How I Saved $10,000 in 4 Months as a FIFO in Australia
Let me tell you something about FIFO life that nobody really talks about - having a big salary doesn't automatically mean you'll have big savings.
Part 1: The Reality of FIFO Money
I was making great money doing 2/1 swings in the Pilbara.
The kind of money my mates back in Perth could only dream about.
But every time I flew home, it was like my bank account had a leak I couldn't fix.
You know how it goes.
Two weeks of hard work in 40-degree heat, living in a donga, missing family events and your own bed.
Then you fly home, and what do you do? You spend. Because you "deserve it."
Because you "worked hard for it." Because you're trying to make up for lost time.
Part 2: The Wake-Up Call
The fancy dinners in Crown.
The new jet ski because "life's short."
The rounds at the pub for everyone because you're feeling generous.
The online shopping during night shifts because what else is there to do?
I was earning over $140,000 a year, but I had nothing to show for it. Zero savings.
Just a bunch of toys gathering dust while I was back on site.
The wake-up call?
When my sister asked me to be godfather to her newborn, and I realized I couldn't even afford a decent gift.
Here I was, supposedly "making bank," but I couldn't even buy a proper present for my niece.
Part 3: The Solution
That's when I discovered the kousely Piggy Bank.
Yeah, I know what you're thinking - a physical piggy bank?
For a grown man? But hear me out.
This wasn't just any piggy bank.
It had a numbered grid system that made saving feel like completing a mission.
Every time I came home from a swing, instead of heading straight to the pub, I'd first mark off another section of savings.
Here's what I did:
- $1,000 from each swing went straight into the bank (non-negotiable)
- All overtime pay went in (I was on site anyway)
- Every time I wanted to buy something over $100, I'd wait until my next swing to decide if I still wanted it
- Started meal prepping instead of ordering takeaway on site
- Cut my "coming home celebration" budget in half.
Part 4: The Results
Four months later, I had $10,000 saved.
For the first time in my FIFO career, I had actual savings.
Not just money waiting to be spent, but real savings.
The best part?
I didn't feel like I was missing out. Sure, I still went out with mates, still enjoyed my time off.
But now I had something to show for all those long hours and missed family events.
That $10,000?
It's now grown into a proper house deposit.
All because I finally found a way to make saving feel as real as the work I was doing to earn it.
To my fellow FIFO workers: We work too hard to have nothing to show for it.
Our jobs aren't easy. The mental toll, the physical demands, the time away from loved ones - it all adds up.
But so can your savings, if you give them the chance.
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