Graduate Exclusive! Steve C. Reinvents Himself, Focuses on Family, and Dreams of Building a Mountain Home
We interviewed Steve — dad, marketing professional, and “paper nerd” — to find out how he navigated a series of “catastrophes” to find a supportive path toward financial peace.
- Debt Amount: $10,893
- Started: January 2022
- Graduated: February 2025
Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
I live in Denver, close to the mountains. I have a kiddo who is now nine — the sweetest little boy in the whole world — and a wonderful partner. I love the outdoors, art, and I’m a bit of a “paper nerd” when it comes to design and print — I love the fresh ink smell and the idea of making things.
How did you find yourself in debt?
It was just a combination of unforeseen events and bad luck. During the pandemic, I was laid off and I didn’t receive unemployment for four months. I started taking out loans to get by. Then my engine exploded in my car, and my dog got attacked — that ended up costing $3,500 in vet bills.
Debt feels horrible. It feels like it’s going to take the rest of your life to pay it off. You start thinking, “I will never buy a house. I’m never going to be able to afford a vacation.” It’s an absolute burden and it affected my mental health badly.
And every single person I talked to had the same attitude as the first representative. You could talk to somebody and they wouldn’t judge you. You felt good after you called them.
What was your experience like with Beyond Finance?
I Googled you guys and thought, “This looks pretty reputable.” I’ll never forget that first call. The representative was just on point. She was straightforward: “Here is the process. This is what we’re going to do.” She was doing everything in real time and putting it in the system, and it felt like she had a structured plan.
When I hung up, it was total relief. It was like, “Okay, I’m doing something about it.” With Beyond, I was paying about $110 a month total, which was way less than the $300+ I was paying before. That extra money was astronomical — that’s food for two weeks!
And every single person I talked to had the same attitude as the first representative.
You could talk to somebody and they wouldn’t judge you. You felt good after you called them. In a sentence, it restored my faith in customer service.
What was it like when you graduated?
Oh, it was awesome. I have my budget spreadsheet and when you do the math, and I’m looking at it like, “That money that’s no longer going to debt payments? This is what I’m going to be saving each month!”
Beyond Finance helped me build good habits. I check my budget every two weeks now. I’m more aware and more responsible. It geared me to look at where my money is going. It becomes a game: It becomes fun, not angry.
I was laid off again recently, so I haven’t yet fully felt the “extra money” effect, but I did it! It’s no small feat. You have to be patient and stay committed. I sidestepped a reality in which things could be way worse. And luckily, I have a wonderful partner who’s the savvy one (and a former chef!). She can come home with a full cart of groceries for $50. She’s carrying the family right now while I look for the next thing. We support each other.
What are your goals for the future?
I’ve never had a real beach vacation as an adult, so I want to take my partner and my kid to Cabo. I’d also like to buy a property — maybe an industrial building and build a container home inside of it so I have a studio to work on my car and do art installs. I want to build a home on the side of a mountain, something big that I can put my craft into.
Real client compensated for a real story.