Success Story: Less Stress & More Money

Debbie entered the MSA Financial Wellness program with high financial stress.  She began working with Patrick, a Money Coach and Certified Credit Counselor.  Coach Patrick gave her ideas on how she might improve her situation.  Here are some examples:

Tip #1:  Don’t just follow your budget, assess it.

Assessing your lifestyle and how it aligns with your spending plan is a key part of maintaining financial control.  Think about it.  A new school year, a new family member, a new home… as life changes, so does your budget.

Ask yourself, does my spending plan still work for me?  Am I still getting the best deal on my data plan?  Am I buying more food than I originally planned for?  Are there big events this year – like a special anniversary or graduation – that I need to save up for?

For Debbie, reviewing her budget made all the difference:  “We went through my budget and discussed spending and monthly expenses.  I tracked all spending and categorized it.  I took that information and learned where I could cut back.  I reduced the amount I had budgeted for groceries, from $600 per month to $350 per month.  We are now living with a balanced budget, and I look for ways to save all the time.”

Taking the time to assess the situation led to Debbie cutting expenses and saving $250 a month!

Tip #2:  Stick with it because improving your finances can become routine.

When you put time and energy into learning best practices for your money, those practices can eventually become habits.  And you don’t have to go it alone.  Your Money Coach can be there every step of the way to offer accountability as you work towards better finances.

With Coach Patrick’s help, learning and maintaining great financial practices became easy for Debbie and her husband:  “It was great working with Patrick.  Patrick’s thoughts and suggestions really came in handy.  At first it was a lot of work, but now it has just become so routine to look at our financial situation and figure out where we could cut back or save.  No more sleepless nights worrying about bills.  I can’t wait to check our credit reports each year to see how they improve.”

Implementing good habits not only improved Debbie’s finances, it improved her health – reducing her stress and helping her sleep better.

Tip #3:  Don’t underestimate the support of your Money Coach.

Your MSA Money Coach can be a fabulous resource.  Coaches can talk about virtually any financial topic, and they can help you create a road map towards financial success that’s tailored to your lifestyle and priorities.

Here’s what Debbie had to say about her experience:  “It was great working with Patrick.  He has a great amount of knowledge and is very helpful with his tips and information.  He always made you feel like you can get it figured out and get to a better place.  You also felt like you mattered, and he was there to help at any time you needed.”

After two short months, Debbie increased her level of financial wellness and decreased her financial stress.  When she retook the financial wellness survey, her success was reflected in her score.  She got a 5.63 out of 10.  That’s a 350% increase from her previous score of 1.25!

Looking for ways to save money, fix your budget, boost your credit score, and eliminate debt?  Your Money Coach can help with all that and more!  Call 888-724-2326 to get started.