# Single Mum Creating Generational Wealth | Lauren | CHANGING LIVES | Season 3 Ep 84

An episode of [Money Mentor Podcast™](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1632604767), 18 Jan 2026, 42 min.

Audio: https://episode.flightcast.com/xdzlf0s1lk6udjd6vt46l7gb.mp3

On this episode of Changing Lives Financially, Lauren, a single mother and former military member, shares how reshaping her financial approach changed her life. After discovering Infinity through social media, she joined a two day masterclass that gave her clarity, confidence, and a community she felt supported by. Within months, she made major financial moves, selling her home, upgrading to a new one, and securing two investment properties. She credits her progress to disciplined budgeting, meal planning, and following a structured strategy without sacrificing her kids’ experiences or her quality of life. The episode also touches on the realities of parenting alone, balancing children’s activities, and planning for long term security. Lauren talks openly about the fears and pressures that come with being a single parent, and how having a clear roadmap changed everything. Her story highlights what’s possible when strategy, community, and consistency all align, showing stability and growth are achievable even in the most challenging seasons.👉 Follow the link https://bit.ly/43V2jKN to watch the free webinar and start your Infinity journey now!

## Transcript

[0:00] So there is no mortgage on the house.
[0:03] On the new one?
[0:03] Yep.
[0:05] Wow.
[0:05] So you've got your new home on the beach.
[0:07] Mm-hmm.
[0:08] Everyone's happy, except for the 24-year-old.
[0:11] Yes.
[0:11] Kids are all happy.
[0:12] Yeah.
[0:12] Lauren's happy.
[0:13] New home, no debt, and two new investments.
[0:18] Correct.
[0:19] Does that feel real?
[0:21] Not really.
[0:24] Yes, very exciting.
[0:25] Money isn't rude of all evil.
[0:27] The fucking lack of it is.
[0:28] Not money.
[0:29] The lack of understanding money.
[0:31] When I put that into emphasis, when I realize our psychological effect and how it hit our family, I have to be in the fucking way.
[0:37] You are now watching the Money Mentor podcast with Graham Holm.
[0:41] Graham Holm.
[0:41] Graham Holm.
[0:42] Graham Holm.
[0:43] Graham Holm.
[0:45] You're fucking gone.
[0:46] See ya.
[0:47] Welcome back to another episode of The Money Mentor on the Changing Lives Financially series.
[0:52] And today's special guest is Lauren.
[0:54] Hello.
[0:55] Welcome.
[0:56] Thank you, G. Are you nervous?
[0:58] A little, not as nervous as I thought I was going to be.
[1:02] Okay, good, good, good, excellent.
[1:04] Well, maybe firstly, just tell us a little bit about Lauren.
[1:08] Who is Lauren family?
[1:09] Where are you from?
[1:10] What do you do?
[1:11] Give us a bit of background.
[1:13] Well, I'm Lauren.
[1:14] I'm ex-Army.
[1:17] Thank you.
[1:17] I am, thank you.
[1:19] I am a single mum of four children.
[1:23] Wow.
[1:25] Well, the oldest is 24 now, so he's not exactly a child.
[1:28] They always need mum.
[1:30] But he's still much.
[1:31] Exactly, they do.
[1:33] So that's Jordan, 24.
[1:35] Marley is 16.
[1:36] Tom is 14.
[1:37] And Isla is 11.
[1:39] Hello, Isla in the room.
[1:40] She's tuning in today.
[1:42] Very cute.
[1:43] She is.
[1:44] Okay.
[1:44] So four children.
[1:46] Wow.
[1:46] That's hard work on your own.
[1:49] It is.
[1:50] Yeah.
[1:50] Yep.
[1:51] Okay.
[1:51] An ex-military now.
[1:53] So thank you for the service.
[1:54] So you're now out of the military?
[1:55] I am, yes.
[1:57] Cool.
[1:58] And tell us a little bit, so financially, single mum, family of four, one of the two, obviously one of the boys a bit older, but sort of three still at home?
[2:06] Yes.
[2:07] Tell us financially pre-infinity, did you have a home loan, investments, renting?
[2:11] What was happening financially?
[2:13] I had a home loan of $150,000 on my current home.
[2:15] Yep.
[2:20] which I've actually sold and brought a new house.
[2:24] Congratulations.
[2:25] Thank you.
[2:26] So we're moving down the beach, yeah, in December.
[2:30] Well done.
[2:31] Everyone excited?
[2:33] Everyone's very excited, apart from the 24-year-old who is not coming.
[2:36] It's time for him to spread his wings.
[2:38] So he's still at home at the moment?
[2:40] Yeah, so he lives in the bungalow out the back of my house.
[2:43] Right.
[2:43] Him and his partner.
[2:44] Okay, but he's not ready to do the move.
[2:47] He's just not coming with me.
[2:48] There's no room.
[2:50] No, he's been lightly kicked out of the nest.
[2:53] He's adulting now.
[2:54] Yeah, absolutely.
[2:56] He's done it a couple of times and come back and realised how hard it is.
[3:00] And this time there's just no room for him to be coming back.
[3:03] He's got to work.
[3:03] You're 24.
[3:04] You're old enough.
[3:05] You can pay rent.
[3:06] Yep, absolutely.
[3:08] So, what about, so home loan $150, which we're selling now, so that's going to disappear and you're going to have some cash.
[3:14] Had you been using credit cards, car loans, what about other financial, anything else at all?
[3:20] No.
[3:20] Which is pretty tidy.
[3:21] Yeah, very tidy.
[3:22] Good position, done well, okay.
[3:24] So, where and when did you find Infinity?
[3:29] So I found Infinity on social media, Facebook.
[3:33] Your face just kept coming up.
[3:36] Everywhere.
[3:36] I'm a bit stalker Steve.
[3:37] Yes.
[3:40] And the things you would say on there is what I've always thought.
[3:46] Right.
[3:47] So it really did stick with me.
[3:50] Okay.
