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Client Stories

Andi's Story

Client Stories

Andi's Story

Why did you come to the Financial Empowerment Center?

My partner and I came to the FEC because we were struggling with our debt and didn't know how to approach tackling it. We had been under the impression that we would need to declare bankruptcy and were prepared to hear that we didn't have any options, and that our credit would get even worse. During our first FEC appointment we were assured that we wouldn't need to file for bankruptcy, and that we had been previously misinformed about how to manage our debt. We had really bad credit when we first started at the FEC, and it was impacting our ability to achieve our goals and build a more stable life. Essentially, we came to the FEC because we were entirely overwhelmed by our financial situation and urgently needed help to start sorting through all of it.

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(L-R) Andi Bianchi, Dylan Hoy- Bianchi

What financial achievements have you made since coming to the FEC?

Since coming to the FEC our credit has begun improving, to our immense relief. Paying off the COVID relief loan, and credit-building loans offered by the FEC have helped us survive this time in our life where we struggle to cover rent, bills, food etc., while also building up our credit. We have paid off several delinquent accounts and have created strategies for paying off the accounts that remain. Previously we didn't know where to start or how to approach things - through the FEC we've been able to prioritize which accounts to start with, the best strategy for paying them off outright or arriving at a settlement, as well as ways to contest items on our credit reports. We have also been able to begin more carefully tracking our budget so that we can work towards meeting our long-term goals. Additionally, we were able to secure a credit card to use for rebuilding our credit.

Why and how has the FEC made a difference in your financial future and overall life? What has working with a Financial Coach done to help you, your family, etc.? What would you say to a friend or family member who was curious about how the FEC could help them?

As stated above, working with the FEC has helped to stabilize our financial situation and work towards improving our credit. We have discussed with our financial coach the necessity of us moving to a safer living situation, something that is contingent on being able to afford the move and on having a credit score that will allow us to be approved at a new complex. Although we have not arrived at this goal yet, working with the FEC has given us hope because we have seen our credit score going up gradually over time, and no longer feel like we will be stuck at our current complex for years to come. Overall, we feel like our goals are no longer out of reach, and have tangible next steps to continue making progress.

One of the main reasons that we have continued to work with the FEC is that we have never felt judged or shamed about our financial situation. We have encountered that judgment and shame many, many times throughout the years, and were expecting to experience a version of it with the FEC. To our surprise, we instead experienced compassion and understanding. Even more surprising to us, we weren't told to stop spending money on self-care or things that make us happy. We were treated like people who deserve comfort and joy, despite our struggles with credit and finances. In our experience, being treated with respect and dignity in that way is very rare. For people curious about how the FEC can help them I would say the financial coaches at the FEC genuinely want to help, they are kind and welcoming, and won't cast judgement on your situation. The service is free, and in our experience, staff will help you problem-solve in a way that feels both manageable and empowering. They meet you where you're at, and that's crucial to working through the process of achieving financial goals/stability.

Do you plan to continue working with your Financial Coach to achieve specific goals? What goals? How can the FEC help you achieve these goals?

Yes! We still have delinquent accounts that need to be paid off, our credit score needs to continue increasing, and we want to eventually have a savings account. To achieve these goals, we will continue meeting with our financial coach to work on our credit score and on paying off the delinquent accounts. We recently developed a comprehensive household budget and will be working with our coach to make sure we're hitting our goals and staying on track to find safer housing and stabilize our financial situation.

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