'I started an OnlyFans after my divorce. 15 months later, I own 3 properties.'

Single mum and OnlyFans creator Lucy Banks is used to being on the receiving end of other people's judgement. Growing up in a small country town in WA, Lucy left school at age 15 and took a job in a bank to pay the rent.

"I've come from absolutely nothing," Lucy told Mamamia.

"My dad passed away, and my mum moved around a lot when I was a child. I've been on my own since I was 15 and because of that I always craved stability and security."

Lucy got married at age 22 and had her two boys soon after. But when her marriage ended, she left the family home with just her kids and a few personal items in a backpack. After she received nothing in the divorce settlement, she made a promise to herself she would never allow her kids to feel the same sense of instability she did as a child.

"At first, we moved into a rental and it was very stressful. I couldn't juggle caring for my kids and working at the bank as a single mum. I quit my job and stayed home, but money was tight. At one stage, our electricity was switched off, and I remember struggling to pay for nappies.

"Around this time I reconnected with an old friend from high school who was on the OnlyFans platform making adult content. I was curious and also drawn to the flexibility that meant I could work from home around my kids' needs."

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Once Lucy established her OnlyFans profile, she quickly began making a lot of money. 

In July 2022, Lucy told Mamamia she had over 3,700 subscribers and earnings of up to $2,500 per day. In the previous financial year, she made over $400,000 worth of sales.

"I became obsessed with saving a deposit and showing the world that I could buy a house for my kids all on my own.

"Instead of going to the movies, I would organise a fun movie night at home and we put every bit of spare cash to one side. I sold my nice car and exchanged it for an old run-around worth just $2,000. Even the boys got involved offering to give me their pocket money, usually reserved for Pokemon cards!"

The strict budgeting worked and in December 2021, Lucy finally got the keys to her own home; a 1960s property in a suburb of Perth worth just under $300,000. To Lucy and her boys, it was more than just a house; it represented stability, security and independence.

"I didn't actually think it would happen until I physically had the house keys in my hand. As I walked out of the real estate office, I tried to hold it together but burst into tears. The boys would finally have rooms of their own and the house, however run down, was all ours.

"It just felt like my whole life added up to that moment. Being a single mum on OnlyFans and being from a small town; I've copped so much judgement. People telling me I'll never amount to anything. That I'm stupid. That I only do this because I'm not smart enough to do anything else. That I never should have left my husband. And I just thought: I've done it! Honestly, besides my kids being born, it was probably the best moment of my life."

As Lucy and her two boys moved into their 'renovator's dream' just before Christmas 2021, they spent that summer ripping up carpets and painting walls.

"We had nothing in the house but mattresses but we made it work! It was actually the best time because it was summer holidays so for six weeks, the three of us had family and friends come and help us work, and it was a fun bonding experience. 

"My youngest son is autistic and for him to do some demolition work and rip things out: He loved it! I'll always look back at those holidays so fondly because we did a lot ourselves, and it was never stressful. It was just fun because we could do it in our own time."

Lucy told Mamamia that while the house itself was a dream, the road to securing the finance was rocky.

"Initially, my broker applied to one of the big four banks and because I'm self employed, I had to provide two years' worth of tax returns. It was going well, and they were ready to approve the loan until they saw 'OnlyFans' on the paperwork and declined it. 

"I was angry and disappointed. My work is not illegal, and it's just the same as anybody else's internet business. I thought, how is this still a thing in 2021? Thankfully, my broker applied to another bank who only required one year's worth of financials, and they approved me."

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Ten months after moving in to their first home, Lucy settled on her second property.

"While I chipped away on our home renovations outside of work, I purchased an investment property. What began as a block of land now has walls and it has been so exciting driving past with the boys as they watch it come to life. 

"Talking to them both about investing my money has really sparked their interest and my eldest has been watching a lot of child-friendly financial content on YouTube and reading The Barefoot Investor's family book. They have been saving up birthday money and my eldest gave me $300 to invest so that once the tenants are in, he will receive a percentage of the rent each week. I love how he has really thought about how to save and grow his money at age nine!"

After just 15 months of entering the property market, Lucy's OnlyFans earnings were sky-rocketing, and she purchased her dream 'forever home' for just under $1 million.

"I began thinking about my boys growing up and wanting to keep them at home for as long as possible and I thought having a pool in the backyard and some entertaining space for myself and my future teenagers would be a great long-term investment. 

"The new house is close to family, friends and the kid's school. It's in a nice suburb and it really feels like we're moving onwards and upwards."

As her property portfolio and financial independence grows, Lucy says that she doesn't plan on stopping her OnlyFans work just yet. 

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"I think many people assume that I'll just do this until I don't have to anymore, but I actually quite enjoy it. I enjoy interacting with subscribers. I enjoy meeting up with the other OnlyFans girls. It's something that has such a bad stigma attached to it, but it's actually such a beautiful and wholesome industry, so I'm planning on doing it as long as it makes me happy. 

"Maybe that means I'll walk away next or maybe I'll still be doing this in my 60s. I don't think that my age is going to hold me back at all. I've got friends that are in their 50s making twice as much as I do. Everybody has a type right? The only thing that separates those who are successful, and those who are unsuccessful on OnlyFans is how you market yourself and how hard you work."

The fact her family and even her eldest son now knows what she does for work, has in some ways been a blessing for Lucy.

"Initially, I got a lot of judgement. I had people reporting me to child protection, the police calling my kids' schools. I think a lot of that comes from being from a small country town. However, I've been doing this for three and a half years now and you learn to let go a little. 

"My family are all really supportive. Some of them took a bit longer to come around and my mum didn't talk to me for a very long time. She's very conservative and religious. But now, everything's good and we can even laugh. 

"Someone else told my son that I worked in the adult industry and while I was upset at first, he was fantastic. I'm a strong woman and I'm not ashamed of what I do and he says that if I'm happy he's happy. He also said to me, 'mum, people do worse things for money - have you heard of a hitman?!'" 

Lucy tells Mamamia that aside from managing her OnlyFans content and being home with her kids, she plans to keep growing her property portfolio and using some of her hard earned cash for fun, too.

"I want to buy more properties and eventually have a portfolio. I hope to fund my retirement through these properties. I know many people prefer to shares and other investments but I think because I come from absolutely nothing. I don't want to be risky with my money. I feel that property is the safest way to invest. I'd be devastated if I lost anything because I've worked so hard to get to where I am.

"I've definitely saved and budgeted really hard over the last 15 months. I think I'll probably chill out a little now! The kids are in a good private school, we have a nice car and I want to keep doing what we're doing every day. I'm just so grateful as I used to dream about having one house  - and now I have three!"

Laura Jackel is Mamamia's Family Writer. For links to her articles and to see photos of her outfits and kids, follow her on Instagram and TikTok.

Feature Image: Canva / Instagram @itsnotlucybanks