[3:51] But I just didn't know how to...
[3:57] Executed or implemented, yeah.
[3:59] 100%.
[4:00] Or feel confident enough to do it by myself being a single mum.
[4:05] We have had investment properties in the past when I was with my ex-husband.
[4:14] But they were always hold, hold, hold forever.
[4:19] Right.
[4:21] Yeah, so,
[4:24] I, yeah, kept seeing your face on Facebook and, yep, signed up in, oh, June is when I did the, I looked at, watched the free webinar.
[4:35] Free webinar, yep.
[4:36] How long were you watching the social media stuff and the podcast, like, creeping on it and listening to it?
[4:44] Maybe only a month or so before that, so not, yeah, not very long.
[4:49] July, I did the two-day masterclass.
[4:52] Yep, okay.
[4:54] That's July this year.
[4:55] July this year.
[4:56] This is a couple of months into the journey.
[4:59] Okay.
[4:59] Yep.
[5:02] Yeah.
[5:03] And then I was once I was confident enough that this wasn't a scam.
[5:08] Yeah.
[5:09] A cult.
[5:09] Yeah.
[5:10] Well, everyone uses the word cult.
[5:12] I'm like, give me the cult leader benefits.
[5:14] It's a weird word.
[5:15] Exactly.
[5:16] But I get the feel because it's a pretty cool community, right, that support each other.
[5:22] And it's very abnormal.
[5:25] in finance or any business, you know?
[5:26] It's not like, oh, the Holden people are all like this cool... Well, they kind of are in cars, but it's a bit weird.
[5:32] It is a bit weird.
[5:32] Yeah.
[5:33] How did you get... How or where did you get the confidence to go, okay, we watched some stuff for about a month...
[5:40] It's what I've always thought.
[5:42] It makes sense to me.
[5:43] Like, Lauren's getting it.
[5:44] Like, this makes sense, Lauren.
[5:46] Okay, free webinar.
[5:48] Okay, master.
[5:49] How do you get them that confidence to go, shit, single mom, three kids, adult, child.
[5:55] Like, this could be...
[5:57] catastrophic or this could be life-changing where do you get that confidence to take that leap of faith because that's a big call for anyone especially for your circumstances yeah it was it was huge i did a lot of research um a lot of messaging people in the infinity fam facebook group one of those creepers i was i was um lucky to get through because i say to people like people like hey this person's messaging me do you know i'm and i'm like no it's time to do the free
[6:27] So I went on to see if I had any mutual friends.
[6:30] Right.
[6:32] And I didn't, but I had a lot of, what are they called?
[6:37] Friends who are friends on there?
[6:38] Friends of friends, yeah.
[6:39] Yeah.
[6:39] So people you knew were following.
[6:42] Yes.
[6:43] Yeah.
[6:44] So I messaged every single one of those people.
[6:47] Oh God.
[6:48] There was about 12.
[6:49] They all got back to me.
[6:50] Really?
[6:51] Yes.
[6:51] Of our people?
[6:52] Of your people.
[6:53] Wow.
[6:53] Every single one of them got back to me.
[6:55] That's nice.
[6:56] Yeah.
[6:56] Just asking if the whole thing's real.
[6:59] Yep.
[7:00] Have you, how has your journey been, positive, negative, blah, blah, blah.
[7:05] Yep.
[7:07] It was all positive.
[7:08] Right.
[7:10] And I still wasn't 100% confident because I hadn't really met someone.
[7:16] Like, I'm thinking maybe these people can still be part of the...
[7:19] So, this is pretty cool.
[7:20] So, those 12 people, obviously, they're clients, right?
[7:24] Yes.
[7:24] They pay us.
[7:25] They all took the time to respond to you.
[7:27] Yes.
[7:27] Yes.
[7:28] That's pretty cool.
[7:29] Absolutely.
[7:30] And most weren't just, it's not a scam, but it was like paragraphs, like three, four, five paragraphs of... We have to wait till you meet them in an event and thank them.
[7:40] I will.
[7:41] I will.
[7:41] Okay.
[7:42] And then there was one lady that had a mutual friend and I knew her face from somewhere and I couldn't work out where it was.
[7:51] Right.
[7:52] So I ended up asking, I said...
[7:55] where do I know you from blah blah blah?
[7:56] And she said, I think it's the football club where my kids play football.
[8:00] Right.
[8:01] So she said, I'm gonna be down there Wednesday.
[8:03] And I said, well, I'm there Wednesday too.
[8:06] I'll come over and say hi.
[8:07] And once I,
[8:09] met her and I saw this other person with infinity face to face, I was completely, so I just needed that reassurance that that person was real.
[8:20] You needed that final check measure, yeah.
[8:22] Real and I could touch them.
[8:23] Not the messages online.
[8:24] Exactly.
[8:25] Yeah, yeah.
[8:25] And that was it.
[8:27] How far into her journey was her family?
[8:31] A couple of years, two to three years.
[8:32] So they're well into it.
[8:34] They know if it's real or not.
[8:36] Okay.
[8:37] So that was the sort of, okay, I can trust a bit more now because I've met this person there a couple of years down the path and the kids footy together.
[8:44] Yep, and they're real.
[8:45] They're real.
[8:46] I can touch these people.
[8:47] Another person to thank.
[8:48] There you go.
[8:49] Yes, absolutely.
[8:50] So, from then on it was like, okay, I feel a bit more comfortable.
[8:54] You've validated it.
[8:56] Yes.
[8:56] It's a big decision.
[8:58] And then talk us through, talk everyone at home through the journey of, so we start looking at the current home loan of 150.
[9:07] We start looking at your total, you know, what are your goals, objective, where do you want to be for you and the kids, all that sort of stuff.
[9:14] And talk through that process of what's been decided and where you've ended up buying a new home.
[9:20] Have you done any investing?
[9:21] It sounds like we're moving at the moment.
[9:22] I mean, I know what's going on, but for people at home, what happened?
[9:27] So it wasn't until I went to my first REM, just before REM, I thought I wanted to stay in my home that I'm in.
