When I got out of prison, I promised myself I’d never go back. My biggest problem was an old debt that I’d been unable to repay while I was inside. That’s when I got in touch with VisionWest Budgeting. I told them I wanted to honour the lender and repay this money but it was tough going.
The first thing I did, with my budgeter’s help, was to create a repayment plan. My budgeter then showed me how I could go to the person I owed money to and negotiate a payment plan that was within my ability to pay. I never even knew you could negotiate like that. Together, my budgeter and I got an interest write-off of over $1,000 and negotiated a repayment rate of $20 a week.
Now, I have a job. Thanks to what I learned through the financial literacy programme, I’m up to date with my bills and it won’t be long until I’m debt-free. Best of all, I’m able to financially support my father and brother who both had a decrease in their income due to COVID-19.
I can honestly say, my life has been transformed through the support of VisionWest Budgeting Service.
*Name changed for privacy.