Ruby, 30, is a team leader in the logistics section at Ability Works. While she has been successfully managing her rent and daily expenses, she has relied on her parents to handle her bills due to difficulties in reading them.
However, after participating in the Financial Wellbeing Program, she is now working towards financial independence.
“I live in a small one-bedroom apartment by myself. I am working on living independently. I pay my rent and stuff, and then my parents pay the bills, and I transfer the money to them because I don’t know how to read bills,” she says.
After attending the program, Ruby has started applying what she learned in practical ways.
“Well, I’m going to try and pay my own bills. I mean, I pay them anyway but actually reading them and paying them directly instead of paying my parents back—taking control,” she says.
“And I’ve been practicing how to read my pay slips and stuff.”
While she acknowledges there is still room to improve, especially with budgeting, she feels more empowered.
“I do need to work on budgeting, I know that. It’s not that I don’t understand money. It’s just that stuff’s expensive,” she said.
“I have definitely broadened my understanding of certain things.”
Beyond just reading bills and payslips, the program also helped Ruby recognise financial risks such as scams.
She encouraged others to participate in the program if they had the chance.
“Do this course to better understand your finances and gain more understanding of mandatory financial things like bills, superannuation and taxes. You get life skills around finances to make you more confident,” she said.
“Empowering yourself to understand finances also means you can’t be taken for a ride. We talked a bit about scams and how to recognise what’s false and what’s real. You don’t want to get caught in that situation.”
With continued practice and the knowledge she’s gained, Ruby is on her way to full financial independence, gaining the confidence to manage her own finances and make informed decisions about her future.