AFTER surviving homelessness, domestic violence, financial difficulties and facing life as a single mum, Kylie Ofiu has turned her life around and is now helping others in a similar situation.

“I left my husband last year – and I had to move out of the family home with my two daughters, with nowhere to go,” she says. “Wherever I went he would find me. It was a scary time.”

Kylie eventually moved from Sydney to Canberra to start over, and her relationship with her ex-husband is now amicable, she says.

“My family is here in Canberra so it was the logical choice for me, and I was raised to be pretty resourceful,” she says.

“Money was always openly discussed in our home and I think it’s definitely helped me get things back on track.”

Kylie is hosting a fundraiser called FinFashFun – finance, fashion, fun – on November 23 to bring women together for afternoon tea, fashion advice and a financial chat.

A percentage of funds raised will go to St Vinnie’s Blue Door drop-in centre in Ainslie Village, where Kylie volunteers.

“I didn’t use Blue Door myself but they have helped many people I know and I love volunteering there,” she says.

An all-round resourceful lady, Kylie has a blog, kylieofiu.com, with ideas on how to make and save money, and has written a book called “365 Ways to Make Money”. She’s working on a book about people who were once homeless and have gone on to be successful.

Kylie says she has a talent for helping people with their finances, and she wants to share her tips with other women at the event.

“I’m not a financial adviser, but I’ve worked out some tried and tested ways to improve my own financial situation, including selling things, getting paid to watch ads and working from home,” she says.

“I’m happy for people to ask me any questions they like – I’m pretty open.”

FinFashFun will include afternoon tea, goodie bags, prizes, fashion advice from local stylist Jac Lambert, a burlesque lesson and the chance to hang out with like-minded women, says Kylie.

FinFashFun, The Terrace Room, Exhibition Park, 1pm-4pm, on November 23. Tickets cost $40 and bookings to eventbrite.com.au/event/8828057959