Client Stories - City of Sacramento

Alisha
Why did you come to the Financial Empowerment Center? I came to the Financial Empowerment Center because I was struggling with debt that I needed to get out of. I also needed to learn how to budget my money and learn about saving money and planning for retirement. What financial achievements have you made since coming to the FEC? I have accomplished a great deal with the help of the FEC and my amazing financial coach. I have completely paid off all my credit card debt, increased my credit score, and now have a solid plan for saving for my future. I now have a great budget plan that I am using, and it helps me to stay on track and achieve my financial goals. 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? Working with the FEC has completely improved my life. I am now confident when it comes to my finances, and I feel like I have gained the knowledge to maintain my financial success in the future. I now know and understand how to stay debt free while creating a savings for myself. I no longer am stressed when it comes to money. I feel like with the help of my financial budget I have a plan. I even look forward to updating the information on my budget and sharing the knowledge that I have gained with those around me. I feel like through the help of the FEC I now have the knowledge for myself and for my children as well, so that they do not need to make the same financial mistakes that I once made. I would highly recommend FEC to help you with your financial needs. The knowledge that I have gained through this program will last a lifetime. 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, I do plan on continuing to work with my financial coach to achieve my goals. I think she is absolutely amazing, and I could not have accomplished this without her help. I am currently working on building my savings and my next goal is to start putting money aside for retirement and learn more about investing.
Cecilia
Why did you come to the Financial Empowerment Center? I wanted to get a different view of what I need to adjust to improve my credit. For the most part I've made some bad decisions and I want to get closer to eventually owning my home. What financial achievements have you made since coming to the FEC? I've reduced my debt with a credit building loan, as well as improved my credit. Finally, I have been able to have a higher yield savings account that has not been touched since I opened it. 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? I have higher hopes in my goal of becoming a homeowner. Before, I thought it would not be reachable due to a low credit score and being unable to grow a savings account for unforeseen situations. I’ve definitely referred family and friends because I know the impact that less than a year has made. 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, my financial coach is awesome, and has really helped me continue to improve my financial situation. He’s made conversations enjoyable, where before I was scared to even look at my finances. Consistency is helpful, and before I was not thinking about investing, but I believe it’s a great option to see my income grow.
Celestine
Why did you come to the Financial Empowerment Center? I was struggling with figuring out how to budget my money and prioritize my spending. What financial achievements have you made since coming to the FEC? I have reduced my debt and increased my credit score by 50 points. 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? Since coming to the FEC, I have been working towards achieving my financial goals with the help of my coach. She has been helpful, responsive, and easy to work with during my need for financial assistance due to Covid-19. By understanding my financial goals, she assisted me with creating a budget and prioritizing which creditors to pay first. This resulted in debt reduction and an increased credit score of more than 50 points over the past few months. 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. I look forward to reaching my financial goals by the end of the year and improving my financial future.
Della
Why did you come to the Financial Empowerment Center? My success story starts with the reason why I came to the Financial Empowerment Center: I came to the center to get help with cleaning my credit, which will help me prepare for purchasing a home for me and my family. What financial achievements have you made since coming to the FEC? I have written two validation letters to dispute the negative items on my credit report. I have also worked on starting a homeschool for a source of income for me during this pandemic. 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? The FEC has helped me to get my credit report, find the negative disputes, and resolve the issues. By doing this it has changed my mindset and that has truly blessed me in my overall future. Working with a Financial Coach has helped me by putting a lot of my ideas in perspective. She has encouraged me to follow my dreams and reminded me that I can do what I need to do. She has also encouraged my daughter and she has decided to get a better job and go back to school, and she is looking forward to cleaning up her credit. I would tell them that the FEC is a great way to help you build your confidence in taking care of your bad credit and that they have people there who truly care about helping you get your personal business in order. Do you plan to continue working with your Financial Coach to achieve specific goals? What goals? I do want to continue working with my Financial Coach. She is very resourceful and encouraging. The specific goals that I will be working on are writing my budget and also writing a business plan (with help from another partner organization). She will help me by giving me her advice and helping assess whether my goals are achievable. She can point out what obstacles that I might face along the way.
Gabriela
