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Meet Amy

What was your relationship with money like growing up?

I moved to Australia when I was five years old. We did not have much in those early years and my family moved homes a lot before things gradually became more stable. My parents worked incredibly hard to provide for us, but money was never really talked about. The advice I grew up with was typical of many Asian households: study hard, work hard, get a good job and save your money.

I followed that advice, but I never understood why I was saving or how to make my money work for me. In my early corporate years I spent a lot on going out and buying things I thought mattered, because I had no clear financial goals. My relationship with money was reactive. I avoided it rather than taking control of it.

And what is your relationship with money like now?

Six years ago I had no idea where my money was going. Today I know where every dollar is going, I invest consistently and I have built simple systems that make it easy. The biggest change has been becoming intentional. I stopped avoiding my finances, took action and became much more aware of my money habits. The confidence followed naturally, and today I feel empowered to make my own financial decisions.

If anyone thinks it is too late to get better with money, it is never too late to start. It is only too late if you never start.

What was your first job? (And how much did you get paid?)

My first job was at Maccas when I was 14, earning around $5 to $7 an hour. At the time it felt amazing to earn my own money. My favourite perk was getting half-price Oreo McFlurries on staff discount, and having my friends visit me on weekends. Yes, they probably got a few extra fries too.

How did you first come across investing?

My now husband, then boyfriend, introduced me to the concept of investing at the beginning of COVID. It was also around this time I realised I needed to get my finances in order before I even thought about investing.

One day I decided to audit my own finances and figure out exactly where my money was going. That sparked an obsession with learning about personal finance: budgeting, saving, investing, superannuation and financial independence.

Eventually I started my own Instagram page to document my journey and keep myself accountable. I also wanted to connect with other people on a similar path, and honestly it ended up being one of the best decisions I have ever made.

Was there a memorable early investment?

One of my first ever investments was buying $2,000 worth of ZIP shares during the pandemic. The stock was very volatile and I ended up selling just over a year later for around a 50% gain.

Looking back, I had no idea what I was doing. I bought it because everyone else was talking about it and it was the hype stock at the time. It taught me that chasing what everyone else is buying, without understanding what you actually own, is a recipe for stress. That lesson pushed me toward a more disciplined, long-term approach and I have not looked back.

How are you currently investing and can you provide a breakdown of your portfolio?

I invest fortnightly when I get paid + ad-hoc with some side hustle income. My strategy is dollar-cost average into my investments regardless of market conditions. My investments have some overlap, but each serves a different purpose, whether its a core or thematic.

Where do you see investing taking you?

For me, investing is about creating freedom. I would love work to become optional one day and have more control over how I spend my time, whether that is travelling more, giving back to my family, spending more time with loved ones, creating content full time or even becoming a barista.

Investing is not just about growing wealth for me. It is about creating more choices. The ability to decide how I spend my time is what excites me most.

What is one super extravagant and outlandish purchase that you hope investing will be able to buy you in the future?

This is tough because I have a few! The first would be flying first class to Europe with my husband for an unforgettable Euro summer. Second, buying a small commercial property outright and opening my own Asian fusion café serving the food and drinks I grew up with, completely debt-free and rent-free. No mortgage, no landlord, just good food and good coffee.

If you only had 25 words to convince someone to invest, what would you say?

Investing feels scary at first, but it gets easier once you start. Every experienced investor was once a beginner. Start with what you can afford.

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We want to hear your ‘How I Got Started’ stories. Respond to this email if you would like to be featured and we’ll get in touch!

Tomorrow Amy joins Jess on the latest episode of How I Got Started. Amy unpacks how six years ago she was living pay slip to pay slip, now she’s built up a $400k investment portfolio and owns an investment property. Find out how in tomorrow’s episode of Get Started Investing. (Spotify | Apple | YouTube)

& Legendary fund manager Bill Ackman is joining FinFest 2026. Are you?

Yep, you read that right. Founder of Pershing Square Capital Bill Ackman will sit down with Bryce and Ren for an exclusive pre-recorded conversation to be aired at FinFest 2026.

If you want to hear Bill unpack all things markets, investing and the opportunties he’s seeing in the world, then this is your chance to see it.

Who knows Ren may even Boost Bill’s Budget while they’re at it.

Get paid to shop (yes, really)

If you're spending money online anyway, you might as well earn some back.

ShopBack is a free app that gives you real Cashback on everyday purchases...Groceries, fashion, travel, electronics at hundreds of stores.

The best part? It's not points or credit. You can transfer your Cashback straight to your bank account and put it to work: top up your brokerage, add to your emergency fund, or just spend it however you like.

Download ShopBack for free and use code GETSTARTED20 to get a $20 bonus once you've earned your first $10.

The Super beneficiary detail most Australians miss

Amy has spent six years building a disciplined investing approach through budgeting, ETFs and superannuation in high growth. But there is one part of superannuation that even the most engaged investors tend to overlook completely. Jess recently sat down with Jen, Head of Technical Services at MLC to unpack what it is. (Spotify | Apple | YouTube)

Who gets your superannuation if something happens to you?

Most people assume their will covers it, but Jen, Head of Technical Services at MLC told Jess otherwise.

Jen: Your super fund is not legally bound to follow your will. They can make their own determination about who your dependents are and pay it accordingly, regardless of what you have written down. You could have a will that says one thing. The super fund is not bound by it.

There are a few things worth knowing. First, you can only nominate eligible beneficiaries. This is broadly, your spouse, children, or someone financially dependent on you. You cannot nominate a sibling, even if that is who you would want to receive it. Second, if you do not nominate anyone at all, the fund decides. They will look at who was financially dependent on you and make a call. Third, your nomination needs to be kept up to date. Getting married, having kids, separating, all of these change who you would want to receive your super, and the fund will not automatically update it for you.

The fix is to log into your super account, find the beneficiary nomination section and fill it in. Most funds let you do it online in a few minutes.