# $220K Off His Mortgage After Just 1 Year | Ethan | Changing Lives | S4E78

An episode of [Money Mentor Podcast™](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1632604767), 25 Oct 2026, 35 min.

Audio: https://episode.flightcast.com/01M5GGNETSF9QK25HEPD9NSSJ5.mp3

Ethan left school in Year 10 with almost no financial knowledge. Years later, he was earning good money working in the mines, but after earning $150,000 in 1 year, he had just $15,000 to show for it. Working a 7-on, 7-off roster, Ethan saw how easy it was to fall into the cycle of making good money and spending it just as quickly. He also saw older workers still underground in their 50s and 60s and knew he didn't want the same future. Today, Ethan is living with his parents, has bought his first investment property and says $220,000 has gone towards it, combining savings he already had with 1 year following Infinity's debt reduction strategy. In this episode, Ethan shares how his approach to money changed, why he's investing instead of buying his own home right now, how he cut his personal spending to around $350 a fortnight and why his next goal is owning 5 investment properties by 2030. Want to improve your own financial future? Our free webinar is where to start: 👉 https://bit.ly/43V2jKN #Money #PropertyInvesting #Mining #FinancialFreedom

## Transcript

[0:00] You were earning $150,000 in one year.
[0:02] Yeah.
[0:02] And when you looked back on that year, you had $15,000 to show for it.
[0:06] Yes.
[0:07] I've got a really good job.
[0:07] I make more money than the average bear, I say.
[0:09] And I'm pissing it up the wall.
[0:11] You watch people in their 50s and 60s struggle.
[0:13] If you could do anything different, what would you do?
[0:15] And they say, start when I'm in my 20s.
[0:16] Well, I'm in my 20s.
[0:17] I'm going to start now.
[0:18] I was actually quite surprised.
[0:19] We've managed to put 220 down on the investment property so far.
[0:22] That's insane.
[0:23] Talk me through what that journey has looked like and how different it was from when you were trying to do it yourself.
[0:28] I suppose...
[0:32] Welcome back to the Money Mentor Podcast.
[0:34] I'm your host and Money Mentor, Rachel Howlett.
[0:37] We have another episode of Changing Lives Financially.
[0:41] Today we have the young and very ambitious Ethan.
[0:44] How are we doing, Ethan?
[0:45] Morning, Rach.
[0:46] Doing really well, thank you.
[0:47] Like I said, you are dressed like a true ringer today for your podcast.
[0:50] It's amazing.
[0:51] Not often you get to come to the big smoke.
[0:53] So yeah, got to put the going out clothes on, as they say.
[0:55] Yeah, dressed in your nice clothes.
[0:57] I love it.
[0:57] I love it.
[0:59] Take us back to the beginning before you met Infinity.
[1:02] You kind of left school at year 10, entered the workforce straight away.
[1:07] What did life look like back then for you?
[1:09] Just chasing cows, riding horses, typical ring of life, young fella.
[1:13] So that was your first job?
[1:14] That was my first job.
[1:17] Financial experience, zero.
[1:18] I didn't even know what a tax return was when I left school.
[1:21] Wow.
[1:22] That dawned on me about three years after I left school that someone said, have you done a tax return?
[1:26] I said.
[1:27] So you didn't do a tax return for three years?
[1:29] No.
[1:29] And you'd been in the workforce since leaving school?
[1:31] Yeah.
[1:32] So that was my first ever learning curve when it come to managing my finances.
[1:36] Yeah.
[1:36] Rude shock.
[1:37] Did we owe a bit of tax?
[1:38] Yeah.
[1:40] I cannot remember.
[1:40] A few years ago.
[1:41] Yeah.
[1:42] Yeah.
[1:43] Anyway.
[1:43] Still scary realization.
[1:46] Anyway, we got there, learn a bit and yeah, typical young fellow left school.
[1:52] Didn't really know what I was doing.
[1:53] Chasing cows, made money, lost money, spent money.
[1:57] Yeah.
[1:57] Just living my best life.
[1:58] Yeah.
[1:59] Yeah.
[2:00] And what were you earning when you were working as a ringer?
[2:03] It was about $1,500 a fortnight, I remember.
[2:05] Yeah, in the hand.
[2:06] In the hand.
[2:07] Yeah.
[2:08] And what were you doing with that money back then?
[2:10] Drinking beer, going out to the mates.
[2:12] Yeah.
[2:12] There was all events on pretty much every weekend.
[2:15] Back then, very big social life.
[2:17] You know, it was work Monday to Friday.
[2:18] Friday came, you know, you're in the car, heading to a local event, catching up with everyone, beers, beers, more beers.
[2:23] Yeah.
[2:24] Yeah, that was it.
[2:25] That was the ring of life.
[2:26] It was a great lifestyle, but obviously probably not the best thing
[2:31] financially, if you want to go and make money, make something yourself.
[2:33] So anyway, yeah, it's time to move on eventually after I think three or four years of doing that.
[2:37] So you liked the lifestyle.
[2:38] You were having a lot of fun.
[2:39] Yeah.
[2:39] But what made you eventually go financially, I need to do something different here?
[2:43] I suppose there was always something inside me that thought, you know, I've got to do something different
[2:48] something with my life.
[2:49] And $1,500 a fortnight just doesn't cut the mustard, I suppose, if you want to make a change.
[2:55] Yeah.
[2:55] So anyway, decided to head back home and got a job there, eventually making my way into the mines, yeah.
[3:01] Yeah.
[3:02] So because where do you live now?
[3:03] I live in Emerald.
[3:04] Yep.
[3:05] With my mummy and daddy.
[3:06] Thank you, mum and dad.
[3:07] Love you lots.