Why did you come to the Financial Empowerment Center? I wanted to save money, but I did not know how to go about it. I did not have a savings account and I did not know how to create one. What financial achievements have you made since coming to the FEC? Since coming to the FEC, I have been able to open multiple savings accounts for myself and my children. I am happy because now I can put money away for my children’s college education, which I was unsure about how to do before. My teenage son has also opened his own checking and savings accounts! He keeps asking me questions about how to budget and work with his money, since he sees me having weekly calls with my financial coach. I also know how to make online appointments with a Spanish speaking banker, which I did not know how to do before. 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? Since speaking with my coach, I have felt more confident in tracking my spending and paying attention to where my money is going. I feel like I have hope. She showed me how to make an appointment using the app, how to create and stick to a budget, and to visualize my goals. She has helped my family focus on our finances and understand how money is tracked in the U.S. My coach is very kind and sweet and I am happy that she is helping me and my family for a bright future. I tell my friends about her and the good information and support she offers. I am very happy with the FEC. 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? My goal is to save for my retirement, and to have a college fund for my children. I would also like to eventually buy a house and I know I need good credit for that. Little by little we are making progress. I look forward to eventually reaching these goals with her help.
Josiah
Why did you come to the Financial Empowerment Center? I came to the Financial Empowerment Center to improve my credit as much as possible. Nobody in my family had a credit score above 700 and I wanted to be the first. I want my score to be in the 800s. What financial achievements have you made since coming to the FEC? I now have $1,500 in my savings and I’ve achieved a credit score of 718. I’ve definitely learned more about credit and my finances in general. After talking to my coach, I know what I need to do now to get where I want to be. 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? FEC has made a difference because now I have a credit score that would allow me to get approved for a mortgage or other financing options if I had the cash too. I also won’t need to pay a lot of interest or rely on a credit card during emergencies. It really helped to talk through my finances with my coach and change the payment amount on my loan each month. I would tell a friend or family member to go for it because FEC works. If it worked for me, it could work for you. The credit building loans really helped and being able to be flexible and strategize about the loans was key. 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, I want to keep building my credit score and get up to 800 by 2022. I want to keep working on my savings so I can get a house one day.
Julio
Why did you come to the Financial Empowerment Center? I was struggling to understand how to save money and take control of my own financial transactions. What financial achievements have you made since coming to the FEC? My coach has been amazing at helping me build a budget and become more empowered to take control of my savings. I have also learned from her strategies to reduce debt and have different bank accounts, which includes two savings accounts. She is very patient and knowledgeable. 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? My coach has helped me create different strategies when making a purchase. For example, she shared with me that by creating a grocery list, taking an inventory of the items that I have at home, and other strategies, I can help focus on only the items that I need to purchase. I always look forward to my meetings with my coach because of her positive and professional attitude and willingness to help me become more financially grounded and empowered. 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, I plan to continue to work with my coach in order to continue to create a financial budget and more strategies to reduce debt and plan for a savings account.
Justina
Why did you come to the Financial Empowerment Center? I initially contacted the Financial Empowerment Center to increase my credit score, build my savings, and generally feel better about my finances. What financial achievements have you made since coming to the FEC? I have reduced my debt, built my savings, opened a high-performance savings account, and started the process of improving my credit score by taking out a credit-building loan. 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? Working with my financial coach has given me greater financial security and we have taken actions to better my financial future, such as taking out a small credit-building loan. With his guidance, I have put funds aside in a new high-performance savings account, which has increased my confidence about my current financial position. When telling people about the FEC, I tell them that my coach has been incredibly helpful and supportive and has introduced me to financial tools and resources I would not have found on my own. 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, I plan to continue to work with my financial coach to achieve my financial goals, which include building my savings, improving my credit score, and reducing my debt.
Lindelwa
Why did you come to the Financial Empowerment Center? I moved to Sacramento from New York City in 2014 and did not anticipate a crisis of socio-economic and professional maladjustment as the direct outcome of this family decision. In New York, I had been an undergraduate instructor, and began job-hunting as instructional faculty in the community college system of California. For five years after the move, I survived as an essential worker in the ‘gig’ economy until the COVID-19 pandemic provided a remote teaching opportunity at the same college I had taught for in New York. When I became aware of the FEC, my rent was behind, I had debt in utility and phone bills, and overdrawn credit cards that I struggled to pay back. It was only divine purpose that had my eyes fixated on the FEC flyer. I had dialed 2-1-1 in search of assistance with my taxes when the flyer was brought to my attention. What financial achievements have you made since coming to the FEC? I have had unexpected success, to say the least, in the following areas: Reduced debt: The initial assistance I received entailed payment of an overdue utility bill with SMUD that had suddenly shot up to approximately $500. In my calculation, this bill alone would have taken me two years to pay. I also received help with payment of a portion of my April 2021 rent. I applied to SHRA Rental Assistance for eviction avoidance in the subsequent months – and in June my landlord received 25% of my monthly rent for May 2021, from the SERA2 Program. Improved credit: The IRC’s Center for Economic Opportunity approved a loan for $100, payable over 6 months to build my credit worthiness and raise my credit score. I closed on outstanding credit cards by sending settlement letters to two financial institutions; this raised my credit score by 48 points in less than 1 month. Built savings: After receiving information from my Financial Coach about other funding sources, I submitted my application through www.uptogether.org for a United Way of California Capital Region (UWCCR) guaranteed income grant for low-income families. I was accepted into the Direct Investment Program in Sacramento (DIPS). My household is currently one of the initial 100 beneficiary families of the program. I successfully submitted my EDD application for unemployment benefits for subsistence in the summer while I continue to search for teaching opportunities in higher education. 