The following excerpts are from real Red to Black clients. Their names have been omitted to protect their anonymity.
- My husband and I were encouraged by our marriage and family therapist to get additional help with our financial matters. She recommended the TTU Red to Black program. Our first visit was in November of [2008]. We came in with concerns regarding budget planning. We had a goal to plan and stick to a monthly budget. [Our counselor] was very helpful. He gave us a packet of information he had gathered from his research. It was a great tool to help us set things up on our computer. He also recommended online budget software which we now have and I use almost daily. During our monthly visits [our counselor] kept encouraging us and let us know we need not give up. He used examples from his own family and used many resources such as the Dave Ramsey program. At our last visit, [we] discussed the fact that my husband and I had reached our goal of planning where all of our money must go each month. What a burden has been lifted with the skills and knowledge that [our counselor] has shared with us. I have recommended the program to others as well.
- In early 2007 my wife and I took a hard look at our finances. Our credit-card debt ran to almost $37,000 and we were making just the minimum monthly payments. We were acquainted with [our counselor] just well enough to know that she had experience with financial planning and wanted to help people who had gotten themselves into predicaments like ours. I was hesitant to disclose our finances to someone else, but after just one meeting my fears were relieved. [Our counselor] communicated clearly, dealt with us compassionately, and treated the whole matter confidentially. Keeping to the principles we discussed and the plan we worked to formulate together, less than two years later we have whittled down that $37,000 to some $6,000- and will pay off that remaining amount at the end of February 2009. (And this without restructuring, declaring bankruptcy, or adversely affecting our credit, while continuing our charitable giving, and having our first child!) [Our counselor] helped us set goals, provided and directed us to the tools we needed, and celebrated with us as we began to climb out of our financial morass. We looked forward to our appointments and came to count [our counselor] as a dear friend. I recommend her counsel without reservation, and only wish that those with similar problems could be as fortunate as we were to find her. I know she can be a great help to many people.