[9:42] Okay.
[9:44] And then I was, cause I love real estate.
[9:47] I'm always looking at real estate.
[9:48] And this perfect place came up near the ocean, near where we live.
[9:53] And I'm like, oh, I think I changed my mind.
[9:55] I don't think I want to be in this house anymore.
[9:57] I think I want to be in that house.
[10:00] that house sold really quickly.
[10:02] Way, way, way above what I wanted to spend.
[10:05] Okay, but it triggered something.
[10:07] It triggered in my head that I wanted to definitely be at the beach.
[10:10] Okay.
[10:12] So I went down looking and we found this beautiful home that we all loved.
[10:21] And- Did everybody love it more than anyone else?
[10:23] Everybody loved it.
[10:25] Three kids loved it more than me.
[10:26] Okay.
[10:27] It wasn't exactly in the area.
[10:30] I like the more quieter area.
[10:31] They like being in with their friends and those sorts of things, which is great for them.
[10:35] And I know it's a great investment for, you know, down a track and where it is near the beach and stuff.
[10:40] So I am more than happy to live there.
[10:44] Yeah, so then I had to, so that offer got accepted and had to put my house on the market.
[10:50] And sell it.
[10:51] And sell it.
[10:51] And that sold in seven days.
[10:52] So I was very happy with that.
[10:54] Wow.
[10:55] Yeah.
[10:55] Meant to be.
[10:56] It is.
[10:56] And so December is when we is settlement for both properties.
[11:01] Same day.
[11:01] Well done.
[11:02] Congrats.
[11:02] Thank you.
[11:03] So has that then put you in a position where there's no investing and you're just getting the new home or?
[11:11] I have also got two investment properties as well.
[11:15] Okay.
[11:15] Which I got at REM.
[11:16] Yeah.
[11:16] Okay.
[11:17] Yep.
[11:17] Both in Victoria.
[11:18] Okay.
[11:18] Okay.
[11:18] Okay.
[11:19] Yeah.
[11:20] So you've been able to buy a new home, sell your home and get two investment properties all, what was that, July, July 25th.
[11:31] So literally five months, four, five months.
[11:35] Yes.
[11:36] And the house is all cash offer as well.
[11:39] So there is no mortgage on the house.
[11:42] On the new one.
[11:42] Yep.
[11:44] Wow.
[11:44] So you've got your new home on the beach.
[11:46] Mm-hmm.
[11:47] Everyone's happy except for the 24 year old.
[11:50] Yes.
[11:50] Kids are all happy.
[11:51] Lauren's happy.
[11:52] New home, no debt and two new investments.
[11:57] Correct.
[11:58] Does that feel real?
[12:00] Not really.
[12:03] Yes, very exciting.
[12:05] So are you spending less on the new home than you sold for or more?
[12:08] No more.
[12:09] Okay.
[12:10] Yep.
[12:11] Yep.
[12:11] A little bit more.
[12:14] A bit, bit more.
[12:15] Okay.
[12:15] Yep.
[12:17] So a bit of a turnaround.
[12:19] Yes.
[12:21] Talk to people about.
[12:24] What have you learnt in just the last four or five months that you're doing so differently to be able to swap homes, get to the beach, get some investments?
[12:34] What's changed?
[12:37] Just having a plan.
[12:40] Yeah.
[12:41] Having a budget.
[12:43] We always sort of had a budget.
[12:47] I didn't really stick to it.
[12:48] So you didn't have one.
[12:49] You didn't have one.
[12:50] No, no.
[12:50] I've got a budget, I just don't stick to it.
[12:52] I would just one time.
[12:53] That's like someone over here saying, Mum, I've done the dishes and the dishes are still in the sink.
[12:57] Yeah, correct.
[12:58] Yeah.
[12:59] So I would have a certain amount of money come out each week and that was what I was meant to stick to, but I'd always end up just taking from another bank account, like if we wanted to go out for dinner or something.
[13:09] Now I just stick to my budget.
[13:10] Okay.
[13:10] My FFF.
[13:12] And it's easy.
[13:14] Yeah.
[13:14] I find it extremely... We were never ones that spent a lot of money on stuff.
[13:22] I...
[13:24] Definitely spend money on experiences for the children and I.
[13:31] But we, yeah, stick within our budget.
[13:34] And yeah, none of us have found it hard at all.
[13:38] The kids haven't blown up about it and they're like, what do you mean, no?
[13:43] It's my money and you have a roof over your head and some food and you were clothed and they...
[13:51] Okay, so they're happy.
[13:53] Would you say the budget's the biggest learning, like actually adhering to it?
[13:58] Yes.
[13:59] Okay.
[14:00] And how much have you set as a budget for, I assume now with the 24-year-old going to sale, three kids plus yourself, so four in the household.
[14:09] What did you set as the weekly food fuel fund?
[14:12] It was 500 when I first started.
[14:16] That's pretty low still.
[14:17] It's down to 400.
[14:18] What do you mean?
[14:18] Yep.
[14:20] What are you on the air diet?
[14:23] 400?
[14:24] And we eat organically.
[14:26] What?
[14:26] Yeah.
[14:29] Wow.
[14:29] Meal planning is a huge thing.
[14:32] Right.
[14:32] I do a meal plan.
[14:34] I think you've just won a trophy.
[14:36] I'm going to get a trophy for you for meal prep.
[14:39] I must also have to say two of the children go to Dad's week on, week off.
[14:45] Okay.
[14:46] So every second week it's only Isla and myself and then it's back to four the following week.
[14:54] And it balances out.
[14:55] Yes.
[14:55] So there's a big week.
[14:56] Yeah, so some weeks I have like $150 left over.
[14:59] Right.
[15:00] And then the next week when the other two come back, it will be pushing closer to the $400.
[15:07] Okay.
[15:07] Oh, you're a super mum.
[15:11] Thanks.
[15:12] All right.
[15:14] I'm going to get a cookbook and a meal prep plan off you.
