Patti had to borrow $150,000 to study in Australia. Six years later, she’d paid it off
Written by ABC Audio ALL RIGHTS RESERVED on January 30, 2022
When Patti Lupari came to Australia to study, she found herself wondering how she’d ever pay off her student debt.
With help from her family, she took out a loan from a bank in Papua New Guinea to finance her tuition and expenses.
All up, it cost her $150,000.
Six years later, with the help of her graduate salary and savings from odd jobs in university, Patti finally paid the loan off.
Since then, she’s become passionate about sharing her story and helping others become better with their money.
For ABC Everyday’s Money Q&A, we sat down with Patti to hear about her journey.
What is the most difficult financial situation you’ve found yourself in?
When I first came to Australia to study, I was in a lot of debt.
We borrowed from a bank because I wasn’t able to access government assistance as an international student here.
It was the first time in my life that I understood the notion of the “weight of the world” being on my shoulders, as a person of colour from a developing nation, and as the first woman in her family to study in Australia.
How did you pay off the debt?
While I was at university, every extra dollar I earned went into paying off the loan. I was extremely frugal and lived below my means.
