Graduate Exclusive! Jonathan D. Buys a Car, Plans for Homeownership, and Lets His Money Work For Him
We interviewed Jonathan to hear about his journey from financial stress to freedom, and how graduating from Beyond Finance gave him a new sense of confidence, clarity — and the keys to a new car.
- Debt Amount: $32,028
- Started: August 2023
- Graduated: November 2024
Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
I live in Memphis, Tennessee with my mom, my brother, and my nephew.
I’m a human resources specialist for the government. For fun, I love to sing. Right now I’m actually taking voiceover acting classes! They tested me and told me I had a “warm, cool voice,” so I’m taking that and running with it!
I also enjoy going out to eat, working on my fitness, and learning how to invest — I’m starting to explore Bitcoin and Forex trading. I’m a multi-interest kind of person!
How did you find yourself in debt?
Honestly? I was just living outside of my means. I wasn’t paying attention to what I made versus what I spent. I had this mindset like, “I’ll just pay for it later.” But “later” came with interest, and I had bought too many things I thought I could pay for.
I kept telling myself I could manage it — and I thought I was — until I realized that when my paycheck came in, it was already spoken for.
Stress leads to so many things — health issues, sleepless nights, being irritable. I didn’t want to live like that anymore.
Everything was going to past charges. I didn’t have anything left for the present, let alone the future. It was like arguing with myself — part of me thought I could still manage, but the other part knew I couldn’t. Eventually, I just said: “I’m tired of drowning.”
It also became clear to me that some of my spending was tied to deeper things. Maybe depression, frustration about where I was in life. I knew I had to take accountability and stop ignoring it.
Stress leads to so many things — health issues, sleepless nights, being irritable. I didn’t want to live like that anymore.
What was your experience like with Beyond Finance?
Funny enough, my mom did a program with a competitor of Beyond Finance. But when I asked her how it was, she said, “It was okay.” Not exactly a ringing endorsement.
So I did my own research — I Googled the top companies. Beyond Finance came up and after reading reviews, I ended up going with you all. The communication felt better and more responsive than what my mom experienced.
I was paying around $1,100 a month before. With Beyond, I paid around $600 monthly. So that’s a savings of $500 a month.*
I just felt peace of mind. Just being able to breathe again. It felt good to know I was still paying the debt, just in a way that gave me room to live.
Before, my thoughts were like porcelain shattered on the floor. Sleepless nights. No peace. Once I joined Beyond, and everything was consolidated, I could focus on rebuilding, not just surviving.
And then paying off my first account felt like relief. Bliss. I’d been paying before, but now there was actual progress.
What’s happened since graduation?
I bought a car! That was huge. I financed it at 5% interest and I’m sitting in it right now as we speak.
I’ve also been able to go out to eat again — I love trying five-star restaurants. I’ve started planning trips, saving without needing credit cards, and even investing in Bitcoin and Forex. I’m learning how to make my money work for me.
And next week, I’m going to Vegas for the first time! I saved for it — no credit cards involved. Just vibes and good planning.
My financial habits have absolutely changed. It’s like I was in a relationship — a relationship with debt. And this program helped me break up with it. Now, I have checkpoints. I ask myself: “Do I need this? Can I pay for it in cash?”
I save intentionally, I spend intentionally, and I think about the future instead of just the moment.
I want to buy a house — but I want to do it smart. I’m saving now so I can have money in the bank, not just for the down payment, but for the maintenance too. My goal is to have multiple savings accounts, each with $8,000 to $9,000 in them. I’m not there yet, but I’m getting there.
Beyond taught me that every dollar counts. I work hard for my paycheck — now I want to make sure it’s building something.
Beyond Finance did what most people couldn’t — they helped me wake up and pay attention. They taught me accountability. Responsibility. Mindfulness. They helped me live the life I want — responsibly.
*Clients typically save around $480 per month on their debt payments. Savings are calculated by subtracting their program payment from self reported payments or tradelines.
Real client compensated for a real story.