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There are stories you hear about that stay with you for the longest time. Stories of triumph, stories of heartbreak, stories of beating the odds. Personal stories so authentic and transparent that, no matter what, hit your core and you can’t forget.

This episode is THAT story. And today’s remarkable guest is Sam, a Couch Listener who is as inspiring and impactful as they come!

Seriously. This is one of the BIGGEST transformations – both the biggest financial AND life transformations – we’ve heard on the podcast, and indeed will go down as one of our favourites… ever.

Meet Sam .

Over four years ago, life was very different for Sam. For almost a decade she struggled with mental health and substance abuse… to the point where she was caught in a revolving door of psychiatric hospitalisation.

Since high school she has battled with mental health challenges, which continued for 9 years, while her struggles with illicit substances lasted for about 7 years…

Obviously, and quite understandably, you can imagine that financial matters weren’t exactly a priority. Let alone the thought of investing in property!

Fast forward to today, and Sam’s life is “we have no words” different. A PHENOMENAL turnaround you just have to hear to believe, folks!

Oh, and just FYI… Sam is a young single woman on a modest income who has never known ANY other property investors… yep, that’s ON TOP of her incredible backstory.

Just listen to it. You’ll be blown away.

We know we were.

P.S. This is the LAST EPISODE in our 2020 Summer Series… and while we’ve absolutely loved each and every one of our guests, we reckon we might’ve saved the best ‘til last.

For us, this has been the most impactful interview of all time!

Free Stuff Mentioned…

• FREE eBook– Make Money Simple Again
• LAST CHANCE: Take our Survey– What do YOU want to hear about on The Couch?! (closes 1^st Feb 2021)
• Sign Up For FREE To MyWealth Portal & Start Your Financial Transformation Today!(includes Money SMARTS, Money FIT + Money STRETCH) Click here or simply fill in the form at the bottom of this page
• Episode 242 | Proof That You Can Get on the Property Ladder AND Invest in Property in Your 20s – Chat with Courtney Te’ray
• Courtney’s Story
• Episode 300 | The Unfair Advantage: Master This New Framework To Get The Passive Income You Want – Chat with Jaemin Frazer
• Episode 179 | Five ways to Create a Winning Property Investor’s Mindset – Chat with Jaemin Frazer

Here’s some of the stuff we talk about…

• 02:52 — Meet Sam…
• 03:09 — What was money like growing up?
• 05:10 — The poem…
• 06:04 — The incredible backstory
• 08:11 — What triggered such massive change?
• 11:00 — Warning signs…
• 11:45 — Sam’s advice for people who might be going through mental health issues…
• 12:39 — How can you best help someone who is struggling?
• 14:29 — How many mental health professionals has Sam likely worked with?
• 16:59 — The pivot!
• 17:41 — Wow — the foresight to do this was incredible!
• 19:10 — The first property…
• 21:05 — How did she rebuild her habits?
• 21:40 — Her savings tips!
• 22:32 — The biggest thing she’s learnt about money management
• 23:24 — How many bank accounts did she have open?
• 24:15 — Her money management system (and the infamous Word doc!)
• 26:39 — How did the podcast come across her radar?
• 27:53 — The first episode she listened to!
• 30:45 — When you’re sceptical about professional advice…
• 33:48 — What made her take advice?
• 36:20 — How does it feel to have a Property Plan in place?
• 37:44 — When’s her first investment property scheduled for?!
• 39:33 — What if you don’t know anyone else who in invests in property?
  40:29 — What does Financial Peace look like for Sam?
• 44:33 — Some wisdom from Sam to you…
• 45:00 — The power of self-belief!
• 46:23 — Mindset vs Mechanics – Which is more important?

Note: There are more real-life investor stories like this in our Summer Series! Make sure you check them all out here.

Keen to Get Started with Money SMARTS like Sam?

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Three Words… Wild. Money. Management.

Three more words… But. not. anymore!!!

Our Summer Series continues and today we are interviewing listener Kellie…

We’ve gotta hand it to her… not only did Kellie USED TO have some seriously wild money management going on…

Eg… Did someone say SEVENTEEN BANK ACCOUNTS OPEN!!??!!

… Kellie is an absolute free spirit in her own right, and her energy & enthusiasm is ABSOLUTELY CONTAGIOUS!!

Seriously. You’ll wish the podcast wasn’t audio just so you could be in the same room as her to get a dose of that amazing energy!! Don’t worry though, it’ll totally come through your headphones and we promise you this…you’ll be smiling from ear to ear!

To give you an idea… she had us laughing our heads off…so whoever said money management and financial transformation wasn’t fun, clearly had NOT heard this episode!

