Money and marriage: how budgeting and paying off debt brought a young couple closer together

When Jill and Joe* entered into the upLIFT coaching program at Lebanon County Christian Ministries, they were struggling to take care of their family financially and finding it difficult to get ahead.

“We were pretty close to hitting rock bottom financially, struggling with basics like diapers, wipes, and formula,” Jill said. “We had the money, but we really didn’t know how to manage it.”
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The upLIFT program is an intensive walk with people who are ready, willing, and able to work toward goals they set to achieve greater stability in their lives.

     We made it very, very far. If we didn’t have this program, I don’t know where we’d be as a couple.”

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LCCM uses the Financial Peace University model of financial education, which walks its upLIFT participants through the”7 Baby Steps’ developed by personal finance expert Dave Ramsey. Generally, during their time in the program, participants work on steps 1-3.

Each member works with an LCCM coach who will help them work toward goals such as getting resources in the areas of health, food, employment, childcare, utility payment assistance programs, and time management.

For those who set financial goals such as budgeting, debt elimination and savings, they have the additional option of working with a financial coach.
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LCCM uses Bowman Financial Solutions, owned by Ryan Bowman, who is a certified Financial Peace University coach. Financial Peace University is a proven financial program created by personal finance expert Dave Ramsey. It offers a step-by-step guide on how to budget, beat debt, invest wisely, and take control of your money, which has nationally helped millions of people.
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The young couple worked with both Bowman and LCCM’s life coach to work toward improving their finances.

This has allowed them to focus on tackling another stressor – affording a family vehicle. Not only that, but they have an account set up specifically just for their rent payments so they never have to worry about how they’re going to afford it month to month.

“This brought us together in a sense because we didn’t originally work on bills together, but now we find a way to work together on it,” Jill said. “We came up with a system for both of us. It made us sit down and have conversations.”

​Because the financial stress was lifting, Joe’s health improved. A big goal that he worked on with Lesvi Vazquez, LCCM’s upLIFT coach, was finding a primary care doctor and attending appointments.

“She was a lot of the motivation,” Jill said. “She was like, ‘come on guys, you got this! Make your appointments.’ She encouraged us to keep going even when we hit a hard spot or got stuck. She encouraged us toward our goals.”

Joe said because of the financial stress he was under before the program, he became overweight. Thanks to a budget, they no longer had to buy junk food at the grocery store just because it was cheaper.

“We had money to get healthier food for ourselves,” he said.

As a result, he lost over 70 pounds during this time period.

The financial changes they made not only helped to stabilize their economic situation, but it had a dramatic effect on their marriage. They were encouraged by their coaches to pray together.

“We saw prayers being answered in those 9 months and it was really eye opening,” Joe said.

​Now that they have graduated, they offer this advice to anyone who is struggling like they did:
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“Don’t be afraid to take the chance on being better. Just reach out for help. You don’t realize how much you need it until you have it,” Jill said.

“We made it very, very far,” Joe added.

“If we didn’t have this program, I don’t know where we’d be as a couple.”

(Names changed).

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