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Amanda – with money issues, education is key

“It felt like you were in an endless spiral of going nowhere.”

Like many young people, Amanda dreamed of buying her first car, and taking an overseas trip.

At 18 years old, she borrowed money to fulfil those goals. But then the unexpected happened a few years later: she had to find funds for medical bills and things started to spiral. She borrowed more money.

“I borrowed a large amount of money I wasn’t really in a position to be paying back. I was so oblivious to my lack of understanding.”

“My interest was so high that half of my payments were going in interest. And that was the case for 2 years, I was going nowhere. I thought that I would just work even harder, make extra money to pay off the interest.

“It felt like you were in an endless spiral of going nowhere.

“I was working so hard, putting all this money away. It was extremely defeating. I was looking into bankruptcy. Somebody put me onto you guys, and it was a lifesaver.”

Amanda describes the interest repayments as “completely depleting, it sucked the life out of me, thinking of how much I was putting in and then how much I was getting out.”

“My mental health was really poor because it pushed me into a state of burnout because I was trying to get on top of it.”

Now that Amanda has a budget and a repayment plan, she feels like she has her life back.

Her advice? “Educate yourself.”

“I had relationships completely deteriorate. My partner and I really struggled for about a year because I was constantly at work.

“My whole quality of life is different now. I can spend time with my friends and family and feel like I have the choice. It’s a feeling of freedom.”

Amanda had previously spoken with hardship services that were unable to assist her given her circumstances did not fit their criteria.

“They have a box, if you don’t fit that box: ‘sorry we can’t help you’.

“You guys crafted a box for me, and if there was something that I couldn’t fit, you were really person centred.

“Everyone from you team that I’ve dealt with, especially Paula, has been absolutely amazing.

“And that made me feel like I wasn’t judged, like you were going above and beyond, and that I matter.

“There is a lot of shame that comes from being in this situation, you feel like you are not good enough because I am in debt.

“I felt like I was heard and that I was worthy enough to be helped. It really gave me my life back. And I am so, so thankful for it. Paula is an absolute legend.

The way that she made me feel, the calming influence that she had, that get me emotional. I was feeling so overwhelmed. She made me it so easy. And I am so thankful. It’s changed everything.”

If you’d like to know more about how Way Forward can help you: 

Enquire here or call us on 1300 451 343

Use our free budget planner or repayment calculator.

Struggling to pay for the essentials such as food and rent and want to know more about your options? Our emergency funding page lists some of the available free emergency services and funding if you live in Australia and find yourself in financial difficulty.

Sharyn – no longer trapped in a crippling debt spiral

“I never knew there was anything out there that could help me. It was such a relief. I didn’t believe I could actually get some help.”

After experiencing a prolonged recovery from major heart surgery, Sharyn was off work for over 5 months. She thought it would take 6 weeks. In that time, her husband lost his job.

As a New Zealand citizen, with permanent residency but no access to social services, she ended up drawing down on her super.

“The bills were getting on top of me, so the banks put me on to Way Forward.

“I never knew there was anything out there that could help me. It was such a relief. I didn’t believe I could actually get some help.”

Sharyn describes how challenging the debt spiral had become: “The worst thing is trying to make ends meet and knowing you owed all this money. I hated it. I was getting hassled quite a bit by the banks. Then you get a phone call and you often don’t answer it.”

Now, she feels on top of her debts.

“I am back at work on reduced hours. I know there is a certain amount that is taken out fortnightly and having those debts being slowly paid off. I don’t have to juggle or talk to anyone about it. It is taken care of.

Sharyn worked with Way Forward’s Client Services Manager, Paula.

“At first it seemed too good to be true.

“Paula made the process very easy.

She says her outlook on life is more positive.

“I’m happy to get up every day and happy I can go to work. I have no money worries now. Things have turned around.”

“I was a bit worried because when I found Way Forward, they were a new organisation, and I hoped they would keep going.

Sharyn had never had to use a hardship service before.

“I like how they contacted me. They stepped in and took over. I only needed to supply them with the details they needed.”

If you’d like to know more about how Way Forward can help you:

Enquire here or call us on 1300 451 343

Use our free budget planner or repayment calculator.

Struggling to pay for the essentials such as food and rent and want to know more about your options? Our emergency funding page lists some of the available free emergency services and funding if you live in Australia and find yourself in financial difficulty.

Dan – the importance of maintaining a good credit rating

“I learned my lesson the hard way”

Dan was going through a divorce and the lawyers bills kept piling up. He took out small amounts of high interest loans to pay the invoices. He tried to stay on top of things. With a high income, he thought he would be ok.

But that all came apart when his income stopped covering the loan repayments. He contacted his bank for help. That made things worse. It impacted his credit rating.

“I learned my lesson the hard way”

Dan spoke with Way Forward’s Client Services Manager Paula to develop a budget plan and repayment plan.

“I can see what goes in and what goes out. I just don’t buy things that I don’t need.

“I felt like Paula understood my situation. I felt like she was looking after me. The communication has been very good.”

Dan no longer has small loans or credit cards.

“I feel more comfortable because I have what I need. I feel like a different person, I am happier.

I don’t need as many things as I thought I did before.”

Dan used another hardship service but perceived the monthly repayments as “very unrealistic.”