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? Apart from the 211 service, information about available local programs and resources was not readily accessible before the COVID-19 pandemic. The FEC enabled me a measure of financial independence and decision-making power over my life. My financial coach gave me one-on-one attention and guidance. Benefits of working with the FEC staff have included: Information about free taxes websites and tax filing help from IRS-certified volunteers. The ability to do my own taxes liberates me from having to pay private companies. I have also learned to avoid expensive credit-repair companies in the private market and how to do online credit disputes with bureaus. Before settling two credit cards through FEC coaching, I had paid $1,197 to an online credit repair company I found on Facebook. It promised heaven and earth, and a long-drawn process that would take over a year with no results. I now keep on file folders of sample letters of settlement and cease-and-desist letters I can present to credit card institutions on my own, should the need arise again. As a single woman and the sole financial provider of my family, I have needed the clarity of purpose and independence that comes with financial intelligence. Without professional networking, it has been much harder to secure full-time employment in California, even with postgraduate education and experience from other states. I have found my experience quite ironic, given that as an undergraduate college instructor my area of specialization is social justice. Overall, I am recovering from daily panic and chronic financial crisis, and lowered stress-related debt has begun to impact my health positively. In the long-term, I expect to draw more strength and confidence to be independent, self-directed, and strategic with the modest finances I have at my disposal. Going forward I believe I can implement every strategy I have been equipped with, set smart goals, and gradually save money. 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? My next goal is to focus on retirement planning, a critical area of concern for me. With financial coaching, I plan to seek assistance with: Information about programs for a first-time home buyer, leveraging the GI Bill that my air force veteran son qualifies for Retirement planning Eligibility and benefits of Medicare Investigate why my federal tax refund status has remained as “still being processed” since May 2021
Nikisha
Why did you come to the Financial Empowerment Center? The FEC program has been amazing for me and my family. When I first started this program, I was on the verge of filing bankruptcy. I was not managing my money well, and I was paying enormous overdraft fees every month. What financial achievements have you made since coming to the FEC? With the help of my FEC Financial Coach, my credit score has slowly increased. My Financial Coach helped me to secure a low interest CEO loan. This helped me to pay off two high interest loans. My Financial Coach worked with me to better budget my money. With her help, I was able to eliminate all the overdraft fees within 2 months. This will save my family over $1,000 a year. 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? I have learned how to better budget my money and really make my money work for me. I now have money to put into savings each month. I also have extra money that I am no longer giving to high interest predatory lenders. I would recommend the FEC to anyone who is seeking direction with their finances. 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? I plan to continue working with my coach for as long as I can. The information she has provided has been valuable and has educated me and empowered me to make better decisions about how I manage my money. I feel so much more confident, and I have eliminated most of my financial stress.
Nolan
Why did you come to the Financial Empowerment Center? I found out about the FEC's financial coaching program through an email I received from the City of Sacramento, with the subject line City Minute. At the time, I had recently moved out of my parent’s house and signed a 1-year lease. I was a new real estate agent, and my only source of income was commission. Knowing I had to be smart with my money, I thought the email came to me at the perfect time. So, I decided to inquire with the FEC and see how they could help me. What financial achievements have you made since coming to the FEC? Since beginning my financial coaching I have achieved numerous financial goals. I paid off my credit card, tracked all expenses and income for one year, increased my credit score by 60+ points, opened three new bank accounts (and am contributing to them monthly), saved money in various accounts totaling 3+ months of expenses, and cultivated an awareness of how and when I spend my money. 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? Working with the FEC has given me peace of mind, the skills I need to support myself, and confidence in my ability to build my finances for the future. Not only has my coach helped me, I have referred my girlfriend to her as well. This has sparked a financial journey with potential far greater than my initial goals. I would highly recommend this service to anyone who needs it, no matter their circumstances. 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, I do intend to continue working with my coach. My next goals are to refinance my auto loan, build an emergency fund of $25,000, get my credit to 800+, and begin investing for retirement.
Paula