[15:16] $400 eating organically.
[15:18] Wow.
[15:19] Okay.
[15:20] So, fuel?
[15:23] I have a little Toyota Corolla hybrid.
[15:27] It costs $60 to fill up and it lasts about two and a half weeks.
[15:33] And my kids do a lot of sport.
[15:35] There's a lot of driving around, but not long distances.
[15:39] The town we live in, everything's pretty close.
[15:42] The football club was four houses from our house, so they were walking down there three days a week.
[15:49] which will change a little bit when we move to the new place.
[15:54] But they're also going to change football clubs.
[15:55] Okay.
[15:57] And it's, again, once again on my same street.
[16:00] You're pre-planning this or what?
[16:02] I know.
[16:04] So budget's been really important.
[16:05] You're obviously very good at it.
[16:07] So...
[16:07] If someone's tuning in here, they're a single parent and they're like, oh, life's chaos and I've got footy and sport and this and that.
[16:14] And they're like, oh, the money's flying in and out the door.
[16:17] Is it really or are we just not focusing on sitting down and doing an online shop or going to the organic grocer and only doing what we need?
[16:28] Yeah.
[16:29] Because has there been a difference for your household with the structure?
[16:32] Or were you always very structured?
[16:34] Yeah.
[16:35] It is stronger now, but I have always been pretty structured.
[16:38] And I think that's from being defense force.
[16:41] Everything was pretty structured.
[16:44] Um, but now it's like we eat the food in the fridge and now I feel like I'm talking like everyone else on the podcast, there's the same things, but it's so true.
[16:55] Um, so pre infinity, you'd be like, Oh, what's for dinner?
[17:00] Yeah, or you get to like a Saturday, Sunday night and be like, oh, it's the weekend.
[17:03] I'm like, I don't want to cook.
[17:05] Even though there's food in the fridge.
[17:06] Yep.
[17:06] Be like, oh, no, we'll just go out for dinner tonight or we'll just order some Thai or something like that.
[17:13] So leaky buckets, a bit looser on the cash flow.
[17:15] Yes.
[17:16] Okay.
[17:16] And now we, I mean, we still go out for dinner and we still do lots of fun things.
[17:21] Yeah.
[17:22] Just sort of pre-plan it a little bit more or just make sure I've got money left for the Saturday night to order a takeaway or...
[17:29] Okay.
[17:31] What else?
[17:32] So budgeting's been a key, the structure is really important, being organized.
[17:36] Are you meal prepping or pre-prepping meals or are you just doing the order and dropping them as they come?
[17:44] I do like a meal plan on Saturday night or Sunday morning, Sunday night or Monday morning, depending on what time I have.
[17:53] Yeah, and I just write a list up, go do my groceries with that and...
[18:00] That's it?
[18:00] That's it.
[18:01] Okay.
[18:01] Yeah.
[18:02] All right.
[18:03] So budgeting, anything else you've learned along the way in the last, because it's only been a couple of months.
[18:08] So what else have you picked up on?
[18:13] Have you been bouncing off the community much so far?
[18:16] Yes.
[18:17] Okay.
[18:17] Yep.
[18:18] I mean, I'm assuming so because you messaged 12 people and went and met somebody, so I'm assuming you're leaning.
[18:23] Everyone's real now.
[18:24] If I have any questions, I just get on to the school group or the Facebook group.
[18:29] Yeah.
[18:29] Is that helpful?
[18:30] Very.
[18:31] And most of the time I just write up the little top and if I have any question, it's already been answered beforehand anyway.
[18:37] So you can search for it.
[18:38] Yeah, search for it and answer.
[18:40] Yeah.
[18:41] Comes up.
[18:41] Good on you because most people vomit in there.
[18:43] But if you do a search, it's probably in there somewhere.
[18:45] And then you can still go comment on that thread and go, oh, hey, I know this is old, but how did you do that?
[18:50] Yeah, absolutely.
[18:51] Okay, good.
[18:54] All right.
[18:55] What have you found hard in this process?
[19:00] Nothing.
[19:01] I have really not found anything hard.
[19:05] hard at all.
[19:06] So you bought a new home, sold a home and bought two investments.
[19:10] So there's four real estate transactions happening there.
[19:13] Yep.
[19:14] From July this year and we're in November 25 now, about to end the year.
[19:18] And you're saying it's just, it's easy, it's simple.
[19:22] Um, I, yeah, once I was on board...
[19:26] I was fully on board.
[19:27] Okay.
[19:29] And do you think that maybe is why it's so easy?
[19:31] Because you weren't, you actually went, you made sure you were comfortable before you, you were comfortable, right?
[19:37] Sometimes people are like, oh, can you convince my husband?
[19:40] I'm like, no, because you don't want to be half in.
[19:42] You're not half, you know what I mean?
[19:44] Like you're either certain, you're comfortable and you want our expertise.
[19:47] Yep.
[19:47] Well, you just shouldn't.
[19:48] And that's okay.
[19:49] We'll go help somebody else.
[19:50] We'll go help Lauren who's in, right?
[19:52] Because you're comfortable.
[19:53] Do you think that's why it's just flowed so well?
[19:55] You've obviously handed yourself over to the team a bit and gone, hey, what can I do?
[20:00] Yes, absolutely.
[20:01] And I think I knew I was all in when I was at REM.
[20:07] I mean, I knew I was already all in.
[20:09] But when I was at REM and people were coming back to the table, I'm like, oh, yeah, no, we just brought some investment properties with our equity in the home.
[20:16] Is that how you did it?
[20:16] And I'm like, no.
[20:19] Actually, I don't know if I used my equity or if I used cash.
[20:22] That's how all in I was because I didn't even know what I was using.
[20:25] You'd just be like, yep.
[20:26] I was just all in, here you go, just do what you need to do to get me to where I want to go to.
[20:31] Yep.
[20:31] So you had your goals and ideas of what you'd like to achieve.
[20:35] Yes.
