Crystal P: Credit score boost
Why did you come to the Financial Empowerment Center?
I am working with an organization called CLTRE that partnered up with the Financial Empowerment Center as a resource to assist me with my homeownership journey.
What financial achievements have you made since coming to the FEC?
While working with the FEC I have taken many steps, both small and big, towards my financial stability and achieved many goals along the way. However, my greatest accomplishment has been increasing my credit score and updating and repairing my credit profile. When I started, my credit score was 430, and now my credit score has increased to 660!
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 made a difference in my life by equipping me with the knowledge to raise my credit score and reduce my debt in a short amount of time. I am now more knowledgeable about my spending and saving strategies, keeping my credit utilization below 30%, and focusing on the snowball vs. avalanche method when it comes to paying off debt. Alongside these steps, I have also utilized certain products such as a credit builder loan to help me further increase my credit score. These are but a few of the strategies I gained knowledge about to make sure that my finances no longer feel like a challenge.
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 working with my financial coach. My short-term goal was to increase my credit score, and I’ve done a great job so far. My long-term goal is to raise my score to between 680 and 720 so I can qualify for a home loan. I still have work to do and goals to accomplish.