Why did you come to the Financial Empowerment Center? When I began my coaching, I was struggling with guidance on how to be financially empowered in my budgeting and spending on credit cards. I found myself doing just the bare minimum to get through keeping my credit score up, and only saved when it came to mind. I knew that I was able to do the work, I just needed an extra push to get me to understand my finances. My financial coach has been able to guide me through my own empowerment. What financial achievements have you made since coming to the FEC? I have been able to reduce debt by paying off my auto loan, and I have begun making payments towards my student loans. Also, I have started two additional savings accounts for my long-term goals. In the last five months, I have also been able to save more than double the amount of money that I had since beginning with the FEC. Lastly, I have maintained my budget and created a system that works for me with the 50/30/20 method. I will continue to work towards my long-term goals with the amazing support of my FEC coach. 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? Throughout my journey with the FEC, I have had a few achievements. The one I am most proud of is my awareness and mindfulness of my spending, which has been reflected in my successes and peace of mind. I now get excited when I open my bank accounts and budgeting tools, and even shopping has become a fun way of challenging my financial awareness. I also am able to journal and reflect more on my long-term goals while remembering my financial accomplishments, and I envision my financial self-empowerment only getting stronger. I am also able to comfortably talk about my financial goals to friends and family, which has also brought a lot of financial awareness to others around me. I often mention my FEC journey with my friends, and have referred a few friends based on the amazing experience I have had since joining. It truly has shifted my thoughts and feelings on how I view my finances and I hope to continue to work on my goals. 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? I do plan to continue working with my coach. My next goal is to pay off my student loans within the next year. My biggest goal is to be the first one in my family to purchase a home. Being a first generation Mexican-American has taught me a lot, and I want to continue to learn more as to what I need to prepare and plan to purchase a home for my family within the next two years. My FEC coach has already helped a lot in allowing me to feel empowered and reach my short-term goals. I hope that I can continue to learn from her to achieve the dream goal for my family. Thank you so much for all the mental, emotional, and especially financial empowerment support.
Phoxay
Why did you come to the Financial Empowerment Center? I came to the FEC for financial support and advise to help improve my life and my business objectives of becoming an entrepreneur. I found the FEC through my program at the Anti-Recidivism Coalition. After my re-entry, I started with nothing, and I was able to find employment. I wanted to get help from the FEC with making sure I learned how to manage my money and save for my business. What financial achievements have you made since coming to the FEC? I have been able to obtain a credit-building loan while working with my Financial Coach. We are working together to establish my credit so that I can set myself up to qualify for business loans to fund my business. I have also built up my savings. 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? Working with my Financial Coach has given me the confidence to apply myself to achieve my financial goals. Having someone to guide me has been very helpful. I wasn’t sure at first what to expect, but I found that my Financial Coach was very helpful and was able to provide resources for me that have made a big difference in my life. What worked for me was that they did not discriminate on how my financial condition was. Their assessment and assistance have been very empathetic and supportive. I would highly recommend their service and support to a friend or a family member. FEC service and support has helped me improve my financial conditions and helped give me confidence in my thriving conditions towards a more positive objective in life. Do you plan to continue working with your Financial Coach to achieve specific goals? What goals? Absolutely yes. I look forward to continuing to work with my Financial Coach to continue to improve my credit and save money for my future. I will be continuing to use the credit building loans to build my credit score. The FEC has made me feel like my dreams are possible and I am excited to continue to work with my coach to help get me there. My goal is to round up seed capital for my business and other leveraging purposes.
Siddiqa
Why did you come to the Financial Empowerment Center? I had recently gotten a credit card and wanted to buy a car. However, even though I was financially capable of purchasing a car, I was not able to get a loan because of my low credit score. When searching for other options and resources, an IRC employee connected me to the FEC coaching. What financial achievements have you made since coming to the FEC? Since working with the FEC, I have been able to not only purchase a car, but also improve my credit score through a car loan as well as a credit building loan. Now that I have a better credit, I feel as if I can do much more financially and I feel more confident with my finances. I have also worked with my coach in planning to save more so that I can purchase a home in the near future. She has also educated me on credit building and budgeting. 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? Through working with my coach, I was able to avoid getting dealer financing while buying a car from a private dealership, which would have been a riskier option. She also made the process of getting a loan very smooth by introducing me to all the loan options, providing me with paperwork on the details of all the loans, and guiding me through the process. The Center for Economic Opportunity loan program also gave me the flexibility to decide how much I wanted to borrow, and I could pay the remaining balance. It also made my options clear in terms of how I can pay the loan back in set payments and even pay higher payments if I would like. I am currently telling my friends and family how great the FEC is and how the coaches can help them with building credit, purchasing a vehicle, and planning their finances. 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? I had reached out to the FEC for help in buying a car, but after purchasing a car, I was able to receive so much more financial guidance in building savings and improving my credit score. I am glad that I reached out because now I feel much more confident around my finances. I can now visualize my financial goals and am looking forward to working with my coach on achieving them. We have already spoken about how I can increase my savings and build my credit. I am now on track to be able to buy a house in the future and I am grateful to have her help me in this journey.