Strap yourself in folks, ‘cos you’re about to meet Kellie…

… and she’s going to deliver the hard and fast facts of her life that’ll have you giggling…

… if only ‘cos she says aloud what a lot of us are secretly thinking about our money habits…

You’ll enjoy this one.. we know we certainly did!

Tune in now to hear just how wild Kellie’s money management used to be… and what she did to tame it 😉

Free Stuff Mentioned…

• FREE eBook– Make Money Simple Again
• LAST CHANCE: Take our Survey– What do YOU want to hear about on The Couch?! (closes 1^st Feb 2021)
• Sign Up For FREE To MyWealth Portal & Start Your Financial Transformation Today!(includes Money SMARTS, Money FIT + Money STRETCH) Click here or simply fill in the form at the bottom of this page

What We Talk About…

• 01:44 – Meet Kellie!
• 02:01 – What was money like when Kellie grew up?
• 02:58 – What a pair of runners taught her about money!
• 04:29 – Was money spoken about at home?
• 05:54 – “Mum’s Tip” to get kids out of home and into their own!
• 06:41 – How to furnish an entire house for less than $200!
• 07:43 – The Potato Farmer who changed everything!
• 09:10 – What did she first do with her money?
• 09:38 – Managing money while living a Gypsy Life…!
• 10:24 – Living pay check to pay check
• 10:54 – The secret to getting everything you want in life!
• 12:55 – The bank account story (there was “at least” seventeen!)
• 13:25 – What did Money SMARTS drastically change?
• 15:08 – Whoops! The credit card…
• 16:23 – How did she pay off the debt?
• 18:48 – Tip for your kid’s bank accounts!
• 20:58 – What was the catalyst for change?
• 21:59 – Flipping their investment property…
• 22:22 – Getting a Plan done… (And a QPIA’s reaction to flipping property!)
• 24:39 – What did she think of Make Money Simple Again?
• 25:25 – When seventeen accounts becomes ONE…
• 27:34 – How long did it take to work out the “right” 7-day float?
• 29:00 – How much time has she saved since using Money SMARTS?
• 30:41 – How an investment-savvy mortgage broker helped!
• 31:03 – Why is Kellie wanting to FLIP property?
• 31:49 – The difference between advice and lending a hand…
• 33:09 – A VERY IMPORTANT reminder about flipping property…
• 33:50 – Horror flip stories ☹
• 36:03 –  What’s the best way to empower people on their own money journey?
• 38:13 – How to use Money SMARTS without a Credit Card
• 40:44 – Why don’t they do the monthly check up?
• 41:09 – How does she work out her irregular spend then?s
• 42:07 – What’s life like when you have Financial Peace?
• 43:20 – Monopoly in Real Life: How Kellie is now teaching her kids about money
• 44:40 – Wild money management & 30-Page Statements!

Note: There are more real-life investor stories like this in our Summer Series! Make sure you check them all out here.

Keen to Get Started with Money SMARTS like Kellie?

Fill in the form below and create your account on our Money SMARTS Platform now!

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There are SO many layers to this listener’s story, it’s incredible!

For one, when Eric T was at uni, he was paid a little “classroom visit” by, get this… sleek Spruikers in their fancy Armani suits who not only tried to SELL online courses to the students, but also GROOMED and recruited some of them as their next get-rich-quick protégé!!

Thankfully, today’s guest listener had the foresight to decline. Which, to be quite honest, was super lucky as he was already – in his own words – “highly suggestible and easily influenced by these quick rich shames and educators wearing their $700 slip on loafers, their $20,000 Rolex watches, expensive European sports cars and their 68 properties!”

Plus, while all this was happening, Eric’s partner sensed he was going down the wrong path and one day shoved a book under his nose – low and behold it was The Armchair Guide to Property Investing!

BUT – how’s this for a story that keeps on giving! – he first didn’t read it ‘cos he thought our book was complete rubbish… as we weren’t standing on the hood of a Rolls Royce! 😂

“Who were these two blokes sitting on a couple of couches and smiling with no bling or swagger?”

Fast forward to today and, well, here we are interviewing Eric.

But like we said… there are SO many layers to this story, and we can assure you this isn’t even HALF of it!!

Just wait to you hear what money was like for Eric as a kid!!

Let’s just say… he didn’t step foot into a restaurant until he was 19!

In a nutshell: This really is one ride of an episode folks… and Eric’s stories and pure wisdom will leave you wanting more!

