“It’s not up to someone else to determine your value”

THE HOT SEAT

- Cadance Bell

Q What was your first experience managing your finances?

I sold a Ninja Turtle toy at a family garage sale for about 25 cents and my dad said, “Look, you’ve done really well, go to the corner store and buy yourself some lollies.” He gave me a $20 note, and to a five- or six-year-old, $20 was infinity. I always remember that [feeling of] grasping endless possibilities and knowing I could have any lolly that I wanted in that shop. I had no idea how much $20 was worth, so I went a little bit nuts and just bought everything that I could. It cost all of $3, but back then, in the ’90s, that was a lot of loot.

Has growing up in regional Australia informed your relationship with money?

I live in Bathurst today and I grew up in Mudgee. I think that being in rural Australia makes you a lot more selective about how you spend money. With the exception of online shopping, there is a lot less selection. I’ve just spent three weeks on the road and I spent an absolute fortune because there are just so many tempting shops in the city.

How do you decide what you will and won’t take on?

I’m in that zone right now. My memoir has just come out, my new documentary is locked, and I have 34 days to finish my next book. So, I’m selecting new projects and, honestly, it’s very tough. I tend to weigh it up between passion projects, the stories that I just have to tell that are burning inside me, and the ones that I have to take on to keep a roof above my head. I try to do a little bit of both.