Why did you come to the Financial Empowerment Center?

I came to the Financial Empowerment Center because I was struggling with debt that I needed to get out of. I also needed to learn how to budget my money and learn about saving money and planning for retirement.

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

I have accomplished a great deal with the help of the FEC and my amazing financial coach. I have completely paid off all my credit card debt, increased my credit score, and now have a solid plan for saving for my future. I now have a great budget plan that I am using, and it helps me to stay on track and achieve my financial goals.

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?

Working with the FEC has completely improved my life. I am now confident when it comes to my finances, and I feel like I have gained the knowledge to maintain my financial success in the future. I now know and understand how to stay debt free while creating a savings for myself. I no longer am stressed when it comes to money. I feel like with the help of my financial budget I have a plan. I even look forward to updating the information on my budget and sharing the knowledge that I have gained with those around me. I feel like through the help of the FEC I now have the knowledge for myself and for my children as well, so that they do not need to make the same financial mistakes that I once made. I would highly recommend FEC to help you with your financial needs. The knowledge that I have gained through this program will last a lifetime.

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, I do plan on continuing to work with my financial coach to achieve my goals. I think she is absolutely amazing, and I could not have accomplished this without her help. I am currently working on building my savings and my next goal is to start putting money aside for retirement and learn more about investing.

Why did you come to the Financial Empowerment Center?

I wanted to get a different view of what I need to adjust to improve my credit. For the most part I've made some bad decisions and I want to get closer to eventually owning my home.

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

I've reduced my debt with a credit building loan, as well as improved my credit. Finally, I have been able to have a higher yield savings account that has not been touched since I opened it.

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?

I have higher hopes in my goal of becoming a homeowner. Before, I thought it would not be reachable due to a low credit score and being unable to grow a savings account for unforeseen situations. I’ve definitely referred family and friends because I know the impact that less than a year has made.

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, my financial coach is awesome, and has really helped me continue to improve my financial situation. He’s made conversations enjoyable, where before I was scared to even look at my finances. Consistency is helpful, and before I was not thinking about investing, but I believe it’s a great option to see my income grow.

Why did you come to the Financial Empowerment Center?

I was struggling with figuring out how to budget my money and prioritize my spending.

What financial achievements have you made since coming to the FEC? I have reduced my debt and increased my credit score by 50 points. 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?

Since coming to the FEC, I have been working towards achieving my financial goals with the help of my coach. She has been helpful, responsive, and easy to work with during my need for financial assistance due to Covid-19. By understanding my financial goals, she assisted me with creating a budget and prioritizing which creditors to pay first. This resulted in debt reduction and an increased credit score of more than 50 points over the past few months.

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. I look forward to reaching my financial goals by the end of the year and improving my financial future.

Why did you come to the Financial Empowerment Center?

My success story starts with the reason why I came to the Financial Empowerment Center: I came to the center to get help with cleaning my credit, which will help me prepare for purchasing a home for me and my family.

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

I have written two validation letters to dispute the negative items on my credit report. I have also worked on starting a homeschool for a source of income for me during this pandemic.

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?

The FEC has helped me to get my credit report, find the negative disputes, and resolve the issues. By doing this it has changed my mindset and that has truly blessed me in my overall future. Working with a Financial Coach has helped me by putting a lot of my ideas in perspective. She has encouraged me to follow my dreams and reminded me that I can do what I need to do. She has also encouraged my daughter and she has decided to get a better job and go back to school, and she is looking forward to cleaning up her credit. I would tell them that the FEC is a great way to help you build your confidence in taking care of your bad credit and that they have people there who truly care about helping you get your personal business in order.

Do you plan to continue working with your Financial Coach to achieve specific goals? What goals?

I do want to continue working with my Financial Coach. She is very resourceful and encouraging. The specific goals that I will be working on are writing my budget and also writing a business plan (with help from another partner organization). She will help me by giving me her advice and helping assess whether my goals are achievable. She can point out what obstacles that I might face along the way.

Why did you come to the Financial Empowerment Center?

I wanted to save money, but I did not know how to go about it. I did not have a savings account and I did not know how to create one.

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

Since coming to the FEC, I have been able to open multiple savings accounts for myself and my children. I am happy because now I can put money away for my children’s college education, which I was unsure about how to do before. My teenage son has also opened his own checking and savings accounts! He keeps asking me questions about how to budget and work with his money, since he sees me having weekly calls with my financial coach. I also know how to make online appointments with a Spanish speaking banker, which I did not know how to do before.

