AMANDA BEVAN’S FINANCIAL SUCCESS STORY

For Amanda Bevan, money was always a scary topic.

Originally from West Glacier, Montana, Amanda grew up with her grandparents, who had a very limited income. As an adult, Amanda had little idea what to do other than try to save every penny.

When talking one day with a family friend about how overwhelmed she was feeling financially, Amanda learned about Homeword. Her friend suggested she consider taking Homeword’s financial education class to help her understand how to manage her money better and plan for the future.

“Since we recently moved in together, my boyfriend Sam and I decided to sign up for Katie Sadowski’s class,” said Amanda. “Finances were very challenging for both of us as individuals, not to mention shared expenses.”

In the financial skill building class, Katie immediately made them feel safe discussing financial topics and asking questions. Amanda could face her fears and challenges head-on.

“I think the biggest takeaways for us were budgeting, credit scores and, quite frankly, enjoying talking about finances,” she said. “Katie taught us that talking about money didn’t have to be triggering and scary; it could be fun.”

Amanda began to think differently in class. All her life she’d found it difficult to talk about her money struggles, but this marked a turning point for her.

“Currently, Sam and I are doing quite well financially,” said Amanda. “We talk about finances all the time. Since Homeword, our credit scores have greatly improved, our accounts are more stable, and we are accounting for annual expenses.”

The couple are working towards their short- and long-term goals and finally see the path to reaching them.

“Since Homeword,” she said, “I can confidently say that I will be able to achieve my financial goals. I feel like it’s possible for me to share what I know now with others, achieve my dreams and not be terrified of looking at my bank account.”

Amanda and Sam are also anticipating purchasing a house in the next couple of years, and she attributes this to taking Financial Skill Building.

“Katie and Homeword truly changed our lives,” said Amanda, “and I am grateful every single day for that. We can’t choose our families or circumstances, but we can choose to become financially responsible and knowledgeable.”

Amanda urges anyone reading this to take the class, although she cautions it isn’t easy. For those willing to put in the work, however, she says you can achieve goals you never imagined possible.