RADCLIFF, Ky.– Abound’s Dollars & $ense Personalized Financial Counseling Program, a free, one-on-one financial coaching initiative to help participants build confidence and achieve long-term financial wellness, recently won the statewide Desjardins Adult Financial Education Award.
“Financial education is most effective when it’s personal, practical, and tailored to an individual’s unique circumstances,” says Ray Springsteen, President & CEO of Abound Credit Union. “By connecting participants with one of our 31 nationally certified Credit Union Financial Counselors, Abound is helping create lasting change for our fellow Kentuckians.”
The Dollars & $ense program provides individualized support through a structured 4-session coaching model. Sessions are in person or virtual, removing transportation and scheduling barriers. Participants work directly with an Abound counselor to identify goals, evaluate spending habits, create savings and budgeting plans, understand credit factors, and develop strategies to reduce financial stress and build long-term stability.
In just the first four months of the program, Members completing the counseling process experienced credit score increases, an increase in savings, and debt reduction.
Here are what a few recent participants had to say:
- “I just had my final meeting with my counselor last week. I was able to refinance a loan, reducing my interest rate from 27% APR to 18% APR. When I started this journey, my goal was to get myself in a better financial standing to eventually purchase my own home and vehicle. I’m confident I’m on the right track. This was worth my time, without a doubt. I even have $500 sitting in my savings account right now, which is a first for me.” – Radcliff Member
- “I finished my final session with my counselor. My end goal is to buy my own home. I’m finally on a path to do that. Through this program, I’ve not only made my car payments on time, but I’ve put $1,000 additional toward my principal balance. I plan to keep this pattern which means my car will be paid off three years early! I was able to get approved for my first credit card and I finally feel like I have a cushion for emergencies, something I’ve never had before.” – Bowling Green Member
- “When I started this program I truly didn’t think the Abound counselor would teach me anything I didn’t already know. While I’m not a big saver, I’m also not a big spender so I thought it all evened out. Little did I know what opening a High Yield Savings account would do for me. I found myself with a few hospital bills and instead of using my credit card to pay them off, I was able to get into my Savings account to pay exactly what I needed. It was nice to be set up for a tight financial decision without going into debt. My financial knowledge has increased in ways I didn’t expect and I’m grateful I made time to finish this program.” – Elizabethtown Member
Through these individualized coaching relationships, Abound empowers individuals to make informed financial decisions that strengthen both their personal financial well-being and the overall health of their communities. Dollars & Sense is part of Abound’s broader commitment to financial education throughout Kentucky.
