When Valerie came to Natco Credit Union, she reminded us of so many of the members we know. For the past few years, she has been smart about her spending. She hadn’t been able to save up a lot, but her job at a local hotel was enough that she wasn’t falling behind.

Then things changed.

When the pandemic hit, fewer and fewer people were staying at the hotel. There were cuts in hours and staff and Valerie found herself with less income than before. Unfortunately, she didn’t have many expenses that could be cut, she was already managing without a lot discretionary purchases already. The credit card helped cover some necessities, but that’s when the balances started to add up.

The payments started out small enough, but they too began to grow. After a few months, all she could afford were the minimums. But those payments weren’t paying down the balance. Every month, trying to keep up was getting harder and harder.