Sharing Their Story

Bill E., a professional videographer, has been helping other people tell their stories for years. He and his wife, Heidrun, never imagined they’d be sharing their own in this way, but they want to be sure others know: a few unexpected expenses can make it easy to get in over your head in debt. What they also want people to know is that there’s a way out of it, too. As they told their story, they looked back – a few moments of financial uncertainty over the years, a promotional credit card that seemed to offer savings, another account they maybe shouldn’t have opened. And suddenly, by mid-2024, they had an unmanageable monthly payment requirement. It was unsustainable. They reached out to a debt consolidation company and very nearly signed the contract, but thought twice about it, knowing it might harm their credit.     

As long-time Self-Help Credit Union members, they decided to go into their nearby branch in Durham, North Carolina, in hopes of some guidance. What they didn’t realize was that Self-Help had rolled out a program offering free financial coaching to Self-Help members in all our branches across 9 states. They went ahead and signed up, unaware at the time of what a difference it would make. First, through the coaching, their monthly payments were negotiated down, saving the couple over $500 per month. Then they worked with their coach on a plan to rebuild their credit that had suffered as a result of their situation. They met with their financial coach each month, and in each meeting discussed different changes – some small, some large – that they could make to improve their situation. Heidrun especially excelled at tracking household expenses. It was fun and satisfying. Now, three months later, they have a manageable monthly payment and are paying down their debt, and their credit score jumped a substantial 125 points.   

Bill’s passion for videography comes from his desire to help families preserve their stories for generations to come. Now, the couple has peace of mind around their own story.