Maria, a 42-year-old single mother of two, worked full-time to support her family but struggled to keep up with rising living expenses. With nearly $8,000 in credit card debt from unexpected costs like car repairs, school expenses, and medical bills, homeownership felt like an impossible dream.

Determined to improve her situation, Maria turned to NHSNYC for financial counseling. A certified counselor reviewed her income, expenses, debt, savings, and credit history, then helped her create a realistic budget and personalized action plan. Together, they identified ways to reduce spending, pay down debt, build savings, and improve her credit. Maria also learned how credit scores work and how stronger financial habits could help her qualify for a mortgage.

Over the next six months, Maria  tracked her spending, set up automatic bill payments, and reduced unnecessary expenses. As a result, she paid off about $2,500 in credit card debt, built an emergency fund of $1,200, and raised her credit score by more than 40 points.

Today, Maria is working with an NHSNYC first-time homebuyer counselor and continuing to strengthen her finances. With less debt, growing savings, and greater financial confidence, she is steadily moving toward homeownership.