[3:08] So they let you come back home, live with them.
[3:11] Come back home, live with them.
[3:13] I started as an operator again in the mines.
[3:14] Yep.
[3:15] Did that for three or four years and eventually got the opportunity to apply for a Sparky apprenticeship.
[3:20] Yep.
[3:20] So I'm now doing that, third year at the moment.
[3:23] And, yeah, just got to the mines and then, yeah, saved money and here I am.
[3:29] Wow.
[3:30] So anything else that's happened in between all of that or it's just really been focused on work and money?
[3:35] I suppose you could go all the way back to the beginning.
[3:40] Like I left ringing or cowboy lifestyle and, you know, I left there in 2019 and somewhere on the line, travelled overseas and ended up with $0 in my bank account.
[3:51] Yeah, that's an interesting story.
[3:53] Take us through what happened when you were overseas.
[3:55] I suppose just wasn't very mindful of what I was doing with my money, obviously.
[4:00] Zero financial skills whatsoever.
[4:03] And eventually drained the bank account.
[4:04] Oops.
[4:05] While you were still overseas.
[4:06] While I was overseas.
[4:07] Thanks, Mum.
[4:08] Love you lots.
[4:09] She gave me some money and made my way back home and eventually back to work that next week.
[4:14] Because Mum bailed you out.
[4:16] You didn't have money to even get on a train to get back to your hotel.
[4:19] No.
[4:19] No.
[4:19] Thanks, mum.
[4:22] Love it a bit.
[4:23] So, yeah, eventually, yeah, I got home and then that feeling of just having zero dollars in your bank account, helpless, you know, you're in a foreign country.
[4:30] Yeah.
[4:30] How am I going to get home?
[4:31] You know, it even like gives me tingles now thinking about it.
[4:34] Yeah.
[4:35] You're just helpless.
[4:36] You've got nothing.
[4:37] You can't do anything.
[4:38] So that experience there, I thought, you know, I've got to do something.
[4:42] Change.
[4:42] You've got to make change.
[4:43] Yeah.
[4:43] Yeah.
[4:43] Because, you know, spending everything you earn, there was some money there.
[4:47] You've then decided I can't have this ringer cowboy lifestyle anymore.
[4:51] It's fun, but it's not going to get me anywhere.
[4:53] Yeah.
[4:53] You go back home, you get yourself a bit more of a decent job and an apprenticeship.
[4:57] So from there, where was your thought process around, okay, I've got to now start looking at changing my financial future because I've gone on a holiday.
[5:04] I've got myself into a bit of strife.
[5:05] Mum's got us out of it.
[5:06] Yeah.
[5:07] But obviously that's not your future.
[5:08] No, it's not.
[5:08] You don't want that to be your future.
[5:09] Yeah.
[5:10] Yeah, I definitely, my first year in the mines, you know, you fall into that trap of, you know, making money, spending money, seven on, seven off, you know, you probably spend it as quick as you make it.
[5:19] Yeah.
[5:20] And then sort of got to the year, you know, and I've looked back and thought I'm in a really good position here.
[5:24] I've got a really good job.
[5:25] I make it.
[5:26] More money than the average bear, I say.
[5:29] You know, and I'm pissing it up the wall.
[5:31] Yeah.
[5:31] Plain and simple, you know.
[5:34] So I thought from that point on I've got to definitely, definitely here make change and, you know, my bank, it just come paycheck come in, you know, I was keeping a grand for myself, which is more than enough, and then, you know, the rest was in savings.
[5:45] Yeah.
[5:46] So you were starting to already get that mindset around, okay, I've got to actually save now.
[5:50] I can't get myself into trouble.
[5:52] I can't blow it anymore.
[5:53] So you were already starting to get that drive a bit before you'd met infinity.
[5:57] And also just with your career, making those choices, what gives you so much drive?
[6:01] Yeah.
[6:03] I definitely want to make change.
[6:05] I want to start now.
[6:06] I'm very observant where I am at work and the people I'm around and you watch people in their 50s and 60s struggle.
[6:13] Good point.
[6:14] And I know now that if I don't want to be in that, I'm going to start now.
[6:18] Yeah.
[6:18] Because you have a FIFO lifestyle as well.
[6:21] So you're around other people, of course, living the same FIFO lifestyle.
[6:24] And like you said, you're seeing them in their 50s still doing it.
[6:26] Yes.
[6:27] And is that a scary thought for you?
[6:28] Definitely.
[6:29] Yeah.
[6:30] I work underground.
[6:32] You know, the conditions aren't great and I don't want to be in them conditions when I'm 50, 60.
[6:37] Yeah.
[6:37] And some of them would have wife and kids, right, too, that they're away from half the time.
[6:41] Yeah.
[6:42] Yeah.
[6:43] So you're lucky.
[6:43] I mean, you don't have that.
[6:45] You're lucky you don't have a wife and kids yet, but you know what I mean?
[6:49] You have that freedom where you're not away from family at the moment, but is that something you do want one day?
[6:55] And that's what I'm here for, you know.
[6:56] It's the feeling of knowing one day I could have a wife and kids and, you know, to be able to give them...
[7:04] a great house or, you know, wherever we want to live, you know, I've got a very 7'7 lifestyle, you know.
[7:11] I don't have a missus or anything like that, you know.
[7:13] If I get one, she wants to live in Darwin or Cairns or wherever we go, you know, I've got that opportunity to do that.
[7:21] Yeah.
[7:21] Yep.
[7:22] Yeah, so eventually you're looking at your future going, I don't want to be in FIFA forever but I want it to help set me up.
[7:27] Absolutely.
[7:28] Yeah.
[7:28] Yeah.
[7:29] Because you said something interesting too just before where you're like, you work seven on and then seven off.