[20:36] It was just up to us to put the jigsaw puzzle together.
[20:38] Yep, 100%.
[20:38] Okay.
[20:40] What was REM like for those listings, real estate masters?
[20:42] It's like three, four days, seven, 800 people together.
[20:46] So much fun.
[20:48] You had fun?
[20:48] So much fun.
[20:49] Which one did you do?
[20:52] Was it September?
[20:55] August.
[20:57] August?
[20:57] August or September?
[20:58] Fucking Louis.
[21:01] Yeah.
[21:01] When did you do your masterclass?
[21:02] Yeah, I know.
[21:03] It was two months.
[21:05] I've got so much evidence on him from my podcast.
[21:09] Oh, Louis is great.
[21:10] We love Louis.
[21:11] We do.
[21:11] We love Louis.
[21:12] But he's always got a soft...
[21:13] There's always like...
[21:15] There's always 30, 40 people in the room that haven't done their first three months.
[21:18] And why do three months so it's real and you're... Then come and learn about that.
[21:23] But I also did say I couldn't come after September for a few months because there's a sport that I start playing in.
[21:28] I can't take any time off on a weekend.
[21:30] Yeah.
[21:30] Fair enough.
[21:31] We love Louis.
[21:32] So you pushed me forward a little.
[21:33] Thanks, Louis.
[21:34] We love Louis.
[21:34] Yeah, thanks, Louis.
[21:37] Okay.
[21:37] So for those who are like, oh, what do you mean?
[21:39] How do you explain REM to somebody?
[21:46] I loved REM because where can you go and talk about real estate, investment properties, money, money?
[21:58] and just talk openly to people about it.
[22:01] Your budgets, your loans, your kids, yeah.
[22:04] Absolutely.
[22:05] I have spoken to people outside of infinity.
[22:08] And this is where all my doubt in the beginning came in.
[22:12] It felt like I'd take one step forward, three steps back.
[22:15] Because I finally think that I had- Understood something.
[22:19] Or understood something or I was ready to commit.
[22:24] And someone will go,
[22:26] Oh no, that's a scam.
[22:28] And I'm like, especially on the Gold Coast.
[22:32] The Gold Coast is where all the scammers are.
[22:33] And I'm like, oh my God.
[22:34] I used to say, that's a sunny place for shady people to be.
[22:37] And then I left Sydney and got stuck here in COVID.
[22:39] I'm like, I can't use that joke anymore.
[22:41] I'm listening now.
[22:43] Yeah, so that's how I felt about going to REM.
[22:49] everyone was on the same page and just spoke so open.
[22:52] And it was just like a relief of meeting all these people in the same cult as me.
[22:58] And we could all just talk so openly.
[23:00] It was, it's a big, um, so people will say to me, other business owners and people, they're like, you put five, six, seven hundred clients together in a room and just let them hang out.
[23:10] And I'm like, yeah, yeah.
[23:11] I pay the bar tab.
[23:12] I pay the food, the entertainment, the economists, the lawyers, cover it all and give them some fucking gifts and let them go nuts.
[23:20] And they're like, what?
[23:22] Can I have like one pissed off client?
[23:24] I'm like, probably 50.
[23:25] They're like, oh, you wouldn't have 50.
[23:27] I'm like, no, I hope not.
[23:28] But I could have 50.
[23:29] But the point is if they are, they'll come and talk to someone and we'll fix it.
[23:33] There's always human error in any business.
[23:35] But the point is that you want to do such a good job that you put everyone together
[23:39] that everyone's happy to share talk if something's not perfect you fix it and then everyone is happy by the end of it yep so yeah that's the i i love rem because i get to teach like doc and the lawyers and the planner and we get to teach all week around i get to watch everyone leave with a lot more knowledge and also they feel a lot more empowered
[24:00] But I really, because it's the one live thing I still get to do, right?
[24:03] Everything else is digital.
[24:05] I literally get to meet everyone.
[24:07] I'm usually pretty sick after every single fucking room.
[24:11] Well, that's probably because of all the shots you give out to people.
[24:14] Oh, that too, yeah.
[24:17] The after party gets a bit.
[24:18] Well, I couldn't even make it to the after party.
[24:20] And I blamed it on those shots that you gave us at the table at like three o'clock in the afternoon.
[24:25] That's actually Ron's fault.
[24:27] I think it was your fault.
[24:28] No, it was Ron's fault.
[24:29] It was in Ron's.
[24:30] Remember when Ron was speaking?
[24:31] He started.
[24:32] He sent me the shot on stage.
[24:34] Oh, yeah.
[24:34] I was speaking and I copped a shot.
[24:36] That's right.
[24:37] So you thought we should all have one.
[24:38] Everyone had one, yeah.
[24:40] So, yeah.
[24:41] Actually, it was the guy at the front of the room's fault.
[24:43] He started.
[24:44] Anyway, it was quite fun.
[24:46] Yeah, it was.
[24:47] quite fun but um yeah so it's hard to explain i think but it is good to be in a space of everyone's like-minded yeah everyone's trying to achieve the same thing everyone's happy to talk about it yet you then get to home or work and the next oh no oh that's not everyone's going to pivot but no one's got any knowledge base of it it's really it's hard right yeah okay did you meet any cool people have you met any many good friends or met anyone out of it yet
[25:13] Oh, we met some great people not far from, so I live in Geelong in Victoria and a few people lived in a couple of towns not far away.
[25:23] Oh, good.
[25:23] So we haven't caught up since being back, but we've got our own little Facebook group and have a chat every now and again.
[25:30] Yeah.
[25:30] Very good.
[25:31] Yeah.
[25:32] So moving to the new house in a couple of weeks, really, Nellie.
[25:37] Yeah, not long.
[25:38] Five weeks or something, three, four weeks.
[25:40] Is it exciting?
[25:41] So exciting.
[25:42] Okay.
[25:43] And what's the big picture goal for Lauren and the kids?
[25:48] Where would you like to be?
[25:51] Home on the beach now, two investments.
