Sandra* and her husband live in New Lynn in West Auckland and recently applied for a GetControl Debt Relief Loan to pay off some debts.
Sandra had been working for a few months with a financial mentor at Henderson Budgeting, who suggested she should apply for a Ngā Tāngata Microfinance loan to reduce her debts.
Sandra says she wasn’t sure initially, but she had a look at the NTM website and thought it looked good. “I read a bit of information and got hold of my financial mentor who emailed NTM and helped me apply for the loan.”
She says the process was surprisingly easy. “To be honest, some of the questions worried me at first, like having to disclose personal information, but actually it was really easy. The money came through very quickly and went straight towards paying off our bills.”
“I would definitely recommend a Ngā Tāngata loan to others in the same boat,” Sandra says. “I feel so relieved – like a real weight has been lifted off our shoulders. My husband is happy that the debt is off our record now, and we don’t have to keep worrying about it.”
“Working with the financial mentor has been very helpful too – letting us know what is out there and giving advice on what we should do. Things like trying to negotiate interest rates and make sure any future borrowing fits into our budget. It’s about learning how to manage money better, so you don’t go back and fall into that position again.”
*Note: all names including those of the loan companies have been changed. Any re-publishing of these case studies need the permission of Ngā Tāngata Microfinance Ltd.