[7:33] And you said too when you were filling out our worksheets that it sets you up in a trap where you earn really good money for that seven days, then you have seven days of just nothing, no work.
[7:44] So you then end up spending it.
[7:46] Yes.
[7:46] Is that something you were falling into or are you seeing other people fall into that?
[7:50] I definitely fell into it my first year for sure.
[7:54] Had the best time of my life, don't get me wrong.
[7:56] Did a lot of travelling.
[7:57] So some of those old habits were still there?
[8:01] Got it all out of the system, thankfully, that year.
[8:04] So I had fun and look back on it now and, yeah, I definitely enjoyed myself.
[8:08] But, yeah, it was time to, I suppose, knuckle down.
[8:12] Pull the cowboy boots up, so to speak.
[8:14] Yeah, yeah, yeah.
[8:15] Um, yeah.
[8:16] And just start looking at my future.
[8:17] Yeah.
[8:18] I suppose most, I think it was 24 or 23 then somewhere around then.
[8:22] I suppose most young fellows don't look at their future at that point, but, um, it's a scary thought.
[8:29] Well, actually, yeah, because you even said too that like a lot of the people around you when you'd go out would say to you, what's the point of saving?
[8:34] We're not going to be able to afford a house anyway in this, you know, economy, in this market.
[8:38] But you've had a very different mindset around that.
[8:40] Yeah, you hear it so often.
[8:41] You go out and people are like, what's the point?
[8:45] You know, we're never going to be able to afford it or I'm just waiting for inheritance or I'm just waiting for this.
[8:49] You know, I'm not sitting here waiting for handouts.
[8:51] Yeah.
[8:52] I want to be able to back myself and, you know, be in my 40s or 50s and know that I did it.
[9:00] Yeah.
[9:00] You know, I didn't, yeah, need, always get help.
[9:04] Like don't get me wrong, there's plenty of people around that help me, but I want to get there knowing that I've, you know, I did it.
[9:09] You know, be proud of myself, I suppose.
[9:11] Yeah, yeah.
[9:11] And how detrimental do you think that mindset is in society at the moment?
[9:15] Because it's, unfortunately, it's more prevalent than it should be.
[9:18] It's, yeah, it's probably fading its way out with the doom and gloom of the politics and the economy at the moment, inflation and all the big, fancy, scary words.
[9:28] Yeah.
[9:30] But I tend to just block.
[9:31] I try and block all that out.
[9:32] You know, it means nothing.
[9:34] There's plenty of change over the years.
[9:36] Um, and I still think no matter what happens with inflation or the economy, I think, um, you know, you can definitely still make change and do the right things.
[9:46] Yeah.
[9:47] Don't let fear hold you back.
[9:49] Yeah.
[9:49] Yeah.
[9:49] Cause like you said, that it's very prevalent right now, all of that doom and gloom.
[9:53] And I think a lot of that mindset that some of the people, you know, had before you get into it a lot deeper because of what's going on.
[9:59] So you still think it's quite important to just push past that and still keep moving forward into trying to make a better change for yourself.
[10:06] Yeah, absolutely.
[10:07] Yeah.
[10:07] I'm in a very, very good position where I am right now, where I live, my job, what I'm doing, the people around me.
[10:13] So I've got no excuse not, you know, to do well, I think.
[10:17] Yeah.
[10:18] That's a great mindset to have.
[10:19] So that's ultimately led you to infinity as well.
[10:22] So you were at a point where you were starting to look into some experts in this field.
[10:27] What ultimately led you to infinity and Graham?
[10:29] Yeah.
[10:31] I suppose at the time I'd come in a relationship and I did want a place for myself and I tried to buy a place for myself and the real estates and things were buggering me around.
[10:40] I wanted a four bedroom, two bathroom.
[10:42] The real estate told me, I said it was just me.
[10:45] She said, oh, you know, I've got a lovely two bedroom, one bathroom across town.
[10:49] Yeah.
[10:50] That really pissed me off reading that about your story where you were trying to push into something smaller.
[10:56] Because that's what she thought was best for you.
[10:57] Yeah, and I sort of pushed back and said, no, that's not what I want, you know.
[11:04] And that eventually fell through and, yeah, just looking at other options.
[11:09] I wasn't sure what I wanted to do.
[11:12] I ended up going on my days off helping my mate Timmy.
[11:15] Timmy's what led me here.
[11:18] He, I explained to him I tried to buy a house, it fell through.
[11:22] I explained to him my savings, my situation, you know, I explained that
[11:28] At that time I felt like a plane full of fuel, sitting on the runway, ready to take off, just nowhere to go.
[11:35] Yeah.
[11:35] Just didn't know what to do or how to take off.
[11:37] Yeah.
[11:38] And then he's an Infinity client, led me here and, yeah.
[11:41] We're not talking toothless Timmy.
[11:42] This is a real Timmy, friend of yours.
[11:44] Yeah, not toothless Timmy.
[11:46] This is real Timmy.
[11:47] He's the real deal.
[11:47] Yeah.
[11:49] So, yeah, very grateful for him.
[11:50] He led me here.
[11:50] So, yeah.
[11:52] Thanks, Timmy.
[11:53] Because so he's a client, you are friends with him, you were just helping him out one day and you guys just got into a conversation and he led you to infinity.
[12:00] What were your next steps from there?
[12:03] Basically just went on a financial rampage, I call it, of education.
[12:08] I then, you know, went podcast, books, anything I could read or listen to, you know, I was on to it.
[12:15] And I thought, you know, that was the point where I'd saved money
[12:19] What am I going to do with it?
[12:20] So then decided, yeah, to go and educate myself and figure out what I can do, watch the webinar.