Free Stuff Mentioned

• FREE eBook– Make Money Simple Again
• Take our Survey– What do YOU want to hear about on The Couch?! (only takes 7 minutes to complete)
• Sign Up For FREE To MyWealth Portal & Start Your Financial Transformation Today!(includes Money SMARTS, Money FIT + Money STRETCH) Click here or simply fill in the form at the bottom of this page
• Episode 219 | How going from 30 properties to Bankruptcy shaped this riches to rags… and back again story! Chat with Julie Ann Cairns

What We Cover…

• 03:46 – Eric’s Money Backstory (wow!)
• 05:14 – Wait… never been to a restaurant until he was 19!?!
• 07:53 – What was it like seeing his parents work so hard?
• 08:55 – Has his parents’ scarcity mindset shifted?
• 10:49 – Why Australia really is the Lucky Country…
• 12:24 – What was it like to go to a restaurant for the first time??
• 13:58 – How to put the cost of things into context…
• 14:53 – When Eric first started earning money, what was he doing with it?
• 16:02 – How Social Pressures Dictate How We Spend Our Money
• 17:25 – When parents make your clothes…
• 18:40 – What was the spark that made Eric consider property investing?
• 20:13 – How quickly did Eric’s parents pay down their mortgage?
• 20:57 – Was money spoken about in the childhood home?
• 21:49 – The Great Sushi Lesson…
• 24:18 – Are his parents retired now?
• 24:38 – How was Eric originally managing his money?
• 25:18 – Eric’s Rock Bottom…
• 26:22 – Did he shop around for his first bank?
• 27:21 – Groomed at uni to be a spruiker…
• 29:05 – How much does Ben spend on his “boat shoes”? 😂
• 29:32 – The story of the $50 note…
• 30:23 – When the scarcity mindset actually works in your favour…
• 32:50 – How did he discover The Property Couch?
• 32:57 – Investing for Tax Purposes!
• 34:52 – His initial reaction to The Armchair Guide to Property Investing…
• 35:39 – What changed his mind to finally read our book?!
• 36:13 – What episodes had the most impact on him?
• 37:31 – Using the Money SMARTS system…
• 39:23 – How does the Money SMARTS system change your BEHAVIOUR?
• 40:43 – Do you have to save every penny to trap surplus cash?
• 43:21 – Why “Money For The Sake Of Money” Isn’t A Good Enough Reason…
• 43:46 – What does Eric want to spend his passive income on?
• 45:36 – The Empty Island Syndrome
• 46:13 – Why you don’t want to be another Donald Trump!
• 47:11 – What’s it like getting a Property Portfolio Plan done?
• 47:32 – Status Design vs Lifestyle Design
• 49:46 – Attacking preconditioning from childhood…
• 57:51 – Time & Target: The Two Life-Changing Elements That Make Everything Clear!
• 58:56 – The Train Analogy – Amazing!

Note: There are more real-life investor stories like this in our Summer Series! Make sure you check them all out here.

Keen to Get Started with Money SMARTS like Eric?

Fill in the form below and create your account on our Money SMARTS Platform now!

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Using a credit card to earn Qantas Points… is it even worth it?!

Folks, joining us today is listener Megan – and not only is she going to help us answer this exact question (… just wait ‘til you hear the reason it came up in the first place!), she is also living proof that your money backstory does NOT have to be your financial destiny!

This is a financial transformation no one should miss – we cover a LOT of ground, including… a backstory of Financial Hardship, learning the hard way about bad debt, setting new money habits, investing as a parent… you name it!

Megan was an absolute joy to interview and is extremely generous and transparent when it comes to sharing the truth of her story so others can benefit from it.

Highly recommend this one, folks!

And, yep, it might make you think twice about how you use a credit card!

Free Stuff Mentioned…

• FREE eBook– Make Money Simple Again
• Take our Survey– What do YOU want to hear about on The Couch?! (only 7 mins to complete – and you get an Awesome New Freebie at the end of it 😉)
• Sign Up For FREE To MyWealth Portal & Start Your Financial Transformation Today!(includes Money SMARTS, Money FIT + Money STRETCH) Click here or simply fill in the form at the bottom of this page