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?

Since speaking with my coach, I have felt more confident in tracking my spending and paying attention to where my money is going. I feel like I have hope. She showed me how to make an appointment using the app, how to create and stick to a budget, and to visualize my goals. She has helped my family focus on our finances and understand how money is tracked in the U.S. My coach is very kind and sweet and I am happy that she is helping me and my family for a bright future. I tell my friends about her and the good information and support she offers. I am very happy with the FEC.

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?

My goal is to save for my retirement, and to have a college fund for my children. I would also like to eventually buy a house and I know I need good credit for that. Little by little we are making progress. I look forward to eventually reaching these goals with her help.

Why did you come to the Financial Empowerment Center?

I came to the Financial Empowerment Center to improve my credit as much as possible. Nobody in my family had a credit score above 700 and I wanted to be the first. I want my score to be in the 800s.

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

I now have $1,500 in my savings and I’ve achieved a credit score of 718. I’ve definitely learned more about credit and my finances in general. After talking to my coach, I know what I need to do now to get where I want to be.

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?

FEC has made a difference because now I have a credit score that would allow me to get approved for a mortgage or other financing options if I had the cash too. I also won’t need to pay a lot of interest or rely on a credit card during emergencies. It really helped to talk through my finances with my coach and change the payment amount on my loan each month. I would tell a friend or family member to go for it because FEC works. If it worked for me, it could work for you. The credit building loans really helped and being able to be flexible and strategize about the loans was key.

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, I want to keep building my credit score and get up to 800 by 2022. I want to keep working on my savings so I can get a house one day.

Why did you come to the Financial Empowerment Center?

I was struggling to understand how to save money and take control of my own financial transactions.

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

My coach has been amazing at helping me build a budget and become more empowered to take control of my savings. I have also learned from her strategies to reduce debt and have different bank accounts, which includes two savings accounts. She is very patient and knowledgeable.

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?

My coach has helped me create different strategies when making a purchase. For example, she shared with me that by creating a grocery list, taking an inventory of the items that I have at home, and other strategies, I can help focus on only the items that I need to purchase. I always look forward to my meetings with my coach because of her positive and professional attitude and willingness to help me become more financially grounded and empowered.

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, I plan to continue to work with my coach in order to continue to create a financial budget and more strategies to reduce debt and plan for a savings account.

Why did you come to the Financial Empowerment Center?

I initially contacted the Financial Empowerment Center to increase my credit score, build my savings, and generally feel better about my finances.

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

I have reduced my debt, built my savings, opened a high-performance savings account, and started the process of improving my credit score by taking out a credit-building loan.

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?

Working with my financial coach has given me greater financial security and we have taken actions to better my financial future, such as taking out a small credit-building loan. With his guidance, I have put funds aside in a new high-performance savings account, which has increased my confidence about my current financial position. When telling people about the FEC, I tell them that my coach has been incredibly helpful and supportive and has introduced me to financial tools and resources I would not have found on my own.

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, I plan to continue to work with my financial coach to achieve my financial goals, which include building my savings, improving my credit score, and reducing my debt.

Why did you come to the Financial Empowerment Center?

I moved to Sacramento from New York City in 2014 and did not anticipate a crisis of socio-economic and professional maladjustment as the direct outcome of this family decision. In New York, I had been an undergraduate instructor, and began job-hunting as instructional faculty in the community college system of California. For five years after the move, I survived as an essential worker in the ‘gig’ economy until the COVID-19 pandemic provided a remote teaching opportunity at the same college I had taught for in New York. When I became aware of the FEC, my rent was behind, I had debt in utility and phone bills, and overdrawn credit cards that I struggled to pay back. It was only divine purpose that had my eyes fixated on the FEC flyer. I had dialed 2-1-1 in search of assistance with my taxes when the flyer was brought to my attention.

What financial achievements have you made since coming to the FEC? I have had unexpected success, to say the least, in the following areas:

Reduced debt:

The initial assistance I received entailed payment of an overdue utility bill with SMUD that had suddenly shot up to approximately $500. In my calculation, this bill alone would have taken me two years to pay. I also received help with payment of a portion of my April 2021 rent.
I applied to SHRA Rental Assistance for eviction avoidance in the subsequent months – and in June my landlord received 25% of my monthly rent for May 2021, from the SERA2 Program.

Improved credit:

The IRC’s Center for Economic Opportunity approved a loan for $100, payable over 6 months to build my credit worthiness and raise my credit score.
I closed on outstanding credit cards by sending settlement letters to two financial institutions; this raised my credit score by 48 points in less than 1 month.

