Moneycare the catalyst for lasting change

When Sydney resident Telly hit her mid-30s, she realised she had nothing to show for her life. She knew she needed to change before things spiralled out of control, so she sought help for her mental and financial health.

Putting aside her pride, she made an appointment for financial counselling with The Salvation Army’s free Moneycare service. She was more than $17,000 in debt and the interest was crippling due to her inability to secure a job.

“I [was] kind of sick and tired of that life and I said to myself, ‘the only way is to go up now,’” she remembers. “It was hard. But it was part of a healing journey as well.”

Now 38, Telly is halfway through the payment plan that her Moneycare financial counsellor negotiated on her behalf with her bank. “That was the biggest thing,” Telly says, describing the stress relief after the counsellor helped her develop a manageable budget. “They spoke on my behalf. I don’t know how I would have fared without their help to be honest.”

Telly has since undertaken re-training and secured a job as a beautician. She has hopes and dreams for the future that she never would have imagined three years ago.

“I always keep my payment – never miss it. I don’t want to go through this again. I want to have a good credit rating,” she says.

And she’ll never forget the way the Salvos helped her when she needed it most.

“I think it’s a really great service,” she says of The Salvation Army’s Moneycare. “And they do it out of their good heart. I’ll forever appreciate that.”

By Lauren Martin