Bob* experienced health issues in 2019 which prevented him from working. The healing process took a while and he found that, without a wage coming in, he struggled to make ends meet – he ended up having to use his credit card to pay for food and everyday needs. It wasn’t long before debt built up and got out of control.
Then, just as Bob was well enough to start working again, Covid hit, and he was unable to return to his previous job.
This kind of chain of events could happen to almost any of us, and left Bob in a deep financial hole.
Bob worked hard to climb out of debt. Each week paying as much as he could afford – but that was only enough to cover the interest and so, over two hard years, he found he had made no headway.
Thankfully Bob reached out for help and Jo from Visionwest’s Money Mentors team met with him. She helped Bob apply to Ngā Tangata for an interest free loan. The loan was approved, and the credit card debt was paid off. Bob will now repay the loan over two years interest-free, and can finally see light at the end of the tunnel.
Bob recently wrote a note of thanks to his financial mentor:
“Your kind and non-judgmental approach to my circumstances was pivotal in helping me gain more control over my financial situation. You’ve mentored me through a very difficult time and helped me not to give up on gaining the ability to feel more financially responsible and supported.
Before coming to you, I was feeling totally chaotic and out of control in my finances. Your support has helped me to remain calm where otherwise I would have spiraled into stressful and possibly bad decisions.”
* Meeting the needs of people who come to Visionwest for help with compassion, dignity, and manaakitanga is our top priority so, while the stories we share with you are real, we’ve sometimes changed names and used stock photography to protect privacy. We understand it is a great privilege when someone shares the story of their personal journey with us, so we always seek their permission before sharing their story with others