[25:54] What's the big picture goal?
[25:55] What would you love?
[25:56] Somewhere warm.
[25:58] Somewhere warm.
[25:58] Okay.
[25:59] It is freezing down there.
[26:00] It is so cold.
[26:01] We should move to Gold Coast Beach, not Geelong.
[26:04] I know.
[26:05] Well, we would like to... Well, eventually I'd like to live back on a sunshine... We'd like to live with all the dodgy people on the Gold Coast.
[26:11] Or Sunshine Coast.
[26:12] Yeah.
[26:13] So we used to live on a Sunshine Coast.
[26:14] Right.
[26:15] So we moved down there for my ex-husband's work.
[26:19] So when the kids are old enough... Yeah.
[26:22] And...
[26:23] I would like to move back to the Sunshine Coast.
[26:27] But I also... Like, you know, the kids are all going to be...
[26:30] moving on eventually.
[26:31] Yep.
[26:33] But I do encourage them to leave and explore the world, go do uni overseas, don't just get stuck in one place.
[26:40] Yeah, so I'm thinking about five years, I'll be able to move back up to the Sunshine Coast.
[26:47] To the warmth?
[26:48] To the warmth, but while the kids are young, they still need to be with their dad and those sorts of things.
[26:55] very good what um what would you share any words of wisdom you'd share for anyone that's listening to this that's like oh but i don't have my old house to sell to buy my new house or i don't have any say you know what words of wisdom could you share for anyone who's listening to this is like well hang on a minute or well shit or maybe i could upgrade my home like how much information have you been able to learn in just four or five months
[27:24] Just so much information that, yeah, you're overloaded with the information.
[27:29] Right.
[27:30] So more information you can actually probably retain.
[27:32] Yeah.
[27:33] You've just got to pick what you want to learn.
[27:34] Absolutely.
[27:35] Yep.
[27:36] Does that help then, and I know you say it's so much more important, it's not more important, but when you're a couple, you've got each other to fall back on, you've got two, you know, it's a lot riskier for a single parent, right?
[27:48] I mean, obviously dad's the other thing, but it's a lot riskier, right?
[27:51] Does that then help to make the decisions because you get all of the information instead of just the sales pitch?
[27:56] Like obviously you can learn it, you can run it to ground, you can research it.
[28:01] Does that make it a bit easier?
[28:04] Yeah, I've found doing it by myself.
[28:10] Easier.
[28:11] Like, you don't have to run it by someone else.
[28:15] I can make all the decisions myself.
[28:17] Okay.
[28:19] Maybe I'm quite controlling.
[28:21] Well, you just know what you want.
[28:25] I think that's what it is.
[28:26] You don't have to answer to anyone else.
[28:27] This is the budget I'm setting and these are the investments we're making and off we go.
[28:31] Yep.
[28:31] This is what I would like and this is what I see for me and my children in the future and nothing else really matters.
[28:38] I love it.
[28:39] I love it.
[28:41] What do you think the number one issue is stopping people from succeeding financially?
[28:47] What do you think's in their way for most people?
[28:51] People live way beyond their means.
[28:54] Okay.
[28:55] This is what I believe.
[28:57] People don't...
[29:00] They've spent their money before even...
[29:03] They have credit cards, you know, just... We live in such a throwaway society.
[29:07] Yeah.
[29:09] that, you know, the new jumpers come out and the new fashionable jumpers come out in six weeks from now or they need the new one.
[29:17] So the other one on Marketplace, it's just, you know, got to have that cup of coffee or it's easy for me to say I don't drink coffee.
[29:25] But everyone wants the newest, greatest thing straight away without waiting.
[29:32] I've never lived like that.
[29:34] That's not me, so I find that easy.
[29:36] I mean, so it's probably not up to me to say that
[29:41] Look, we're a consumable society.
[29:43] It's not your opinion.
[29:44] You're absolutely right.
[29:46] I see I want, I get right now on social media.
[29:49] I after pay if I can't afford, I credit card if I need to.
[29:52] And even people's first homes, they want the best straight away.
[29:56] And I say it to my children, when dad and I brought our first home, I was 20.
[30:01] It was a little tiny, teeny tiny unit, bit run down.
[30:06] We had a baby then as well.
[30:09] And it's what we could afford.
[30:11] We could still go on our little holidays that we wanted to go on.
[30:16] But that's because our mortgage repayments were so low.
[30:20] And we weren't living week to week on our...
[30:23] Paycheck to paycheck.
[30:24] Absolutely.
[30:25] Yeah, it's a really good point.
[30:27] You nailed it.
[30:28] Like, I mean, people want to live in these affluent suburbs and have the matching activewear set.
[30:33] Guys have got the cool shoes in the gym and then they whinge that they can't afford a home.
[30:38] It's like, well, of course you can't in that suburb.
[30:40] You can afford to rent in that suburb, but you can't have new clothes every week and the Prada Sunnies and the Gucci this.
[30:46] Yeah.
[30:46] And buy breakfast, lunch, poached eggs, avo and duck.
[30:49] You know, you can't do all of that.
[30:51] No.
[30:52] in your early 20s and maybe 30s, you've got to do the hard yards.
[30:57] Every other generation did.
[30:58] I don't know why this one thinks they don't have to.
[31:00] Exactly.
[31:01] It's not easy.
[31:03] Housing is expensive.
[31:04] Life is expensive.
[31:05] You've got to be prepared to go without for a period of time to set yourself up.
[31:10] Yeah.
[31:10] But I just think we're losing that.
[31:11] I'm 45 now.
[31:12] So that's why I can be in the position I'm in.
[31:15] I wasn't in this position when I was 22.
[31:19] Yeah.
[31:19] It takes time.
[31:20] Absolutely.
[31:21] It takes time.
[31:23] Well said.
[31:23] I like your opinion.
[31:25] I like it.
[31:25] Thank you.
[31:26] And I must say we went on two overseas trips last year, me and three children.
[31:30] Okay.