“I feel so much better because I don’t have to deal with banks or small providers. I keep receiving emails and offers but I feel like I don’t want to take that because I have learned my lesson.”

If you’d like to know more about how Way Forward can help you: 

Enquire here or call us on 1300 451 343

Use our free budget planner or repayment calculator.

Struggling to pay for the essentials such as food and rent and want to know more about your options? Our emergency funding page lists some of the available free emergency services and funding if you live in Australia and find yourself in financial difficulty.

At one time he had to borrow food to eat – Steve’s story of perseverance

“We were in a no-win situation; we were going bankrupt. Now, everyone gets quite a good outcome out of this.”

When Steve was referred to Way Forward by NAB for financial assistance, he describes himself as being in “a really bad place.”

He was in a big accident a few years ago where he broke his neck. He was out of work for two years. This is when some of the financial problems began.

“I didn’t have money to go look for professional help, without you guys, we would have starring down bankruptcy. I had some pretty dark days and pretty bad thoughts.”

“We were at that stage where we were borrowing food off friends or eating at friends’ places to survive.”

Steve was the sole breadwinner of his family. His partner was injured. He felt a huge amount of pressure to provide when they were already in too much debt, which could not be paid off.

Way Forward negotiated with the banks on Steve’s behalf to have the debts and interest decreased. The debts were consolidated so that payments regularly were withdrawn from one account.

“We feel like we are doing the right thing rather than going bankrupt where everybody loses out. We feel like this is a good, honest way to get out the situation we were in.”

Steve was stressed from the constant phone calls from the banks. He was receiving up to 3 calls per hour from the banks, sometimes on the weekends.

After Way Forward started managing the relationship with the creditors and banks, the phone calls stopped almost immediately.

“It was huge relief.”

Way Forward’s Client Service’s Manager Melanie worked with Steve to organise a realistic budget.

“We were trying to cut ourselves to an absolute minimum and we would have gotten ourselves into trouble again.”

Steve’s initial reaction to Way Forward’s funding arrangement has changed over time.

“When I found out that the major banks were funding Way Forward, I was skeptical that you would be on our side. But you genuinely seemed to be on both sides. You want the best for the people who are providing for you guys, but you also want the best outcome for the people that you help.

We were in a no-win situation, the banks would have gotten very little out of it, we were going bankrupt. Everyone gets quite a good outcome out of this.”

If you’d like to know more about how Way Forward can help you: 

Enquire here or call us on 1300 451 343

Use our free budget planner or repayment calculator.

Struggling to pay for the essentials such as food and rent and want to know more about your options? Our emergency funding page lists some of the available free emergency services and funding if you live in Australia and find yourself in financial difficulty.

Peter on feeling heard again and having a positive outlook

“My outlook is a lot better…. I have something for my kids, I’ll have something to give back to them”

Peter had debts piling up, creditors chasing him for repayments and could not see a way to stop the phone calls and letters. He needed a solution.

“The way it was before, I was dreading getting letters, emails and phone calls. I had got myself in a situation that I am not happy about. You guys were able to develop a plan that can help me to be in much better place.

“My future now has meaning.”

“From the very first contact I had with Way Forward I was listened to; I was shown empathy. It’s probably the first time I’ve had that from financial assistance.”

It has been over 6 months since Peter commenced his repayment plan. Since that time, he said he has gotten himself back on track and can see a light at the end of the tunnel.

“My repayment plan has made a big difference.

“It wasn’t until I got in contact with you that you were able to put forward a solution that was manageable and achievable.”

If you’d like to know more about how Way Forward can help you: 

Enquire here or call us on 1300 451 343

Use our free budget planner or repayment calculator.

Struggling to pay for the essentials such as food and rent and want to know more about your options? Our emergency funding page lists some of the available free emergency services and funding if you live in Australia and find yourself in financial difficulty.

James once had to ration food to manage his debt repayments

“I never thought I would be rationing toast”

When James found himself in crippling credit card debt, he realised he needed help. His entire paycheck didn’t even cover the interest he owed on the cards.

He was drowning.

He wanted to take responsibility for the decision to borrow the money but didn’t know how to arrange his finances, so the repayments were manageable. He needed money to cover his basic expenses and with those debts, he couldn’t eat properly.

“If I hadn’t found you guys at the time that I did, I’m not sure where I would be right now. Once I got on-board, it was a month or less until those debts were organised.”

Way Forward’s client service manager Leanne worked with James to consolidate his debts and organise automatic repayments that come out directly from a dedicated bank account.

“I’ve started to get back into the green, I am sleeping again. Every single paycheck used to be ‘gone’. But it’s now ‘out of sight, out of mind’. The money comes out, I don’t have to see it, I don’t have to worry about it.

Previously, I was having to juggle those different payments coming out at different times and that was really stressful and not working for me.”

Way Forward is an excellent idea, I have a lot to thank them for, I would not be where I am without them. Thank you for even allowing this to occur, it was looking pretty grim.

To align and centralise the debts in an achievement in itself.”

If you’d like to know more about how Way Forward can help you:

Enquire here or call us on 1300 451 343

Use our free budget planner or repayment calculator.

Struggling to pay for the essentials such as food and rent and want to know more about your options? Our emergency funding page lists some of the available free emergency services and funding if you live in Australia and find yourself in financial difficulty.

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