Client Exclusive: How We Helped Christian S. Navigate Debt After Military Service

Meet Christian: A Veteran Transitioning to a Tech Career

Christian is a Navy veteran who works in the IT department at a private college in Florida. After completing his military service he used the G.I. bill to go back to school and start a career in IT focusing on cybersecurity. 

He loves his job, but has struggled to keep up with minimum payments on the credit card debt that he took on while he was in the military and college. 

How Christian Got Into Debt

Christian explained to us that being in the military was a very high-stress job that led him to cope by purchasing things he wanted, even if it meant using credit. His impulse purchases helped him feel better temporarily but eventually added up to a debt burden that was unmanageable. 

Ultimately, by the time he finished school he owed around $10,000 across four or five cards. He admits to using the cards as income, something that was a mistake he didn’t realize at the time.  

The military is a high stress job. Nobody knows that better than me. And one of the ways I would cope with the stress is I’d see this nice thing I’d really want but if there’s an opportunity to finance it I might go for it.

Recognizing the Need for Help

Towards the end of 2023, Christian realized he was spending more than $350 a month on credit card payments and knew he needed to make a change. Scrolling through Facebook, he saw an advertisement for a debt solution and decided to give it a try. 

The Consolidation Specialist that I spoke to made me feel I was doing the right thing. They were friendly and really cared about my situation.

Turning Things Around With Beyond Finance

Christian had no real expectations when he clicked on the ad, but he was open to finding a solution. He credits his Consolidation Specialist for putting him at ease by clearly explaining things and walking him through his options. Now that he is working with Beyond Finance his monthly payment is manageable and he isn’t stressing about his debt.

Advice for Others: “Get on The Phone”

Christian has powerful advice for other military personnel or veterans struggling with debt: “get on the phone.”

He hopes that others who took on debt as a way to cope with their work stress will realize there is a way out of it and a program that can work.

I would tell somebody who was in the military who was struggling with debt that they should get on the phone with these folks to see if there’s any way that they can help.

An Exciting New Future for Christian

Now that he’s making progress with Beyond Finance, Christian’s future is looking brighter than ever. With his debt nearly paid off, he’s focused on saving money to achieve his dreams of homeownership and getting a new car.

*A quick note about Christian’s story: He’s a real client who was compensated for taking the time to share his experience with us. Christian saved 53% on his eligible monthly payments and his savings were calculated by subtracting his program payment from his self-reported payments or tradeline minimums on eligible accounts.