In 2024, Arianna had one important financial goal in mind: to rebuild her credit.

“I first reached out to Operation HOPE to discuss credit building,” she explained. “My credit score had dropped immensely from what I had in prior years.”

Like many in the aviation industry, Arianna’s income down-shifted during COVID. As her pay decreased, her reliance on credit cards increased. One balance transfer led to another. Eventually, two credit cards were fully maxed out. Then came additional financial responsibilities including a new car co-signed with a significant other. By 2023, the weight of it all was hard to ignore.

Rather than avoid it, she sought help.

Arianna learned about Operation HOPE through Delta’s wellness and financial wellbeing team, as a part of the HOPE Inside the Workplace program. She was connected to Financial Wellbeing Coach Nikki Jones in Marietta, Georgia.

What started as credit repair quickly became something deeper.

“One of the big things that really helped me was doing budgets and being accountable for those budgets,” Arianna said.

Budgeting wasn’t new to her. She had created budgets before. But this time was different. With Nikki’s guidance, the process moved beyond intention to implementation.

“I made sure I had a budget before the month started and understood where my problem areas were,” she said. “Then I was able to look back each month and see how I actually did.”

That follow-up — looking back at how she actually spent her money — was transformative. “That level of accountability helped me make choices and be more responsible… so at the end of the month I wasn’t so embarrassed about how I spent my money.”

One expense stood out immediately: “How I spent my money to eat out was insane,” she said.

The shift wasn’t about cutting everything out — it was about understanding where her money was going and making more intentional choices. Instead of imposing rigid rules, Nikki helped Arianna build a plan that worked with her lifestyle. Given the nature of her work and how frequently she was on the move, eating out was part of her reality. The goal wasn’t to eliminate it entirely — it was to bring it under control.

“Nikki really listened and let me talk it out,” Arianna said. During her first full month working with Nikki in April 2024, Arianna was spending approximately $900 eating out. One year later, that number had dropped to $150 or less per month.

Over the course of a year and a half, Arianna’s small, consistent financial decisions added up. She saved more than $11,000 and increased her credit score by 61 points. The numbers are impressive — but what excites her most is what they represent.

“I’m excited to spend my money wisely,” she said, “and to be able to share that knowledge with other people and get them excited about being able to be financially free and debt free.”

Now, with her credit steadily improving and savings growing, Arianna has her sights set on a new goal: saving for a house down payment.

Her journey is proof that financial transformation doesn’t always begin with a windfall or a dramatic turnaround. Sometimes, it begins with a hard look at the numbers — and someone willing to help you stay accountable to them.

For Arianna, the breakthrough wasn’t just budgeting. It was taking ownership and building momentum month after month.

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