From Debt-Stuck to Dream-Ready
Dave & Michelle’s Your Budget Mates Story
When Dave and Michelle first came to us, they were carrying more than just financial weight… they were carrying fear, frustration, and a deep sense of disappointment. Their experience with a previous budget provider had left them jaded. Four long years of promises, a sleek app, and smooth-talking support… yet their $100,000 debt barely budged. It didn’t matter that bills were paid or that there was occasional “fun money” because the core issues weren’t being solved. The numbers didn’t lie. They were still stuck.
Their savings? A heartbreaking $50 a week which never survived the month. Their dream of home ownership? Completely stalled. And despite being on a high income, they were living week to week.
Aaron Vogt from Preferred Finance believed in us and what we do and passed on our details to Dave and Michelle (thank you Aaron!). Dave and Michelle held onto that referral for a year before finally reaching out, still unsure if real change was even possible. When we met them in that first discovery session, their trust was shattered. Their hope? Flickering at best. But they showed up. Nervous, cautious, but ready to try… just one more time.
And that’s where everything changed.
We welcomed Dave and Michelle into a 3-month program, and from the moment they said yes, we got to work with empathy, clarity, guidance and genuine care.
The first few weeks were raw and gritty, full of honest conversations and confronting truths. We looked at real numbers, not hopes, not guesses., which began the process of closing down old systems that weren’t serving them, redirecting income, reshaping priorities, and together, we re-imagined their entire financial world from the ground up.
It was in that powerful moment when they stopped outsourcing their future to a system that had kept them stuck, and chose to own their outcomes that everything shifted.
And then… the glow began. 🌟
✨ By the end of three months, they were saving $200 a week consistently. Genuine savings that stayed put. Savings that grew.
✨ We created a crystal-clear debt strategy identifying priorities 1 through 9, snowballing smartly, consolidating wisely, and building a plan that felt achievable and empowering.
✨ For the first time in four years, Dave and Michelle were making confident decisions about their money — and it showed.
Dave and Michelle couldn’t believe how far they’d come. We could. Because this is what happens when people are finally seen, heard, and supported with real, personalised care. When the 3 months ended, they chose to keep going with us and we couldn’t have been more thrilled, because we knew: the best was yet to come.
Over the next 12 months and beyond, we saw the magic unfold. More debt gone. More savings built. More life lived. There were setbacks like a car accident, but this time they were prepared. With their custom budget plan as their anchor, they navigated every challenge with clarity and confidence moving forward at each hurdle.
They replaced their car with a brand new model, and paid it off in just 9 short months. A loan that was meant to last 5 years was gone in less than one! That’s what happens when strategy meets momentum.
Now, more than three years into their journey with Your Budget Mates, Dave and Michelle are debt-free. Let that sink in.
💥 No car loans.
💥 No personal loans.
💥 No credit cards.
💥 No AfterPay.
💥 No stress.
And most powerfully? They now save over $1,000 a week towards their goal of home ownership. That’s not a typo, it’s the result of steady progress, relentless commitment, and a plan that finally worked.
They’re no longer just dreaming of their forever home, they’re preparing to build it, with eyes wide open and hearts full of hope.
In our monthly accountability calls, Dave and Michelle shine. They’re engaged, proactive, and lit up about their future. Their confidence has soared. Their life has changed. And we are so, so proud to be part of it.
It breaks our hearts that they couldn’t achieve these results with their previous provider… but oh, how our hearts sing that they did with us.
This is why we do what we do.
We’re not here for apps and automation.
We’re here for transformation, for human connection, for stories like Dave and Michelle’s.
At Your Budget Mates, we’re walking this path with our clients, cheering them on, guiding them forward, and celebrating every win along the way.
Because when debt no longer defines you… your whole life opens up, and that’s a beautiful thing!