[31:32] And two interstate trips as well on every school holidays.
[31:37] This year we haven't gone on any.
[31:38] But you're still budgeting, you're still travelling, you're still multiple overseas trips.
[31:43] It's not like you've been Scrooge McDuck.
[31:45] Nope.
[31:46] Nope.
[31:47] We make sure that we, I think travel is, for me and my children, is extremely important.
[31:53] And that's where our fun mainly comes from.
[31:57] Okay, good.
[31:58] Leads to.
[32:00] Yeah, experiences.
[32:01] Great experiences, not the latest and greatest new shoes or jumper or stuff.
[32:08] Where do you see Lauren and the kids in five years?
[32:13] Five years.
[32:15] Home's paid off already.
[32:17] Yeah.
[32:17] Couple of investments.
[32:19] Where to from here?
[32:19] I would like some more investments.
[32:22] Some more?
[32:22] Okay.
[32:23] All right.
[32:23] Well, excuse me.
[32:24] We'll see what we can do.
[32:25] And then a move to the, maybe the Sunshine Coast.
[32:27] Oh, somewhere warmer anyway.
[32:29] Somewhere warmer.
[32:29] Yep.
[32:30] And less busy than the Gold Coast.
[32:32] Yeah.
[32:32] Okay.
[32:32] All right.
[32:34] So we need to start maybe reverse engineering the sort of medium term plan.
[32:40] To go, okay, how do we get from the home and the investments, how do we turn that asset base into a warmer home and some other investments hopefully, yeah?
[32:52] So we need to do a bit of a switcheroo and still have some investments to help fund lifestyle.
[32:57] Yep.
[32:58] Okay.
[32:58] And I would like my lifestyle in the future to be able to have four children and I actually think they're going to be living...
[33:06] Everywhere.
[33:07] Right, yep.
[33:08] I would like to be able to travel to wherever they are, but have my home base on somewhere like the Sunshine Coast.
[33:14] Yeah, lock up and leave or something.
[33:15] Yeah.
[33:15] To be able to go see each kid, maybe grandkids in the future.
[33:18] Absolutely.
[33:18] Honk around, but come home to your paradise.
[33:20] Yep.
[33:22] And I have raised my children without much help, like no family and those sorts of things around.
[33:29] So I'd like to try and really be there for my grandchildren and those sorts of things.
[33:34] They're so important to me.
[33:37] That's probably the most important thing for me.
[33:39] So we're definitely then going to have to do a part two to this in maybe like six to 12 months when you're in the new home, see how the kids settle in, how it's all going, the investments.
[33:49] And then maybe start talking about the evolution of what we're planning for from there to get to the next phase of life.
[33:55] That would be cool for everyone to hear.
[33:57] Yeah, I'd love that.
[33:58] Okay, good.
[33:59] Well, before we wrap up, I want to know what questions do you have for me since you get to put me in the hot seat today?
[34:06] Well, my question, my first question is actually, it's for you, but it's actually about me.
[34:13] Okay.
[34:14] It was going to be how you might see my situation in about 20 years down the track.
[34:24] 20 years.
[34:25] Well, shit.
[34:25] Yeah, that's about retirement age.
[34:27] Yeah, that's a bit crystal ball.
[34:28] Look, depending on work, income, expenses, budgets, travel, all of those extra things we're just discussing there, we need to look at your borrowing capacity and reverse engineer what you're capable of.
[34:42] So if we're only capable of two investments right now in our home with no debt...
[34:47] And that's where we sort of stop.
[34:49] To go further than that, we have to sell one of them with profit to redeploy that hopefully into two.
[34:56] If that makes sense, right?
[34:57] And that's what people talk about getting into a G strategy.
[35:00] So there's cash and equity and they're different and there's your serviceability.
[35:05] As the kids get older and become non-dependents, you'll open up a bit more serviceability.
[35:11] So you'll be able to borrow more and invest more as they become non-dependent.
[35:15] So I was 24 non-dependent.
[35:18] So as they grow in age and they sort of go off into the wilderness, you'll be able to borrow a bit more.
[35:24] Also as the first investments have made some money, we can look at either taking that equity or selling one to deploy into two.
[35:33] Or we do what we call the stretch strategy where we have the deposit right now, we can go get a third property, but say it's not ready for three years.
[35:41] Say they're digging the dirt in the housing estate now or building the basement of the building, whatever.
[35:46] Now, for that to work, it needs to be a growing market, which we have a supply issue now, so it's growing still.
[35:52] We need it to be growing.
[35:54] We put the deposit down.
[35:55] But to get the loan, we'd have to sell number one or two to settle number three.
[36:01] Okay.
[36:01] So whilst we'd have three controlled today growing in value, we wouldn't own three at one time because the bank might not give us the money.
[36:10] Does that make sense?
[36:10] Yep.
[36:11] So what we want to get to a point of is knowing your, we've started at two.
[36:15] We want to know your maximum serviceability.
[36:18] And we want to be able to see if we can extend that for you to have more assets whilst the market is growing.
[36:26] Because when the market isn't growing, you're going to take a rest for a while.
[36:29] Yes.
[36:30] And so between now and 20 years for Lauren, who knows crystal ball, we might keep growing for three years, five years.
[36:37] We then may have no growth for five to 10 years.
[36:39] Yes.
[36:40] So we need to do as much as we can whilst we feel confident of the growth.
[36:44] Then we need to stop and settle for a while and then just wait and do time in the market, not timing.
[36:50] But I think the next step would be post this.
[36:53] We'll sit down for you and review the current strategy and actually map out – 20 is a bit far away, but map out for you what we think we can do and when we think we can do it for the next three to five.
[37:06] Yep.
[37:07] Right.
[37:07] Because it's all projection beyond, you know, so we go, OK, we can project, we could do this.
[37:11] But yes, we will have another deposit at this date.
[37:14] And that will happen then.
[37:15] But we'll need to look and we'll work that out for you and give you what's called like a bit of a futuristic strategy.
[37:22] Sounds great.
