Client Stories: Before & After Fiscal Fitness

Stories from clients who have transformed their money mindset through financial coaching.

At Fiscal Fitness, we help individuals, couples and business owners feel empowered to take control of their finances. We have seen hundreds of clients over the years go from feeling overwhelmed, frustrated and even ashamed of their financial situation to feeling hopeful and excited about what the future holds. Here are a few of their stories.

Kristen and Dan went from $40,000 in credit card debt to paying for seven family vacations fully in cash after working with Fiscal Fitness.

Nicole and Jason were overspending by $1,000-2,000 every month before they began working with Fiscal Fitness.

Nicole was in debt, had no savings and was working on paying off tax debts for her business when she turned to Fiscal Fitness.

Read their stories below.

Kristen & Dan

“We had gone through a rough time finically and thought we would bounce back quickly.”

  • Live in Annapolis, MD

  • Married 7 years

  • Have two kids, ages 3 and 5

  • Began working with FFP in January 2018

Kristen & Dan’s Wins Since Working with FFP

$0
increase in overall net worth
$0
in credit card debt PAID OFF
$0
in unexpected house repairs paid from savings
0
family vacations fully paid for with cash

How would you describe your financial situation before working with FFP?

Before working with Jill, we had gone through a rough time finically and thought we would bounce back quickly. So we did what everyone else does and used credit cards to hold us over until we were in a better financial situation.  We accumulated A LOT of credit card debt and once our income stabilized, we weren’t able to put the dent in the debt we had hoped… in fact, it kept growing because using credit cards had become a way of life. It felt like no matter how much money we made we could never chip away at the credit card debt.

Why did you decide to work with FFP?

Our financial situation was causing so much stress.  It was a major negative in our life. We both knew it had to be fixed before we hit rock bottom. Every New Years, we try and identify something to work on and our finances were surely our weakness is 2017.  We signed up for a Eureka session with the New Year, and it has been nothing short of life changing!

How did you feel going into your first financial coaching session?

Really nervous and embarrassed… like no one else has ever dug themselves in a hole as big as ours.

How did you feel after you left it?

Empowered. Jill gave us confidence that together we could get back on the right track.

How would you describe your financial situation since working with FFP?

We are in such a better spot! My husband’s credit score has gone up 80 points, mine 30.  We are building our savings – actually had a $7k house emergency pop up this month that we are paying in cash for. There is zero stress about it.  We are so excited to begin saving for new cars, bathroom remodels, college savings, emergency fund! I would have never said that 13 months ago and here I am loving it!

What’s been your biggest mental shift?

My biggest mental shift is that I am capable of achieving any of the financial goals we set.  I know where every single dollar goes now, and I’m in control of my finances, not the other way around.

Nicole & Jason

“I knew as soon as I got the follow-up budget, that this was something I could do. I felt empowered to change our life.”

  • Live in Robinson, IL

  • Nicole has owned her own business since 2017

  • Has a four-year-old

  • Attended a Eureka session with FFP

Nicole and Jason’s Wins Since Working with FFP

$0
saved over 8 months
0
car loan paid off
$0
of credit card debt paid off in six months
0
number of times their checking account has been overdrawn

How would you describe your financial situation before working with FFP?

Prior to working with Fiscal Fitness, we had maxed out one credit card at $25,000 while I was building a business. We had two vehicle debts, our house, my student loans, and we had just paid off my husband’s student loans the past year. We were wanting to embark on adopting our second child, but we had no savings and were flying through our money even though we both had great jobs. I had tried to create budgets multiple times, but they always fell apart or did not fit the lifestyle we wanted. The hardest thing was knowing there was no way we could afford another adoption, and even if we could take out another loan, there was no way we could afford the expense of raising a child without a disaster coming.

Why did you decide to work with FFP?

Honestly, regret and frustration. I loved my business so much, but I started to resent it because I knew it had gotten us into debt, and I felt as the person heading the finances and the leader of my business that I had led my family and husband astray. I felt exacerbated and had panic attacks and got in fights every time I saw a stack of mail on the table.

How did you feel going into your first financial coaching session?

Overwhelmed at the beginning. I had done the homework really thoroughly and went back over a year of bank and credit card statements, trying to get a handle on how we spent our money. When I did the calculations and put it in the spread sheet, I was appalled to see we were overspending by $1-2K every single month. I was embarrassed and had no clue how we had gotten here and even less clue how to get out.
On the call, I was floored. Jill shared things and ideas I knew nothing about. She talked to me about how and why to put my student loans in deferral for 6 months just to get back on track. She made me feel at ease. She made it seem like it was not only possible but that it would be fun.

How did you feel after you left it?

Determined. I knew as soon as I got the follow up budget, that this was something I could do. I knew that every 2 weeks I could sit down pay bills, look at our finances, and do it with peace not anxiety. I felt empowered to change our life.

How would you describe your financial situation since working with FFP?

The biggest mental shift is I never check our accounts waiting for a check to come in, and I always know when I get an unexpected bill that most of it is covered with our set savings accounts. It is such a relief. Our furnace died this year. It was $700 and we had $650 in a savings account just for home repairs, so it was $50 unexpected instead of $650 which is way different management style.

If we stay on our current budget, we will achieve our goal of being debt free (except our home) by June 2022 and I can see that perfectly laid out on the spread sheets!!!

Nicole P.

“I was so stressed around money, and I knew I needed help to get me out of the hole I put myself in.  I was embarrassed that I was even in this situation, and knew if I didn’t get help it was only going to get worse.”

  • Lives in Phoenix, AZ

  • Has owned her own business since 2013

  • Started working with FFP in 2015

Nicole’s Wins Since Working with FFP

$0
in business emergency savings
0
purchased new car paid for in cash
$0
of credit card debt and tax liabilities paid off in one year
$0
worth of student loans paid off in 3 months

How would you describe your financial situation before working with FFP?

Before working with Kelsa, I had a lot of credit card debt. I was working on paying it off with a debt settlement company.  Plus, I had additional credit card debt and an IRS tax liability because of my business that I needed to pay off.  I had no savings, and I was living paycheck-to-paycheck even though I knew I shouldn’t be.  I had no budget for my business either, which is crazy! I had no structure at all.

Why did you decide to work with FFP?

I was so stressed around money, and I knew I needed help to get me out of the hole I put myself in.  I was embarrassed that I was even in this situation, and I knew if I didn’t get help, it was only going to get worse.

How did you feel going into your first financial coaching session?

I was nervous that I was going to be judged for the situation I was in.  I was also nervous that it was going to take years to undo what I had done, and I didn’t want to face this reality.

How did you feel after you left it?

l felt hopeful for my future.  My boyfriend was sure that Kelsa was going to make me take every penny and put it towards debt.  However, Kelsa’s approach was more of a balance between paying off debt and spending money on things I enjoyed.  It was MY choice to eliminate a lot of the extras I knew I didn’t need because paying off debt was way more important to me at that point.

How would you describe your financial situation since working with FFP?

My financial situation is now stable/consistent because I have a plan (or a budget).   I look at spending money differently, and I go through a process before I commit to buying something.  It also helps for my business.

The first step to changing your relationship with money is knowing that it can be better. We want you to feel just as confident and hopeful about your money as these clients.

It starts with a Eureka session.

Ready to change your financial future? Schedule a Eureka session today.