[12:28] I actually messaged G and he messaged me back.
[12:30] I was so surprised.
[12:31] Yeah.
[12:32] And he does have that really messages everyone and thank God for that because I'd asked him about the masterclass.
[12:37] Yeah, because from the webinar you were invited to come to the masterclass.
[12:41] And the dates didn't line up with work and he just said, sorry, mate, you know, you either do it or do it and yeah.
[12:46] Yeah, took work off, did the mask class and best decision of my life and went to REM, had the best experience at REM, like the best experience ever.
[12:56] Yeah.
[12:56] Met so many great people there, Oscar, Genio, Joey Barta, the Perry Man, Steve, Jamie and Rory, listened to Michael Lane, Ron Baker.
[13:08] Yeah.
[13:09] Yeah.
[13:10] enlightenment.
[13:10] Yeah.
[13:11] Yeah.
[13:12] So you really like having all of those mentors available to you as part of the experience.
[13:16] Yeah.
[13:17] So your first one, of course, being Graham, where you found his webinar.
[13:20] So you've watched his webinar.
[13:21] So take me back to that, watching that first webinar.
[13:24] What were some of the biggest things you took from just that one hour webinar?
[13:27] Yeah.
[13:28] Um, just how simple it is.
[13:30] Yeah.
[13:31] I don't know.
[13:32] Don't overcomplicate it when he puts the figures in front of you and the pictures and it's all there.
[13:36] Like it's education.
[13:37] Yeah.
[13:37] If you listen, take it in and you get off it, you're like, that was so simple.
[13:42] Like, yeah, it's free knowledge.
[13:45] Yeah.
[13:46] Did it surprise you it was free?
[13:47] Um...
[13:49] It shouldn't be.
[13:50] Like it's very educational.
[13:52] Yeah.
[13:53] Yeah, I think anyone should go and watch the webinar.
[13:56] Even if you're not going to be an infinite client, just take the time.
[13:58] It's an hour of your life.
[14:00] Stop doom scrolling and watch the webinar.
[14:03] If this story has inspired you to take control of your financial future, your journey starts with our free educational webinar.
[14:10] Click the link below this video to get started today.
[14:13] From there, you wanted to watch the masterclass.
[14:15] As you said before, it didn't line up with work, but you had to make a sacrifice to take work off to do it.
[14:20] Yes.
[14:21] So that was a two-day masterclass, very full on.
[14:24] You go from one hour of education to two full days of education.
[14:28] So talk me through some of the biggest things you took away from that weekend.
[14:31] Um, there was heaps of take in.
[14:34] Um, I suppose the strategies that are given to, um, again, like the webinar, simple, like
[14:43] The asset financing, anything to do with like it simplifies not just housing but simplifies your whole entire financial situation, whether it's assets, budgeting, assets, like.
[14:58] Because you'd paid cash for cars before.
[15:00] Yes.
[15:01] Yeah.
[15:02] Yeah, later find out that that's not the best idea.
[15:07] And he explains that and explains it really well.
[15:09] And you're like, I'm going to need it.
[15:12] When did you do your masterclass?
[15:14] A year ago, 12 months ago today.
[15:16] Yeah, your 12 months to the day.
[15:17] Yep.
[15:18] Yeah, and you've achieved a lot in just 12 months.
[15:20] But still, I want to talk still about the masterclass because you've come in with a very unique situation where you didn't have an owner-occupier at that point.
[15:28] You'd had some savings.
[15:29] You'd had some not-so-great advice.
[15:30] You tried to buy a house, were kind of turned away.
[15:33] You're also told your borrowing capacity was pretty low at the time despite how much savings you had and decent income.
[15:39] Yes.
[15:40] Yep.
[15:40] So you kind of just felt like you were going around in circles without the advice.
[15:43] You've come onto a masterclass that, of course, there's a large part of it that's driven around debt reduction.
[15:47] Yep.
[15:48] You don't have debt right now.
[15:49] Yes.
[15:49] Okay, so you've got no direction, no debt, you don't know what you're doing at the moment.
[15:53] Yep.
[15:54] Why did that masterclass still resonate with you so much given that you didn't have any debt at that point?
[15:59] Yeah, don't get me wrong, I was sitting there, I think it was mid-masterclass, and I messaged one of the Infinity team and I said, I don't think this is for me.
[16:08] I'm watching all these couples on here, you know, doing debt reduction strategies and things like that.
[16:12] Yeah.
[16:13] That's not me.
[16:14] I'm like the only person here in a different situation.
[16:17] Yeah.
[16:18] So I was unsure at that point and he just messaged me back and said, trust me, stick with it, it'll change your life.
[16:24] Yeah.
[16:24] Thank God for him, whoever you are, who messaged me.
[16:28] Because you stuck with it because of that.
[16:29] Yeah, I'm here now.
[16:30] Yeah.
[16:31] Because was there anything in particular that made you go, actually, I think Infinity could probably help me.
[16:37] Yeah, I was sitting there going, you know what, just do it.
[16:39] Yeah.
[16:40] What could go wrong?
[16:41] Like pretty much just the opportunity is there, do it.
[16:45] If it doesn't work, it doesn't work.
[16:46] Yeah.
[16:47] You know, not going to be.
[16:48] And there's a money back guarantee as well.
[16:49] So yeah, nothing to lose there.
[16:51] Yeah.
[16:51] Did you come in with an idea of what you wanted to achieve from it or what you were hoping to get out of it?
[16:58] More education and opportunity.
[17:00] Yeah.
[17:00] Yeah.
[17:00] Okay.
[17:01] So you weren't set on like, I want infinity to help me buy an owner occupier or I want them to help me buy an investment I can pay down.