[37:22] That we can do.
[37:23] Yep.
[37:24] Perfect.
[37:24] And that's why we'll then sit down, you know, once you're in the new home and everything like that, sit down in the new year together, do a part two, and we'll talk about that next evolution of the strategy.
[37:35] And then that will continuously evolve every six to 12 months.
[37:38] We'll review it.
[37:39] We'll see where to from there.
[37:40] Where to from there.
[37:42] Fantastic.
[37:43] Ideally, we want to get you to the point where you've got the home, where it is now, or somewhere warmer, and you've still got a couple of investments, but we want to try to get that two maybe up to four for you.
[37:54] If we can get you there, you'd be doing much better than the average Australian investor.
[37:59] You'd be very comfortable.
[38:01] That would be the goal.
[38:03] Fantastic.
[38:04] I love it.
[38:05] Anything else you want to ask me?
[38:07] It's not really a question.
[38:08] It's more of a point.
[38:11] The book.
[38:12] Yes.
[38:12] Your book cover.
[38:13] I've read it.
[38:14] Well, I've only read three books in my whole life and that was one of them and I read it in two days.
[38:17] Yeah, it's pretty easy to read.
[38:19] But the front cover needs to be changed.
[38:20] That's not the real you.
[38:21] No, it's changing.
[38:22] It's changing.
[38:23] That's 2015 or 2016 Harold Bishop, Toadie from Neighbours, Suit and Tie.
[38:34] So that's, you know, realistically that book.
[38:36] Yeah, we started 2012, 2013.
[38:38] That's sort of three years into the business.
[38:41] Yeah.
[38:41] I used to do the suit and tie thing like most people and people take you seriously.
[38:45] But once we got runs on the board and I was just slowly but surely more comfortable with who I was, I was like, that's not fucking me.
[38:52] That's right.
[38:52] And people love the real you.
[38:54] And that's why people come.
[38:55] The book's rewritten.
[38:56] So I've rewritten the book multiple times.
[38:59] I rewrote it.
[39:00] And then we had 13 interest rate rises.
[39:02] And the hard thing with a book and why I built the free webinar is the book ages as soon as it's printed.
[39:10] It's almost completely, there's some principles in there that will never change.
[39:14] There are so many principles in there that I'm 10, 20 times better than now that have evolved.
[39:19] There's some basics that will never change.
[39:21] But each time I've rewritten the book, there's been some significant economic movement.
[39:25] I'm like, shit.
[39:27] So I've rewritten it again.
[39:28] And I've rewritten it again.
[39:32] But the way the book is written, I wrote that.
[39:34] driving to work when I lived in Baroneer in Cronulla and had the office in Bella Vista.
[39:40] So it was a good hour and a half, two hours, depending on traffic, each way across east to western Sydney every day.
[39:45] Okay.
[39:45] So I would speak and I had a gentleman who's like my ghostwriter.
[39:48] He would sit there and tap away.
[39:50] And then when I get to work, he would send that to me.
[39:53] I'd eat my breakfast because I'd get up at Sparrafart and get there and then have brekkie in the office.
[39:58] And I would read it while I had brekkie and a coffee, make commentary, send it back.
[40:02] And so the reason you can read it in two days is you can hear my voice once you know me.
[40:07] It's literally as I speak.
[40:09] Yeah.
[40:11] And the new book is written in the exact same tone again.
[40:16] I just have to find the time, and I'm probably going to have to do it at Chrissy Holley's, to just put the final touches on it and get it out to market in the new year.
[40:24] Because it's been a...
[40:25] probably two and a bit years now I've been rewriting it and so much has happened probably nearly three through that COVID era I'm like should I need to redo this because it's it's going on nine ten years old now yeah well but for people to still pick it up you know nine ten years later and go oh that really helped happy days but we've evolved so much as a business me personally and professionally I've got to redo it but yeah it'll be a
[40:49] actually the book cover probably won't be me it'll probably be one of our big christmas party photos i'll probably put all the clients on it or something cool you know what i mean yeah nobody wants my mug on it but yeah watch this space very valid agreed point i agree with you again i love it i love it fantastic anything else you can think of
[41:10] No.
[41:10] Okay, well, it's only been a couple of months, so watch this space.
[41:15] We've done really well and really excited to see how you fit into the community, how things go.
[41:20] Really excited for you and the kids in the new home.
[41:22] Yeah.
[41:23] I'd love to see that in the group when you move in.
[41:25] Pop some pics up and let us know how it's going or a video.
[41:27] And are you guys doing the Christmas party?
[41:31] I'm not.
[41:31] No, you'll be about to move, yeah.
[41:34] Yeah, moving and I've already been up here a couple of times.
[41:36] Yeah, that's okay.
[41:38] Well, we'll see you at the next community event.
[41:40] Absolutely.
[41:41] Oh, I haven't been to one yet.
[41:42] Oh, have you?
[41:43] Because I've only just joined.
[41:44] Oh, true, yeah.
[41:45] We've just done all those sorts of areas.
[41:48] I think we just did WA.
[41:51] Yeah.
[41:51] We just did up the Eastern Sea.
[41:52] I think we'll probably back up.
[41:53] Oh, fine.
[41:54] You'll see it in the group anyway.
[41:55] Yeah, absolutely.
[41:56] But next time we're down, it'll be good for you.
[41:57] Get the community group and meet everyone with the kids and, yeah, watch this.
[42:01] And then we'll do a round two on the next evolution of the strategy.
[42:04] Yeah.
[42:05] Sounds great.
[42:05] You should be really proud.
[42:06] I'm going to call this really early.
[42:09] This episode is going to go crazy and be super inspiring for a whole heap of single parents.
[42:15] So kudos to you for being so open and honest and sharing with everyone.
[42:20] So thank you.
[42:21] You're welcome.
[42:22] Thanks.
[42:22] Thank you.
[42:23] Thanks for having us.
[42:24] Bye.
[42:24] You're fucking gone.
[42:25] See ya.

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