Investment expert lists her simple rules for overhauling your bank account and building wealth: ‘You don’t have to be rich to do this’
For many Australians, building wealth can feel like an impossible goal.
With the cost of living continuing to climb, mortgage repayments biting harder than ever and everyday expenses stretching household budgets, finding money to invest often feels like a luxury rather than a realistic option.
But according to Kiwi entrepreneur and investment strategist Natalie Williams, that’s exactly the mindset holding many people back.
The 40-year-old founder of Wealth Creators, who works with everyone from first-time investors to celebrities and high-net-worth clients, believes financial freedom isn’t reserved for those earning six-figure salaries.
Instead, she said it’s built through small, consistent habits repeated over time, regardless of where you’re starting.
Having rebuilt her own career after losing the business she spent years building during the COVID-19 pandemic, Natalie believes almost anyone can improve their financial future with the right mindset and a willingness to start.
Speaking to Daily Mail, she shared the practical tips and advice she believes can help everyday Australians build wealth, even during the most challenging economic times.
According to entrepreneur and investment strategist Natalie Williams (left) believes financial freedom isn’t reserved for those earning six-figure salaries. Instead, it’s built through small, consistent habits repeated over time, regardless of where you’re starting
Change how you think about money
Before talking about budgets or investing, Natalie suggested that people need to change the way they think about money.
‘It’s a mental game and you are your greatest investment,’ she said.
After losing her father to cancer at 21 and later rebuilding her career from scratch, she realised the one asset no one can ever take away is the knowledge, resilience and skills you invest in yourself.
She credits much of her outlook to becoming a Tony Robbins-trained mindset coach, saying investing in herself and her education gave her the tools she needed to succeed in both business and life.
‘The only thing holding you back is the story you keep telling yourself,’ she said.
After rebuilding her career from scratch, Natalie says investing in herself and her education gave her the mindset, skills and resilience needed to succeed in business. ‘The only thing holding you back is the story you keep telling yourself’
Social media is a lie
Social media has created enormous pressure to look successful, but Natalie stresses chasing someone else’s lifestyle is one of the fastest ways to derail your finances.
‘Don’t compare your chapter one to someone’s chapter 10,’ she said.
Instead of measuring success by luxury holidays, designer handbags or expensive cars, she encourages people to focus on building their own financial future.
Natalie admitted she didn’t buy her first Gucci handbag until after she’d built a seven-figure business, saying rewards should come only after the hard work has been done.
She also recommends avoiding unnecessary debt wherever possible by delaying ‘instant gratification’, resisting impulse purchases and, where practical, ‘cutting up your credit cards and paying off all your debt’ to help lay the foundations for long-term wealth.
According to her, becoming financially successful requires making short-term sacrifices that many people are reluctant to make, and it starts with taking a hard look at some of your biggest expenses.
That could mean driving an older car for longer, relying more on public transport or walking where possible, cooking meals at home instead of regularly ordering takeaway, and cutting back on impulse spending.
‘You’ve got to think of yourself like an elite athlete,’ she said.
‘Track your sleep, track your macros and track your money.’
She likened budgeting to following a healthy eating plan, arguing that just as people monitor what they eat to improve their health, they should also pay close attention to where every single dollar is going.
Natalie says chasing someone else’s lifestyle can quickly derail your finances, recommending Australians focus on living within their means, paying off debt and making smarter long-term financial decisions like investing in stocks and shares. (Stock photo)
The one question that will change everything
One habit Natalie said has transformed the way she approaches saving is asking herself one question before every single purchase she makes.
‘Where is the return on investment (ROI) for this?’
She doesn’t just apply that to investing, but instead incorporates it into every part of her life, which every Australian can do too.
‘Where is the return on investment in every area of your life? That’s wealth creation, in business, in health and in relationships,’ she said.
Whether it’s spending $100 on dinner out, signing up for another subscription, buying that ‘treat’ coffee daily, booking an unnecessary uber, or making a major purchase, Natalie believes becoming more intentional with money can have a significant impact over time.
‘You’ve got to cut out the noise, you’ve got to get in your lane and you’ve got to grind,’ she said.
‘Sacrifice is all part of that. But in one year you can completely transform your life.’
Rather than making impulse purchases, Natalie encourages Australians to ask whether every dollar is helping them move closer to their long-term goals. She recommends tracking every single purchase in a spreadsheet to budget, and investing as little as $50 per month using platforms such as Sharesies or Raiz which compound over time
Stop focusing so much on saving. It’s time to earn
While budgeting remains top of the list, Natalie said there’s only so much people can cut before they need to shift their attention to increasing their income and start to see real results.
That could mean negotiating a pay rise, changing careers instead of sitting ‘stagnant’ in a job for too long, freelancing after work, selling all unused items in your home or turning an existing skill into a side hustle.
She also encouraged people to embrace technology, saying AI tools such as ChatGPT and Claude can help people brainstorm business ideas, considerably improve productivity and automate everyday tasks to save themselves time and money.
‘We’ve never had such access to technology and ways to make money, and there’s so much free education online now.’
Join the discussion
What¿s the biggest financial sacrifice you¿ve made to build wealth, and was it truly worth it?
Invest now, there’s nothing stopping you
One of the biggest misconceptions she hears is that investing only becomes worthwhile once you’ve saved a substantial amount of money.
Instead, she said consistency matters far more than the amount you start with.
‘You can start with as little as $50 a week or $50 a month to suit your budget – but just start,’ she urged.
For complete beginners, she recommended using investment platforms such as Sharesies or Raiz, which allow users to begin building a portfolio by purchasing fractional shares in Australian and international companies without needing thousands of dollars upfront.
She also suggests automating investments so the money leaves your account before you’re tempted to spend it elsewhere, helping to build healthy financial habits while your portfolio grows gradually over time.
And, although she specialises in international property investment through her own business, she believes the most important step is getting started with an investment strategy that suits your own financial circumstances and long-term goals.
While budgeting remains top of the list, Natalie said increasing income will start to see real results. Whether that’s negotiating a pay rise, changing careers instead of sitting ‘stagnant’ in a job, freelancing after work, selling all unused items in your home or turning an existing skill into a side hustle to boost your savings
Consider building a long-term strategy with a pro
For Aussie’s worried they’ve left it too late to build wealth, Natalie stresses that it’s ‘never to late to start.’
Rather than dwelling on past financial mistakes, she instead encourages her clients to focus on the decisions they can make today.
‘My passion has always been helping people unlock their potential because wealth isn’t really about money. It’s about freedom,’ she said.
‘It’s about being the architect of your life and living it on your own terms.’
By accumulating hundreds of small, consistent choices, the everyday Australian can completely transform their financial future over time.
When asked what she’d do if she had $1000 to play with, Natalie didn’t hesitate in her answer.
‘I think I’d spend that on a strategy session with a [finance] coach, because I know that when we do a strategy sessions, you come out with a great roadmap.’