[17:07] It was, you were just very open.
[17:09] Yeah, opportunity and connections.
[17:11] That was a big one.
[17:12] I wanted connections.
[17:13] I knew I couldn't do it by myself.
[17:14] Yeah.
[17:16] And I knew I still needed more education.
[17:18] Yeah.
[17:19] And I knew Infinity could give me the connections to help me do that.
[17:21] Yeah.
[17:22] So I suppose it goes back to your airplane analogy where you're like, I was on the runway, full of fuel, ready to take off, but I couldn't.
[17:28] I couldn't take off.
[17:29] So you thought Infinity would help you take off.
[17:31] Yeah, Infinity gives me – I've got a co-pilot now.
[17:33] Yeah.
[17:34] Or a captain.
[17:34] I'm the co-pilot.
[17:35] That's a really cool analogy.
[17:37] Yeah.
[17:37] So you've obviously signed up.
[17:39] You thought, okay, this is great.
[17:40] Loved what I've learned here.
[17:41] I've signed up to become a client.
[17:43] Talk me through what, say, your first 90 days with us look like.
[17:47] Because as I said, very unique situation, didn't have an owner occupier.
[17:51] You've come in kind of open to what that next step looked like.
[17:54] So talk me through that whole first 90 days for you.
[18:00] I suppose I, well, actually the first 90 days, thank you, Louis.
[18:04] I made my way to REM.
[18:06] He gets out at every podcast.
[18:09] And, yeah, basically just went to the REM and that weekend bought my first investment property and paperwork, all the rest of the bits and bobs.
[18:19] And, yeah, looked at my financials at the moment, what coming in, going out.
[18:26] and basically refine that to a budget and things like that and sticking to it.
[18:32] And, yeah, got my team, Ethan, Luke and Chad, top three blokes at Infinity.
[18:39] No one else can tell me otherwise.
[18:40] All right.
[18:41] They're all number one.
[18:42] Not biased at all.
[18:43] No.
[18:43] Yeah.
[18:45] So you ended up buying an investment property.
[18:46] Yes.
[18:47] Okay, so you've decided to go down that path.
[18:49] I suppose we'll call it reinvesting.
[18:50] You're really living at home with mum and dad.
[18:52] So as you said, thanks, mum and dad.
[18:54] They're helping you on the path to do that.
[18:57] Why did you decide that was the best way to do it?
[18:59] Why are you happy to stay living with mum and dad while you go on this reinvesting journey?
[19:03] I just thought...
[19:05] The 30-year loan and moving out of home and everything like that just didn't sit right with me.
[19:10] Yeah.
[19:11] Sitting there paying a loan off, you know, to the bank and, you know, I think if I remember the figures, it's like 550 grand you borrow, you end up paying 1.2 million at the end of it.
[19:19] Yeah.
[19:19] Which makes zero sense and I thought there's got to be a better way to do this.
[19:23] Yeah.
[19:25] And I suppose I thought if I can knuckle down for five years, you know, it's going to save me 30.
[19:30] So the potential is there to hopefully more investment properties.
[19:33] And maybe one day when I do want my own occupier, wherever it may be, who knows?
[19:37] The world could be my oyster at that point.
[19:38] Yeah.
[19:39] You'll be better financially positioned to do it.
[19:41] Yeah.
[19:41] Because you were previously told 550 was the cap to be able to do that.
[19:45] And now you've been able to do a lot more from an investment property perspective.
[19:48] Yes.
[19:49] So we've got our first investment already.
[19:51] Yep.
[19:51] And we're starting to do a version of the debt reduction model on your first investment.
[19:56] And what does that look like for you now?
[19:58] Well, from the figure that was told to me yesterday, I was actually quite surprised.
[20:02] We've managed to put 220 down on the investment property so far.
[20:05] That's insane.
[20:06] Yeah, I never, ever thought I'd, yeah, I don't know what to say, honestly.
[20:13] Someone thinks it's special.
[20:14] I don't think it's that special.
[20:15] Well, it is because you were once, you know, said that you were earning $150,000 in one year.
[20:20] Yeah.
[20:21] And when you looked back on that year, you had $15,000 to show for it.
[20:23] Yes.
[20:25] And now you've gone to $220,000 has gone towards your first investment property.
[20:30] You did have a bit of savings when you came in, but you've also been able to do that with a year of debt reduction with Infinity.
[20:35] Yeah.
[20:37] Yeah, absolutely crazy.
[20:38] I don't know.
[20:39] I think I just followed the process.
[20:40] Like I don't overcomplicate things or stress about things, but I just did me, I suppose, followed the process, did what the team said and, yeah, here we are.
[20:49] And you're just doing it.
[20:50] I was just doing it.
[20:52] Yeah, it's all, I feel like it just went like that.
[20:57] Yeah.
[20:57] Yeah.
[20:58] Your first year's definitely gone very fast.
[21:00] But let's talk about your first REM too because you speak very, very highly of that event.
[21:04] Yes.
[21:04] And all the people that you met there.
[21:06] Yes.
[21:06] Why did you like that event so much?
[21:08] Oh, REM, what a weekend.
[21:13] I suppose I got there single by myself, you know, I don't know.
[21:20] pretty nervous and anyway I got sat right at the front in the middle um and I think I'm out going I'm happy to talk to anyone and eventually I was on the singles table yeah um just got talking to everyone um eventually you know if when you're at REM I think anyone who goes to REM if you meet anyone there um or a group people make a group chat straight up and we had a group chat with a few others and whenever we were going to do something or heading down to the ballroom or anything like that send a message in made the experience 100 times better
[21:49] So you felt more comfortable?
[21:50] More comfortable, yeah.
[21:51] I just had, I suppose, a group of people to go with.
