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Back to News & ArticlesYour money reset checklist
The university year has a habit of getting busy quickly.
Placements start. Group assignments appear out of nowhere. Your timetable somehow finishes late three days in a row. Suddenly you’re buying coffee between every class just to get through the week.
For nursing and teaching students especially, this part of the year can feel like a constant balance between study, placements, casual work and everyday life all happening at once.
This isn’t about creating the perfect budget or getting every financial decision right. It’s simply a chance to reset a few habits and make the second half of semester feel a little more manageable.
If you're studying, working casual shifts or just starting your career, your income probably isn't the same every fortnight.
One payday feels comfortable.
The next disappears on rent, groceries, fuel, your phone bill and everything else life throws at you.
For nursing and teaching students, placements can also mean fewer paid shifts just as expenses are increasing. Even if you've started your career, the rising cost of living means many Australians are finding it harder to put money aside than they expected.
If you've ever thought, "I'll save when I'm earning more," you're not alone.
The reality is, there's rarely a perfect time to start.
That's why building a simple habit now can make a bigger difference than waiting for life to become less expensive.
77% of Gen Z Australians planned to set a financial goal for 2025, but 89% expected to face challenges achieving their financial goals.
Source: ASIC Moneysmart research, January 2025.
Renters are more likely to experience financial stress than homeowners, with essential expenses taking up a larger share of their disposable income and typically smaller savings buffers.
Source: Reserve Bank of Australia, Financial Stability Review, April 2025.
One of the biggest mistakes people make is trying to save too much, too soon.
Instead of asking yourself:
"How much should I save?"
Try asking:
"What's an amount I could comfortably save every payday?"
Maybe that's:
$20 every payday
Part of an extra weekend shift
Whatever is left in your account before your next payday
It might not seem like much.
But saving isn't about making one big deposit.
It's about building a habit you can repeat over and over again.
What we've learnt
After supporting teachers and nurses for more than 50 years, we've seen that the people who save consistently rarely have perfect budgets.
They simply make saving part of their routine.
Give your savings a purpose
It's much easier to save when your money has somewhere to go.
For you, that might be:
Placement costs
An emergency fund
Your first overseas trip
Moving out of home
A first car
A house deposit
Instead of calling your account "Savings", give it a name that reminds you why you're doing it.
"Japan 2027."
"First Home."
"For the next rainy day."
When your goal feels real, it's much easier to stay motivated.
Here's a simple trick
Instead of calling your account "Savings", give it a name that reminds you why you're doing it.
"Japan 2027."
"First Home."
"For the next rainy day."
When your goal feels real, it's much easier to stay motivated.
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