[1:16:33] Yeah, definitely.
[1:16:35] Maybe mid-travel, but we'll see.
[1:16:37] We'll see where we are.
[1:16:38] We'll do it.
[1:16:39] Maybe.
[1:16:40] Well done, guys.
[1:16:40] Thanks for coming in.
[1:16:41] Thanks for having us.
[1:16:42] Cheers.
[1:16:43] You're fucking gone.
[1:16:44] See ya.

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