[21:53] Yeah.
[21:54] Because we do that on purpose when we do our seating arrangements.
[21:57] Thank you to whoever does the seating arrangements.
[21:59] Our events team are amazing.
[22:00] Yes.
[22:01] And, you know, the people at REM I met that week, I still talk to now.
[22:04] I'm going to one of their weddings next month.
[22:06] Oh, that's incredible.
[22:07] Yeah.
[22:08] So I still talk to them.
[22:10] I was talking to them yesterday.
[22:11] Yeah, great people.
[22:14] And then I suppose my whole REM experience was just great.
[22:16] I met Genio, great bloke, the Perryman family, Oscar, Joey Barter.
[22:23] He's another great one.
[22:25] Yeah, plenty of great testimonials.
[22:26] Fantastic.
[22:27] Yeah.
[22:28] Yeah, couldn't speak highly enough of them.
[22:30] Because it's another very highly educated education event as well.
[22:34] Of course, with that connection, which you said was also something that was really important for you to get connection, not just from the professional side and expert side, but also from just the community side.
[22:44] Talk me through the education, though, that you picked up at REM and why that was so monumental for you.
[22:49] Yeah, I suppose I come out of the masterclass thinking that was two days of full on education, a lot thrown at you.
[22:55] And I thought, what more can I learn in another weekend?
[23:00] And there was a bit more take out of it, but mostly just the mindset was a big one that you learn at REM, you know, going forward.
[23:06] How do we get the right mindset, obviously, to save money, debt reduction, things like that.
[23:10] And then talk me through the connection side with the community.
[23:13] Why is that so important for you?
[23:15] Because, I mean, that's just like an added bonus to working with experts in our field, right?
[23:19] Not many companies do that where we give you a full community of clients that you get to like go to their weddings, you know, and become friends with them.
[23:27] Why has that been so pivotal for you in your journey?
[23:30] I suppose at the end of the day, like, yes, I'm doing this myself, but I'm also doing it with a lot of other people.
[23:36] You know, I'm not the only one.
[23:39] Yeah, it's a team sport pretty much.
[23:40] You know, I've got a lot of people around me for reassurance, questions.
[23:46] Yeah, there's people, if you're having a bad day, you know, you send a message and say, how's everyone going?
[23:51] They're going, we're going great, we're doing this, we're at this, or they're throwing figures at you and you're like, wow, you know, it's working.
[23:56] So you're sharing like your stories of who's doing what and yeah.
[23:59] Yep.
[23:59] Because a lot of our clients are quite open with what they do.
[24:03] Yes.
[24:04] Everyone shares very, very readily and openly about, you know, what they're doing in terms of their budgeting and saving money and what properties they're buying.
[24:11] Is that something that you like as part of the community?
[24:13] Oh, absolutely.
[24:13] It's, you know, finance is a very taboo topic.
[24:15] Yeah.
[24:15] You know, you don't really go out and talk about it and, you know, people avoid it.
[24:20] It's like they're scared.
[24:21] Yeah.
[24:22] And I suppose when you've got the infinity community around you, you know, everyone's happy to share and it's motivating.
[24:28] Yeah.
[24:29] Yep, definitely.
[24:30] Do you think school misses the mark on this type of education?
[24:34] I mean, you came out of school not knowing did you a tax return?
[24:37] Yeah.
[24:38] Definitely, yeah, absolutely.
[24:40] It doesn't hit the mark at all and that's one thing I've been talking with my arm about, you know, is you get out of school and you don't know what tax return is.
[24:49] You don't know anything and I suppose Infinity has definitely given me a lot of education when it comes to just finances and I think that even if you're leaving school and you're not going to invest or anything like that, I still think –
[25:04] Do the masterclass or do the webinar.
[25:06] If you don't even invest or become a client, you're going to get something out of it that's going to help you for the rest of your life, whether you're renting or, you know, you're looking at getting a mortgage.
[25:15] You know, it's there.
[25:17] Use it.
[25:18] Yeah.
[25:19] Yeah.
[25:19] And talk me through your budgeting experience because you were kind of doing a little bit of it before when you realised, you know, when you went overseas and you're like, shit, I can't even get home.
[25:27] I need to call mum and I never want to be in this position again.
[25:30] Yep.
[25:30] You did change your mindset a little bit then where you're like, okay, I've got to actually save some money here, try to live on just $1,000 per paycheck.
[25:37] Now you've come in with a very different structure on how our budgeting system works from our debt reduction model.
[25:42] And you've got your relationship manager, you bounce off.
[25:44] That's Ethan and Ethan having RM meetings every month.
[25:47] Number one, by the way.
[25:49] Talk me through what that journey looked like and how different it was from when you were trying to do it yourself.
[25:54] I suppose $1,000 is more than enough between paychecks.
[25:58] Yeah.
[25:59] You know, I've never burned through the whole thing, but I suppose by the end it became a game, you know.
[26:04] I was putting savings away, earning interest on it, things like that.
[26:08] And Ethan's like, bro, you can do way better than this.
[26:10] So we end up like refining down like $350 a fortnight or something because of at work one week off the other week.
[26:15] Yeah.
[26:16] And you're pretty much catered for when you're at work.
[26:17] Yes, and cater for them at home sometimes.
[26:19] Thanks, Mum.
[26:20] Mum and Dad sound amazing.
[26:22] They are.
[26:22] They're great.
[26:23] They, yeah, they're great.
[26:27] And have you found it difficult to do any of the budgeting the way that we do it?
[26:32] Because it is a little bit different to what people expect.
[26:34] A lot of people do spreadsheets and multiple accounts, but we're just very, very simplified in our structure.
[26:40] Yeah, it's great.
