Shakira: A 2019 Tax Time Winner Keeps Saving
Last year Shakira saw an advertisement for SaverLife on her local news station in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. As the single mother of a six-year-old son, she knew saving and building financial security was essential for her family’s future.
Shakira wrote a story about what she was saving for and entered it in SaverLife’s Tax Time Story Contest, winning $2,500 as the runner up.
“I didn’t hear anything for a while and then I found out I was the runner up!” Shakira remembered.
Through SaverLife, Shakira signed up with a financial coach at Neighborhood Trust. They meet regularly to discuss Shakira’s financial goals.
“Since joining the program I’ve been able to raise my credit score almost 80 points,” she said. Shakira is focused on building an emergency savings fund.
“Before joining SaverLife, I had money saved, but it wasn’t for emergencies,” she explained. “Using SaverLife makes me think twice. I don’t want to take money out of my savings because I’m working toward a goal.”
Building savings has been even more relevant to Shakira since the pandemic began and she was laid off from her job as an office manager.
“With the money I was awarded through SaverLife I was able to pay down my debts,” she said. Since being laid off, she’s made ends meet through unemployment benefits and online activities like completing surveys.
Finding a new job has been difficult with her son at home doing remote schooling, but Shakira stays positive by remembering her goal of opening up a home health care agency. She’s also working on completing her bachelor's degree.
“I want to be a successful business owner,” Shakira said. “With my son being home I’m not able to go out and work. If I’m able to establish my business, I’ll have more freedom and not be worried about my inflow of money.”