"It's not too late to have aspirations for retirement"

Last updated: 21 July 2026

Retirement was not a priority for Kelly for many years. 

As a single mum raising children and running her own business, Kelly's focus was on getting through each day and supporting her family.

"I'm a driving instructor. I own my own driving school and have been doing that for the last 16 years. It's kept a roof over our heads and kept my kids fed," Kelly said.

Prefer to watch? View Kelly's story here.  

 

Looking back, she says retirement planning often took a back seat to more immediate priorities.

"Most of my life I was a single mum, so had to do it all financially on my own," she said.

"My main aim was to look after the children, not so much looking to myself and my future. It was more just a day by day making sure we get through life."

Like many people, her life did not unfold the way she expected.

"I think there's a lot of people in the same situation as me. I didn't plan to get married and divorce, but it's where we ended up," she said.

Now, Kelly is looking ahead and planning for the next stage of her life.

"As far as retirement, I want to finish in the next 10 years," she said. "MoneySmart is going to help me get to that."

"What I love about MoneySmart is that it's a free tool for anyone to use to plan their future. It's got all the boxes. It tells you where to input income, what you've got saved so far, how to plan your future, how to plan your super. You can just go on there, input all your details, and it's private and confidential," she said."

One feature in particular stood out to her.

"My favourite part of the tool is the budgeting so that I can get myself on a set budget, hopefully putting more money away into my super," she said.

Kelly values being able to access information at a time that suits her.

"It's something that I can access after hours," she said. "I work long hours. I can't take time off. So, I can get onto it outside normal working hours."

Today, Kelly hopes her experience encourages others who may feel they have left retirement planning too late.

"It is never too late to plan for your future," she said.

 

The customer stories on this website are provided for illustrative and educational purposes only, they are general information. You should seek advice from a suitably qualified professional regarding your own circumstances.