[26:42] I suppose 350 a fortnight, you know, I'm a pretty simple dude.
[26:47] You know, I've got a room, bag clothes in the car and tool bag in the back, you know.
[26:50] Yeah.
[26:51] much to it I don't do anything extravagant so um yeah 350 of weeks more than enough to um go have a couple beers palming on a Tuesday so still enjoying life oh absolutely yeah yeah yeah I definitely um don't go without yeah yeah yeah definitely have a lot of fun still go catch up with everyone um yeah things like that yeah definitely don't think my life is any worse off yeah at all yeah just more structured just more structure really yeah and what does the next 12 months look like for you
[27:17] Oh, God, who knows?
[27:19] The last 12 months I didn't think I'd be here, but, oh, who knows?
[27:22] It's scary.
[27:22] It's exciting.
[27:24] You know, the goal I've put down is by 2030 I want five IPs, yeah, definitely.
[27:30] And I think it's achievable, absolutely.
[27:32] Do you actually believe it's achievable now?
[27:34] Oh, absolutely.
[27:34] I didn't think one was achievable, let alone, yeah, I think five's definitely achievable.
[27:40] And how do you push past all of the noise that is happening right now?
[27:43] We did briefly touch on, you know, all the noise that's happening in media right now.
[27:47] There's a lot of government changes, the tax reforms, which has definitely changed the landscape a little bit around investing, but it's something that you've still set your eyes on.
[27:55] That's still the prize for you.
[27:57] So how do you push past all of that?
[27:59] Yeah, well, as you and G say, like, block it out, you know.
[28:03] Yeah.
[28:03] It means nothing.
[28:05] And I remember when the budget came out this year, you know, since joining Infinity, I've been a lot more in touch with politics and finances and things like that, and the budget came out, and oh, my God, it was like World War III, doom and gloom.
[28:17] Yeah.
[28:18] And you guys actually put on a session on a Friday night and simplified the whole thing.
[28:26] Yeah.
[28:26] Calm down, it's okay.
[28:27] And when you listen and you're like, oh, it's not bad.
[28:30] Yeah.
[28:30] And I knew it wasn't and, you know, you explained that.
[28:34] Yeah.
[28:34] Yeah.
[28:35] Yeah, I think a lot of our clients got a lot out of that session because if all you're doing is getting your education from the media, a lot of it's not said, right?
[28:43] Oh, absolutely.
[28:44] So we were able to break that down for you.
[28:45] So you found that quite valuable.
[28:47] Oh, absolutely.
[28:47] Yeah.
[28:48] It was just reassurance.
[28:49] I knew everything was all right and you just basically got on and reassured me, yeah, it's all right.
[28:52] That it's all fine.
[28:53] So still pushing forward, you're not letting all of that get in the way of your five properties by 2030 plan?
[28:59] Yeah, definitely, yeah.
[29:01] Yeah.
[29:01] Does anything make you worry about the future though with where things are headed?
[29:05] No, I don't think so.
[29:06] No.
[29:08] Oh, look, government changes, tax reforms, all that sort of stuff, you know, self-managed super funds.
[29:13] Yeah.
[29:13] It's all happening at the moment.
[29:14] But, yeah, I think Infiniti definitely gives reassurance.
[29:19] I say it a lot.
[29:20] It's just reassurance the whole time that, you know, we're doing the right thing.
[29:24] Yeah.
[29:25] Yeah.
[29:25] Well, I mean, if nothing changes, nothing changes, right?
[29:27] So you can either sit there and whinge and moan about it or you can still try to make choices in the best way possible, right, with your team of experts, which is what you have.
[29:35] And then, you know, I know you had a little bit of bad advice before you did find Infinity.
[29:39] Was there anyone else you tried to look into working with?
[29:42] We won't name any names, but had you tried looking into working with anyone else and why did you ultimately decide Infinity was the way to go?
[29:49] I suppose you scroll through Instagram and things like that and there are others that pop up.
[29:52] As soon as you find one of us, then all of them start popping up.
[29:56] And a lot of them, I suppose, just throw it at you.
[30:01] If you make this X amount, we'll make sure you've got this or we'll do this.
[30:04] And it's like, okay.
[30:06] But then you get infinity and you've got testimonials and everything like that.
[30:10] And they're like...
[30:11] And it's proofs in the pudding.
[30:13] You know, it's there, whereas these other guys sort of throw the book at your face, not really the book, they throw it in your throat.
[30:18] Yeah.
[30:19] And, yeah, it's a bit much and there's not a lot to show for, I suppose.
[30:23] Yeah.
[30:24] Yeah.
[30:24] So you liked our approach with showing you the real stories, our testimonials, and then you've met so many of our testimonials as well now too.
[30:30] Oh, yeah, and, like, top-notch people.
[30:33] Yeah.
[30:33] You couldn't get any better.
[30:34] Yeah.
[30:35] And have you been able to attend any of our community events or Christmas parties yet?
[30:38] Not yet.
[30:39] Just with work and obviously an emerald and things like that.
[30:42] Yeah.
[30:42] Yeah, you're a bit more regional.
[30:44] Yeah.
[30:44] I would hopefully like to get to some.
[30:46] Yeah.
[30:46] I know the team.
[30:47] I think they are coming our way shortly.
[30:49] Yep.
[30:50] So if it lines up and stays off, yeah, I'll be there.
[30:52] Yep.
[30:53] We might end up just taking more time off like you did for the master class just to get there.
[30:57] What about the Christmas party this year?
[30:59] I think I'll get down there.
[31:00] Yeah.
[31:00] I missed last year.
[31:01] You can't miss our Christmas party.
[31:03] And Timmy went and he said it was great.
