Bouncing back from divorce and saving for college:

“I had gone through a divorce and I wanted to get a clear picture where my finances were. In particular I wanted to start saving towards my son’s college fund and didn’t know how to manage my other priorities to do that.  Also when I was going through my divorce it really hurt my finances; it brought my bank accounts down to zero and I had to take on some credit card debt.  I so was worried that might happen again; it I felt like I had PTSD. 
 
I liked working with Christine because she is very approachable and relatable. I was telling her my worries and problems and she understood – she understood how anxious I was and that it felt like PTSD. I never once felt judged. I went with her because I didn’t think I would get that at a big firm.  Also she gives you this spreadsheet tool that this is genius. It changed my relationship with money and showed me exactly how to hit my goals in black and white. I saw that, yes, they really could happen.
 
Since working with Christine, I was absolutely able to start saving for my son’s college tuition, I paid off my credit card, and I have several months’ worth of savings in my account. I am more knowledgeable about keeping my retirement on track as well. I know how to be smart about all of it, so I don’t get the anxiety that I did before. That cloud hanging over my head is gone. I have more knowledge and more control of what everything is and where everything is going to. I feel 100% more at peace with my finances.”

Going from feeling grim about the future to excited and positive:

“I wanted to work with a coach for a few reasons.  I felt very, very grim about the future. I thought I’d never pay off my student loans. When I came to Christine, I had literally $0 for emergencies, which scared me.  I knew I needed to get my butt into gear and save some money, but I had tried to change this on my own in the past but I wasn’t able to.
I was a bit hesitant to participate in financial coaching, though, because my boyfriend is in finance and I thought maybe I should just get my information from him. But in practice, I never took his advice; it’s different when it’s coming from a loved one. It was just nice to work with Christine because she’s paid off the loans before and she knows what the anxiety of having that debt on your back is. 

Working with Christine gave me the tools and accountability I needed to finally change my behavior. Knowing that every other week you’re going to have to meet with your financial coach and go over what you spent makes it so much easier to stay on track. But it wasn’t just the accountability factor that helped get me on track. That I would have probably gotten with a friend. She gave me tools and exercises to clarify my priorities and find less expensive ways to get what I wanted most – that was a big help. I don’t deprive myself because I still go out as much as I used to. I just don’t spend as much money doing it.

Since going through this process I definitely think a lot more before I pull out my debit or credit card when I do pull up my debit card now, it’s just a completely different feeling. It’s like I’m coaching myself every time I touch my card because I know the power that I have in my hand, just from the progress that I’ve made.
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I feel a lot more positive about my financial future because I have new habits that are going to set me up to be successful.  Before, my student loans made me almost regretful about some of the decisions I’ve made regarding school. But I’m actually very passionate in my career and now that I have a plan, I love the choices that I’ve made. In the short three months I saved more money than I ever thought I would have in the bank. I haven’t touched it. That’s amazing to me.  I’ve just been holding onto some of those debt for years and soon the debt is just going to be being gone.  I don’t think there’s a feeling to describe it! I think it’s going to be the best feeling ever.
 
I’m excited about the future now. If I build these good habits I’ll be able to put 10% down on a house and maybe I’ll be able to buy a car outright. Those are the types of things I want my future and now they are within reach.”

Getting her budget in gear and killing her debt:

“I’m never going to stop singing the praises of my financial guru Christine Lane. If you want to get better about your finances from saving to budgeting to planning for anything, you NEED to work with her. She really knows her stuff and by following the plan she outlined for me, I’ll be COMPLETELY free of my student loans in 2 years instead of closer to the ten years the loan companies had planned.
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​PLUS, she has a psychology background and totally gets the mental aspects of saving and spending. This has been huge for me to have someone realize it’s not just about the numbers. She provides accountability in a way that isn’t annoying or judgmental, while celebrating your achievements with you. She also leaves room in your budget for fun.
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As a result of working with Chris, I am saving money, have my retirement plan on track, and feel more confident in my future. I have already recommended Chris to many of my friends and will continue to do so.”

Getting motivated and taking control to ditch the debt and anxiety:

I wanted finances to be a part of my life that I am comfortable with – not something I’m constantly stressed about and ashamed of. In the past, this was an area of my life that I struggled to really take ownership of. Now, after working with Christine I feel incredibly motivated and empowered knowing there is a plan in place and I will get to this next stage where my focus can shift to accruing wealth instead of constantly struggling.
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As a result of the consultations I am in the most control of my financial situation that I ever have been and am effectively working toward my goals. What I liked about the process was being held accountable for progress and to have actual momentum between calls. I liked knowing there was someone interested in and excited about my progress in this area – my debt is not something I talk about openly with my friends and family and it has been great to have a trusted confidante in this area who has a perspective to share.

Will I be wealthier next year and five years from now as a result of going through this process?  Yes! I know once I put this debt behind me I can put the same dedicated intensity toward building savings. I hope I can always keep this positive momentum. Christine is great. She’s a really approachable entry level to personal finance consultant.” 

Becoming her own expert and gaining peace of mind:

“I started working with Christine because I wanted to pay off my student loans more quickly. Also, I wanted to better understand my retirement plan at work; I wasn’t sure if it would be sufficient down the road.

At first I was concerned about working with a financial consultant because I was worried about getting negative feedback and walking away from the process feeling defeated versus empowered. But working with Christine, I was really pleasantly surprised. She has a background in psychology and works that into her sessions with so I walked away from them feeling motivated. Accountability without judgement is her superpower!
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On the numbers side, she helped me create a plan that allowed me to speed up the process of paying off my student loans significantly. Also, now I know what to expect from my company’s retirement plan, and know what else I can do to make myself financially secure. 
This process has definitely given me peace of mind and a better understanding of personal finance; I feel empowered to make decisions for myself going forward. I know I will be wealthier in the future as a result of going through this process; it was well worth the cost. To people thinking about working with Christine I would say, just do it!”