{"id":5653,"date":"2026-04-17T21:22:18","date_gmt":"2026-04-17T21:22:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beyondfinance.com\/blog\/?p=5653"},"modified":"2026-04-17T22:19:05","modified_gmt":"2026-04-17T22:19:05","slug":"graduate-exclusive-maryann-r-trades-debt-stress-for-travel-goals-and-a-retirement-plan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beyondfinance.com\/blog\/graduate-exclusive-maryann-r-trades-debt-stress-for-travel-goals-and-a-retirement-plan\/","title":{"rendered":"Graduate Exclusive! Maryann R. Trades Debt Stress for Travel Goals and a Retirement Plan"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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We interviewed Maryann \u2014 artist, home cook, and resilient spirit \u2014 to find out how she reclaimed her dignity from “crushing” debt and how she\u2019s finally planning the retirement and travel she thought were impossible.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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  • Debt Amount: $14,411<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Started: November 2021<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Graduated: January 2025<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

    Can you tell us a bit about yourself?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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    I live in New Port Richey, Florida. It\u2019s a sleepy kind of town on a river, and I\u2019ve been here about 25 years since I moved down from New York. I work from home as a telephone operator for an answering service.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I\u2019m also an artist of sorts; I love to paint. I\u2019ve done everything from Winnie the Pooh for friends’ kids to a painting of Ariel from <\/em>The Little Mermaid recently. I also love to cook. I make my own frozen “TV dinners” that are all homemade \u2014 no preservatives, no nonsense! <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    How did you find yourself in debt?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    I left my husband 10 years ago and literally left with nothing \u2014 just the clothes on my back. I had been living with my mother, and it\u2019s difficult when you\u2019re approaching 60 and you\u2019re living in the guest room with your clothes in a garbage bag.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    Some of Maryann’s homemade art<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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    One of Maryann’s home cooked meals<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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    I was anxious to get on my own again and bought a very small mobile home. But I needed so many things \u2014 groceries, shoes, even paying utilities with credit cards. I had no help from anyone. It got to the point where I was paying over $680 a month just on the minimums for six credit cards. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I had sold my engagement ring, pieces of jewelry \u2014 anything you can imagine, I sold. I was out of things to sell.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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    What was your experience like with Beyond Finance?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    In November of 2021, I realized I only had about two more months of being able to make those minimum payments. I had seen ads for Beyond Finance, but being from New York, I\u2019m always suspicious!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    But I spoke with a gentleman from Beyond and he was so supportive and explained everything in detail. I remember asking him, “Why are you helping me?” because I didn’t have people in my life I could turn to. He told me he could see I was going to follow through. He gave me so much faith.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    With Beyond, my payment went from $680 to about $335 a month. It was like the sun came out that month. It changed my whole outlook. I felt like I finally had the right tools to do the job.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    As I went through my program, every time I made a payment, I got to take my little red Sharpie and cross off a payment on my homemade calendar. It was a visual representation of what I accomplished. I kept that on my refrigerator as a weekly reminder of the break I got!<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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    Maryann created her own progress tracker for her program. She shared with our team that she both crossed off and put a check next to each payment that got her closer to graduation!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

    What was it like when you graduated and what\u2019s your life like now?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    It was life-changing. To finally complete it\u2014 man, I can\u2019t tell you. I feel like I can breathe. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I\u2019m a walking testament to this program. It\u2019s not just about the money; it\u2019s a sense of dignity and pride. I felt like such a loser before, and having someone say, “We\u2019re going to give you a chance, kid,” saved me in a lot of ways.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Now that I\u2019m debt-free, there\u2019s just an ease. I actually have money left over in my checking account at the end of the month \u2014 maybe $175 or $200. That\u2019s a big deal! It\u2019s nice to have steak instead of hamburger once in a while.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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