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Revealing way one Aussie woman got out of $25k debt

Sammy used stripping to get out of $25,000 worth of debt, and save an extra $30,000. Source: Getty
Sammy used stripping to get out of $25,000 worth of debt, and save an extra $30,000. Source: Getty

When Sammy* was 23, she found herself in around $25,000 worth of debt.

A break up led to Sammy shouldering the costs of furniture from when she moved in with her then-partner, as well as credit card debt racked up from homewares and a car loan she admits she “paid way too much” for.

“I was really struggling,” she told Yahoo Finance.

“It kept getting worse - I couldn’t get on top of it [the debt],” she said.

Now 24, Sammy is completely debt-free, aside from $3,000 remaining on her HECS, and has even managed to save $30,000.

How did she do it?

From 8pm until 4am Friday and Saturday, Sammy works as a stripper in night clubs around the Gold Coast.

“One of my girlfriends has been in the [stripping] industry for a couple of years, and she said, ‘Why don’t you just come try it?’ and I thought I’d just give it a go.”

While initially stripping on Friday and Saturday nights was exhausting for Sammy, who works full-time in a law firm during the week, she said she’s “gotten used to it” now.

“At the beginning I just needed to make more money, so that really enabled me to push through it [the exhaustion]. I just want to put away as much as I can while I can, because obviously this isn’t going to be a forever thing,” Sammy said.

Stripping has enabled Sammy to put $500 into her savings every week - most of which she says comes from her weekend work.

“I’m really just trying to get myself ahead - I’ve smashed some goals already, but it’s worth putting myself those hours for it.”

And she’s managed to keep her side hustle separate from her nine-to-five.

“A few of the girls at work know, but my boss doesn’t,” Sammy said.

But, even if her work did find out, Sammy said it’s no different to any other side hustles.

“It’s just like a second job. That’s my weekend - I can do whatever I choose in my free time.”

And she enjoys it a lot more than she thought she would.

“It’s really fun - I’ve made so many awesome girlfriends. I mean, obviously you get some people who are a little creepy and make you feel uncomfortable, but the majority of the time it’s fine and we just have fun.”

*Name has been changed to protect privacy.

Yahoo Finance’s All Markets Summit is on the 26th of September 2019 at the Shangri-La, Sydney. Check out the full line-up of speakers and agenda for this groundbreaking event here.