[31:05] And, yeah, I thought, yeah, righto, we're going to get down there this year.
[31:07] Yeah, you can't have any FOMO.
[31:09] Come on.
[31:10] And why do you think it's so important for you to do this at your age?
[31:15] Because you are young, okay, and a lot of people would sit in your situation thinking, I've got plenty of time.
[31:20] But why did you say, no, no, no, I've got to do it now when all these people are using their 20s to go travel overseas, spend all their money and go, I'll deal with it later.
[31:28] Why are you deciding to do it today?
[31:30] I suppose there's a few things.
[31:33] Like people, like you see infinity clients now who are in their 50s or 40s and they say, if you could do anything different, what would you do?
[31:41] And they say, start one in my 20s.
[31:42] And I'm like, well, I'm in my 20s.
[31:44] Yeah.
[31:44] Start now.
[31:46] And I know I'm going to be a lot better off in the future for it.
[31:48] You know, one day I'll want wife and kids and things like that.
[31:51] And like I don't want to, I don't feel the need to travel now.
[31:54] Like if I want to travel, I want to travel when I have a partner.
[31:56] Yeah.
[31:56] A lot more funner.
[31:57] Yeah.
[31:59] And you'll be financially really set to do it too.
[32:01] You won't be stuck somewhere not able to get home.
[32:04] Yes.
[32:05] so I'm saving them things for later in life yeah um now's my time to knuckle down work you know well I'm fit able things like that yeah living with mum and dad like I'm in a very very good situation I'm very hopeful for make the most of it very eligible bachelor lady um do you talk to mum and dad a bit about your journey and what you're doing and how do they feel about it
[32:25] No, I don't.
[32:26] You don't talk to them about it?
[32:27] No.
[32:28] Why is that?
[32:28] I suppose this whole journey is something I've just kept myself.
[32:32] Yeah.
[32:32] So when this podcast comes out, it's –
[32:35] Yeah, a lot of people will find out, I suppose, if they listen to it.
[32:38] Yeah.
[32:38] But my whole infinity journey, I've got a small group of circle around me.
[32:41] They support me.
[32:42] Yeah.
[32:43] They say the biggest way to kill your dreams is tell us about it.
[32:46] Yeah.
[32:46] Not so much my mum and dad, but, yeah, I keep a very tight bubble, I suppose.
[32:50] Yeah.
[32:50] Whether that's a good or bad thing, I'm not sure.
[32:54] But, yeah, I just don't really tell unless people ask.
[32:57] Yeah.
[32:57] Yeah, I don't know.
[32:58] Do you have a fear in telling them?
[32:59] Because, you know, again, we go back to like some of those mindsets around why would we save money to buy a home when it's impossible.
[33:06] Are you worried that there's going to be some negative feedback about it?
[33:09] Definitely.
[33:09] Yeah, there's definitely a lot of doubters out there.
[33:11] You get in the lunchroom at work, you know, someone brings it up and you've got a million different opinions around your throat, you know, that don't do this, don't do that, don't do that.
[33:20] And, you know, you just sit there and stay quiet and stay on your own path sort of thing.
[33:23] but yeah, definitely.
[33:24] It's very unfortunate, isn't it?
[33:26] Yeah, it is.
[33:26] Yeah.
[33:27] Yeah.
[33:27] Do you hear a lot of that like lunchroom talk?
[33:30] All the time.
[33:30] Yeah?
[33:31] All the time.
[33:31] What are some of the things you're hearing?
[33:34] Oh, I can't really think off the top of my head, but yeah, there's plenty of people that say don't buy investments, you know, get a loan.
[33:39] Refinance, that's a one big one, you know.
[33:43] Asset finance, that's a big one.
[33:45] Go buy the jet ski.
[33:46] Buy a jet ski.
[33:48] But that's very prevalent in your industry because it's like for the seven days that they're off, they just want to have fun and get on the water and go to Bali and all of that.
[33:56] There's so much of it.
[33:57] Yeah, like you said, that trap.
[33:59] um and you know there's people do this with your tax do that with your tax do this be a self-managed super fun or your super fun you know do this pull it out i'm like oh god i'll just keep doing what i'm doing i think yeah there's a lot of noise out there but you've been able to align yourself yeah quite well so i think you've got a very good future ahead of you you just stay very very committed like i said very eligible bachelor for there's gonna be a lucky lady in your future scary um is there anything else that you would like to add before we wrap up
[34:25] No, I think I'm pretty good.
[34:26] Yeah.
[34:28] Yeah.
[34:29] Everyone asks questions usually on here at the end and I'm like, God, I've got nothing.
[34:32] Totally fine if you know.
[34:33] Everyone's already asked good questions.
[34:35] Yeah.
[34:37] Yeah.
[34:37] No, I think I'm good, Rach.
[34:38] You're just ready for the future.
[34:41] Let's get you to another REM though, I think.
[34:42] Oh, absolutely.
[34:43] I said that to Ethan the other day.
[34:45] I said, I just want to get back to another REM.
[34:46] Yeah.
[34:46] Because do you watch our like socials and get a bit of FOMO?
[34:49] I do.
[34:50] Yeah.
[34:50] Yes.
[34:51] Yeah.
[34:51] They're incredible events, but I'm so glad you've been able to take so much away and you've been able to soak in all the education because I think everything that you've been able to do is very valuable.
[34:59] And now you're on the path to set yourself up for a really good financial future.
[35:03] So you should be so proud of yourself.
[35:04] Thank you very much and thank you to the whole Infinity team for giving me the opportunity to come here, I suppose.
[35:08] Yeah, it's been good.
[35:08] Thank you.
[35:09] Thank you.
[35:09] Appreciate you sharing your story.
[35:10] Thank you.

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