Here’s What We Cover…

• 03:12 – Megan’s Money backstory!
• 04:54 – Was it simply inferred that money was “tight” growing up?
• 06:53 – Money differences between siblings…
• 08:04 – Money differences between partners…
• 10:52 – Using the same bank account from the age of 6!
• 12:41 – How to have separate living and lifestyle accounts for each partner
• 14:45 – Things to remember when comparing yourself to your friends
• 15:56 – Who takes the lead on the finances?
• 16:27 – Where does the “Why” come from?
• 17:41 – When credit card debt spirals out of control…
• 19:07 – How did she pay off all that debt so quickly
• 20:15 – Techniques and tips to remove bad debt
• 20:35 – Before Money SMARTS!
• 20:44 – How much did they spend on going out for dinner?!
• 20:50 – After Money SMARTS!
• 25:25 – #1 Tip so you DON’T have to keep transferring money back and forth!
• 26:11 – Are those Qantas points really worth it?
• 28:33 – How is Megan running her provisionings?
• 29:32 – Why was Money STRETCH so important for Megan and her partner?
• 34:07 – When the mindset goes backwards…
• 39:07 – The benefits of the MyWealth Portal
• 41:27 – How many icy poles is too many icy poles? 🤣
• 43:30 – The power of setting a long term goal/s for yourself…
• 44:33 – How did they upgrade their home?
• 46:43 – Considerations for a PPOR that will eventually be turned into an investment property
• 50:05 – The importance of diversifying your portfolio!
• 51:14 – Understanding the timing of our ABCD pillars of Mastery
• 50:54 – What does Megan want you to know about Money SMARTS?
• 58:28 – GREAT take home message!

Note: There are more real-life investor stories like this in our Summer Series! Make sure you check them all out here.

Keen to Get Started with Money SMARTS like Megan?

Fill in the form below and create your account on our Money SMARTS Platform now!

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What if you grew up in an environment where money was extremely tight? And what if this experience carried on into young adulthood, this time from your OWN financial decisions… up until something finally cracked and you said, “That’s it, I’ve had enough!”

What if you went from DROWNING in debt to FLOATING on Financial Peace… and finally cracked the code to break the family’s financial trauma cycle once and for all?!

Well folks, joining us today is listener Michael – and he knows EXACTLY what this financial transformation feels like… because he’s lived it!!

Here’s the deal…

On the last day of one of the most interesting years we will probably ever experience (good riddance 2020!!), we are interviewing someone who has, through no fault of his own, faced money challenges as a child… but then went on to become a young adult who survived on one can of tuna and slices of bread while snowed under some seriously bad debt…

… and now, through sheer grit and a reversing his money habits (and money mindset), OWNS three properties and has wiped out the financial trauma he learnt in childhood!

Yes… Michael went from having a Poor Dad…. to becoming a Rich Dad.

So, how did he do it?!

Tune in now to listen to learn how you can go from struggling to pay the bills to being an investor in complete control of your finances!

Free Stuff Mentioned…

• FREE eBook– Make Money Simple Again
• LAST CHANCE: Take our Survey– What do YOU want to hear about on The Couch?! (closes 1^st Feb 2021)
• Sign Up For FREE To MyWealth Portal & Start Your Financial Transformation Today!(includes Money SMARTS, Money FIT + Money STRETCH) Click here or simply fill in the form at the bottom of this page

What We Cover…

• 03:04 – What was money like for Michael growing up?
• 05:20 – Was his dad explicit about the money issues?
• 06:06 – How did this background flow into Michael’s own money habits?
• 08:34 – What sparked the desire to finally change?
• 09:58 – The danger zone credit card story…
• 12:51 – Where did he seek help to get on top of his debt?
• 14:52 – “Psychological Sense” vs “Mathematical Sense” for what debt to pay off first
• 16:02 – A tip to break negative habits
• 17:35 – How did they afford a house deposit?
• 19:35 – How did he discover The Property Couch?
• 20:10 – Michael’s favourite property investing books!
• 20:42 – Lessons Learnt From The Richest Man In Babylon…
• 21:44 – What does Michael’s spreadsheet track?
• 23:03 – What motivates Michael to be so “hands on” with his money management?
• 23:34 – Why is Michael investing in property, anyway?
• 25:26 – … The Big Rocks in The Jar!
• 28:32 – Financial Trauma: Conscious & Unconscious Consequences…
• 30:35 – How to resolve underlying money mindset patterns
• 34:55 – What is Debt Recycling?
• 35:36 – How to get the balance right to work out what’s really “enough”
• 36:48 – Why No One Wants To Be The Richest Man In The Cemetery…
• 37:34 – How to make compromises while still rewarding yourself so you stay the course
• 38:12 – The property story!
• 38:47 – Now, that’s sacrifice!! (Delayed Gratification in its finest form)
• 40:20 – How many properties is he aiming for?
• 40:37 – Asset Selection Mistakes
• 44:38 – How does Michael’s Dad feel about all this? 😊
• 44:56 – Should you take advice from friends and family?!

Note: There are more real-life investor stories like this in our Summer Series! Make sure you check them all out here.

Keen to Get Started with Money SMARTS like Michael?

Fill in the form below and create your account on our Money SMARTS Platform now!

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