When Bryan first came to Operation HOPE in November 2023, he was eager to learn. Although his credit history was only six months old, he was already showing signs of discipline and responsibility with a 723 credit core. What he lacked in experience, he made up for with a deep desire to understand credit, build strong financial habits, and improve his situation.
At the time, Bryan was paying $798 a month on a car loan with a shocking 29% interest rate—a situation he had entered when he first bought his car without any established credit. He didn’t understand why he kept getting declined when trying to refinance, and he wanted answers.
That’s when his journey with Financial Wellbeing Coach Ana Andueza began. Through patient and consistent sessions, they explored the fundamentals of credit building, car value, interest rates, and the loan approval process. Bryan asked insightful questions, took notes, and began applying the tools they discussed.
By March 2024, just a few months later, Bryan was more informed, more confident, and had a stronger credit file. He applied for refinancing again and, this time, he was approved, lowering his monthly payments by $300.
“I still remember the joy in his voice when he called me on the way to the bank to finalize the paperwork,” said Ana. “He couldn’t believe it was really happening.”
But Bryan didn’t stop there. They reviewed his auto insurance and found a local provider that saved him an additional $60 per month. They also evaluated his spending habits and set goals around savings. He now has $3,600 saved, a steady increase from the $2,800 he had when he started.
What makes Bryan’s story so special is that he never gave up—he stayed curious, open to learning, and committed to improving his future.
Here’s what he shared with Ana in his own words:
“Hola, buenas noches. Yo me encontraba en una situación muy difícil pagando un préstamo de un auto con altos intereses y pagos mensuales muy altos. Pero gracias a usted, me ayudó a conseguir otras puertas para poder refinanciar mi auto con niveles de intereses y pagos mensuales más bajos. Valoro su tiempo y su dedicación por enseñarme paso a paso el proceso que debía hacer. Me explicó con mucha paciencia para poder entender mejor. No tuvo problema de explicarlo 2 a 3 veces para poder hacer el proceso de la manera correcta. Sinceramente le agradezco por ayudarme y, por supuesto, que recomendaría a otras personas sus servicios que quizás estén pasando por lo mismo. ¡Dios la bendiga!”
“Good evening. I was in a very difficult situation, paying a car loan with high interest and very high monthly payments. But thanks to you, you helped me find new options to refinance my car with much lower interest and monthly payments. I value your time and dedication in teaching me step by step the process I needed to follow. You explained everything with so much patience so I could truly understand—and you had no problem explaining things two or three times to make sure I did it right. I sincerely thank you for helping me, and of course, I would recommend your services to anyone going through the same thing. God bless you!”
Bryan’s journey is a true example of how financial coaching creates transformation. He’s now financially empowered, saving money monthly, and building a future with intention. And he knows he doesn’t have to do it alone.
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