Built savings:

After receiving information from my Financial Coach about other funding sources, I submitted my application through www.uptogether.org for a United Way of California Capital Region (UWCCR) guaranteed income grant for low-income families. I was accepted into the Direct Investment Program in Sacramento (DIPS). My household is currently one of the initial 100 beneficiary families of the program.
I successfully submitted my EDD application for unemployment benefits for subsistence in the summer while I continue to search for teaching opportunities in higher education.

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?

Apart from the 211 service, information about available local programs and resources was not readily accessible before the COVID-19 pandemic. The FEC enabled me a measure of financial independence and decision-making power over my life. My financial coach gave me one-on-one attention and guidance. Benefits of working with the FEC staff have included:

Information about free taxes websites and tax filing help from IRS-certified volunteers. The ability to do my own taxes liberates me from having to pay private companies. I have also learned to avoid expensive credit-repair companies in the private market and how to do online credit disputes with bureaus. Before settling two credit cards through FEC coaching, I had paid $1,197 to an online credit repair company I found on Facebook. It promised heaven and earth, and a long-drawn process that would take over a year with no results.
I now keep on file folders of sample letters of settlement and cease-and-desist letters I can present to credit card institutions on my own, should the need arise again.

As a single woman and the sole financial provider of my family, I have needed the clarity of purpose and independence that comes with financial intelligence. Without professional networking, it has been much harder to secure full-time employment in California, even with postgraduate education and experience from other states. I have found my experience quite ironic, given that as an undergraduate college instructor my area of specialization is social justice.

Overall, I am recovering from daily panic and chronic financial crisis, and lowered stress-related debt has begun to impact my health positively. In the long-term, I expect to draw more strength and confidence to be independent, self-directed, and strategic with the modest finances I have at my disposal. Going forward I believe I can implement every strategy I have been equipped with, set smart goals, and gradually save money.

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?

My next goal is to focus on retirement planning, a critical area of concern for me. With financial coaching, I plan to seek assistance with:

Information about programs for a first-time home buyer, leveraging the GI Bill that my air force veteran son qualifies for
Retirement planning
Eligibility and benefits of Medicare
Investigate why my federal tax refund status has remained as “still being processed” since May 2021

Why did you come to the Financial Empowerment Center?

The FEC program has been amazing for me and my family. When I first started this program, I was on the verge of filing bankruptcy. I was not managing my money well, and I was paying enormous overdraft fees every month.

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

With the help of my FEC Financial Coach, my credit score has slowly increased. My Financial Coach helped me to secure a low interest CEO loan. This helped me to pay off two high interest loans. My Financial Coach worked with me to better budget my money. With her help, I was able to eliminate all the overdraft fees within 2 months. This will save my family over $1,000 a year.

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?

I have learned how to better budget my money and really make my money work for me. I now have money to put into savings each month. I also have extra money that I am no longer giving to high interest predatory lenders. I would recommend the FEC to anyone who is seeking direction with their finances.

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?

I plan to continue working with my coach for as long as I can. The information she has provided has been valuable and has educated me and empowered me to make better decisions about how I manage my money. I feel so much more confident, and I have eliminated most of my financial stress.

Why did you come to the Financial Empowerment Center?

I found out about the FEC's financial coaching program through an email I received from the City of Sacramento, with the subject line City Minute. At the time, I had recently moved out of my parent’s house and signed a 1-year lease. I was a new real estate agent, and my only source of income was commission. Knowing I had to be smart with my money, I thought the email came to me at the perfect time. So, I decided to inquire with the FEC and see how they could help me.

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

Since beginning my financial coaching I have achieved numerous financial goals. I paid off my credit card, tracked all expenses and income for one year, increased my credit score by 60+ points, opened three new bank accounts (and am contributing to them monthly), saved money in various accounts totaling 3+ months of expenses, and cultivated an awareness of how and when I spend my money.

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?

Working with the FEC has given me peace of mind, the skills I need to support myself, and confidence in my ability to build my finances for the future. Not only has my coach helped me, I have referred my girlfriend to her as well. This has sparked a financial journey with potential far greater than my initial goals. I would highly recommend this service to anyone who needs it, no matter their circumstances.

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, I do intend to continue working with my coach. My next goals are to refinance my auto loan, build an emergency fund of $25,000, get my credit to 800+, and begin investing for retirement.

Why did you come to the Financial Empowerment Center?

When I began my coaching, I was struggling with guidance on how to be financially empowered in my budgeting and spending on credit cards. I found myself doing just the bare minimum to get through keeping my credit score up, and only saved when it came to mind. I knew that I was able to do the work, I just needed an extra push to get me to understand my finances. My financial coach has been able to guide me through my own empowerment.

