Graduate Exclusive! Veteran Rose Mary O. Fixes Her Home, Travels, and Builds a Legacy for Her Granddaughter
We caught up with Rose Mary — Army veteran, world traveler, plant lover, and Beyond Finance graduate — to hear how life has changed since graduating from Beyond Finance in November of 2022.
- Debt Amount: $45,920
- Started: February 2019
- Graduated: November 2022
Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
I live in El Paso, Texas with my sister and my son lives in the apartment upstairs. I’m turning 70 this year, and am a military retiree — I served as a computer operator in the Army. These days, I stay busy volunteering at the local botanical garden (as the treasurer!), doing secret shopping, and riding recumbent bikes twice a week.
I’ve also got two kids — my son works at the botanical garden, and my daughter is a lawyer in Colorado. I also have a 5-year-old granddaughter, Kyla Rose.
When my first account was paid off, it was almost like when you try and try again to make a perfect recipe — and finally the pie crust is perfect!
How did you find yourself in debt?
I’ve always paid my bills on time, but I fell into debt after trying to fix a dangerous retaining wall on my mom’s property. I took out high-interest loans — I call them “loan shark loans.” The debt piled up, and even though I was keeping up with payments, I was barely treading water. And I couldn’t refinance the home because of my debt-to-income ratio. The man I talked to actually recommended Beyond Finance to me.
What was your experience like with Beyond Finance?
When my first account was paid off, it was almost like when you try and try again to make a perfect recipe — and finally the pie crust is perfect! (laughs)
Once that first one came — my first bill was paid — then I said, okay, this is actually true. I don’t have to have even an inkling of a worry after that. I knew this was a real thing.
What’s happened since graduating from Beyond Finance?
I went to Korea the month I graduated! I stayed there for about a month with an Army friend.
Just recently I finished a four-week, 7,000-mile journey with my son — El Paso to Huntsville, Alabama, to Florida and the Keys, Bahamas, New York, D.C., Niagara Falls, Chicago — all of that.
And I’ve got money saved — about $4,000 in an emergency fund — and more tucked away in a separate account for property taxes. I also started an account for my granddaughter when she was still tiny — I think it has around $15,000 in there now.
I also have an account for home renovations! I’m going to use some of that to do some fixing on the eaves of my house. I’ve already put in new tile, fixed up kitchens, repaired fireplaces, and handled everything this 120-year-old house throws at me!
I bought a car and a truck that I’m paying little by little — but that’s it. No credit. I have a bunch of credit cards, but they all have zero balances. I’m never going to get in that situation again. I’m happier now.
Real client compensated for a real story.