Our Journey to Financial Freedom!

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Our debt story began when we financed our first car together for $30,000 (2019); we gave a "good" down payment with a low interest rate; we felt like we had received a "good" deal.  Then we decided to rely on a credit card with a monthly average spending of $3,750 because we believed we were winning with points,  a lifestyle, and a "good" credit score. Then we obtained another car loan for $20,000 (2022) with a low interest rate and gave a "good" down payment. We justified these actions because we always paid our bills on time, never paid interest on a credit card, "only” paid interest on two car loans, had low car payments, and a savings account for those “just in case” situations.  

Still, I reached a point where I felt uneasy and lost in our finances. We didn’t have open and honest financial communication in our marriage, involving our money mindset, financial goals, personal debts, and spending habits. As a wife, I felt uneasy, confused, and anxious. We had taken on roles; I managed the finances, and he brought in the income. I felt this responsibility to manage it right, and he had the pressure and responsibility of making enough. Still, I needed help making those difficult and stressful decisions. He needed me to stop stressing and know we were “fine”. We had no communication, short-term or long-term goals, direction, or principles to stand on. We didn’t know how to communicate effectively and intentionally. The problem was that neither of us knew how to do it or what that looked like.  I wanted to gain a deeper insight and understanding of our relationship with money and our finances.

 I decided to become a financial coach.  As a couple, we took the Financial Peace University course. We began to do the work, which wasn't always easy, but our desire and need to become debt-free and stay debt-free became more intentional. 

 We had to dig deep into our habits and patterns and learn to communicate effectively and intentionally.  We began by communicating in our weekly meetings, then moved to monthly meetings, using outside resources, and created an action plan, which helped us remain consistent and focused. Now, we are completely debt-free,  which means we comfortably and solely depend on our monthly income by budgeting and paying off monthly expenses (no more credit cards). Being debt-free gave us the ability to allocate funds to ensure our future goals by investing in retirement, saving for a home, and a college fund.  The best part is that our communication has strengthened our marriage and our relationship with money.

I’m currently starting my business as a financial coach. I hope to reach many marriages, families, and individuals, guiding them to financial freedom and the benefits of obtaining wealth and security by understanding their finances.