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

I have been able to reduce debt by paying off my auto loan, and I have begun making payments towards my student loans. Also, I have started two additional savings accounts for my long-term goals. In the last five months, I have also been able to save more than double the amount of money that I had since beginning with the FEC. Lastly, I have maintained my budget and created a system that works for me with the 50/30/20 method. I will continue to work towards my long-term goals with the amazing support of my FEC coach.

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?

Throughout my journey with the FEC, I have had a few achievements. The one I am most proud of is my awareness and mindfulness of my spending, which has been reflected in my successes and peace of mind. I now get excited when I open my bank accounts and budgeting tools, and even shopping has become a fun way of challenging my financial awareness. I also am able to journal and reflect more on my long-term goals while remembering my financial accomplishments, and I envision my financial self-empowerment only getting stronger. I am also able to comfortably talk about my financial goals to friends and family, which has also brought a lot of financial awareness to others around me. I often mention my FEC journey with my friends, and have referred a few friends based on the amazing experience I have had since joining. It truly has shifted my thoughts and feelings on how I view my finances and I hope to continue to work on my goals.

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?

I do plan to continue working with my coach. My next goal is to pay off my student loans within the next year. My biggest goal is to be the first one in my family to purchase a home. Being a first generation Mexican-American has taught me a lot, and I want to continue to learn more as to what I need to prepare and plan to purchase a home for my family within the next two years. My FEC coach has already helped a lot in allowing me to feel empowered and reach my short-term goals. I hope that I can continue to learn from her to achieve the dream goal for my family. Thank you so much for all the mental, emotional, and especially financial empowerment support.

Why did you come to the Financial Empowerment Center?

I came to the FEC for financial support and advise to help improve my life and my business objectives of becoming an entrepreneur. I found the FEC through my program at the Anti-Recidivism Coalition. After my re-entry, I started with nothing, and I was able to find employment. I wanted to get help from the FEC with making sure I learned how to manage my money and save for my business.

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

I have been able to obtain a credit-building loan while working with my Financial Coach. We are working together to establish my credit so that I can set myself up to qualify for business loans to fund my business. I have also built up my savings.

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?

Working with my Financial Coach has given me the confidence to apply myself to achieve my financial goals. Having someone to guide me has been very helpful. I wasn’t sure at first what to expect, but I found that my Financial Coach was very helpful and was able to provide resources for me that have made a big difference in my life.

What worked for me was that they did not discriminate on how my financial condition was. Their assessment and assistance have been very empathetic and supportive. I would highly recommend their service and support to a friend or a family member. FEC service and support has helped me improve my financial conditions and helped give me confidence in my thriving conditions towards a more positive objective in life.

Do you plan to continue working with your Financial Coach to achieve specific goals? What goals?

Absolutely yes. I look forward to continuing to work with my Financial Coach to continue to improve my credit and save money for my future. I will be continuing to use the credit building loans to build my credit score. The FEC has made me feel like my dreams are possible and I am excited to continue to work with my coach to help get me there. My goal is to round up seed capital for my business and other leveraging purposes.

Why did you come to the Financial Empowerment Center?

I had recently gotten a credit card and wanted to buy a car. However, even though I was financially capable of purchasing a car, I was not able to get a loan because of my low credit score. When searching for other options and resources, an IRC employee connected me to the FEC coaching.

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

Since working with the FEC, I have been able to not only purchase a car, but also improve my credit score through a car loan as well as a credit building loan.

Now that I have a better credit, I feel as if I can do much more financially and I feel more confident with my finances. I have also worked with my coach in planning to save more so that I can purchase a home in the near future. She has also educated me on credit building and budgeting.

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?

Through working with my coach, I was able to avoid getting dealer financing while buying a car from a private dealership, which would have been a riskier option. She also made the process of getting a loan very smooth by introducing me to all the loan options, providing me with paperwork on the details of all the loans, and guiding me through the process. The Center for Economic Opportunity loan program also gave me the flexibility to decide how much I wanted to borrow, and I could pay the remaining balance. It also made my options clear in terms of how I can pay the loan back in set payments and even pay higher payments if I would like.

I am currently telling my friends and family how great the FEC is and how the coaches can help them with building credit, purchasing a vehicle, and planning their finances.

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?

I had reached out to the FEC for help in buying a car, but after purchasing a car, I was able to receive so much more financial guidance in building savings and improving my credit score. I am glad that I reached out because now I feel much more confident around my finances. I can now visualize my financial goals and am looking forward to working with my coach on achieving them. We have already spoken about how I can increase my savings and build my credit. I am now on track to be able to buy a house in the future and I am grateful to have her help me in this journey.