At 27, this week’s Money Diarist has two STEM degrees, earns $140,000 a year, has $90,000 in super and owns a townhouse two kilometres from the beach. And no, there wasn’t a giant cheque from Mum and Dad hiding somewhere in the background. After becoming financially independent young and spending her uni years juggling study and work, she and her partner made buying a home one of their first big goals after graduating. They used the First Home Super Saver Scheme and First Home Guarantee to buy a $650,000 townhouse with a $40,000 deposit in 2024. Two years later, it’s estimated to be worth around $810,000, their mortgage is down to $575,000 and their extra repayments have already shaved four years off the life of their loan. We talk about exactly how she used the First Home Super Saver Scheme, why they still have a housemate despite earning good money, her $30,000 HECS debt, salary sacrificing into super and the very cute joint account that basically tells her and her partner when they’re overdue for a date night. Because earning more is great. But building systems that mean the money actually goes somewhere? Even better.