At age 22, Elyse was standing at a crossroads with $34,000 in debt with credit card payments, student loans, and a car loan all due at once. Her chosen path: a radical approach to pay off all debt by the time she turned 24. Within months, she went even further, buying her own house using a VA loan. This is not to say that her road to financial well…

Meet Frankie: a financial coach for Ent Credit Union, one of GreenPath’s partners in Colorado. She has expertise in helping others manage their money—and was financially self-reliant from a young age—but it’s often harder to see ourselves as clearly as we see others. Frankie’s “Aha moment” came during a conversation with a GreenPath counselor, duri…

Meet Racheal. She is a true role model when it comes to financial resiliency. Her reality was many people’s worst nightmare: $124,000 of credit card debt following her divorce. Racheal worked with GreenPath to pay off what she owed, enduring Hurrican Ida and a pandemic along the way. As she made progress toward being debt-free, she set aside funds …

Want to start investing but don't know where to start? Or have you been in the game for a while and need a second opinion? And ultimately, do you want to retire someday?!?! If you answered yes to any of these questions, it's time for you to meet our Investment Services partner, Shelby Rothman CFP®, CPFA, AIF, and the founder of EnJoy Financial. At …

Better Banking requires the bestest staff! And that's the responsibility of Jasmine Jimenez and Gain FCU's Human Resources Department. Jasmine joins our hosts to discuss the HR department, working at Gain, and how YOU could become our next associate. As a corporate trainer, it's Jasmine's job to get new employees acquainted with the credit union's …

Today’s story features Nadine, a caregiver and empath who eventually had to focus on her own financial self-care. After retiring earlier than she originally anticipated, Nadine transitioned to caretaking for her husband. Following this period of support, she pondered where to direct her energy and focus, eventually finding herself on an introspecti…

Behind every great frontline staff is a great back office staff to keep the day-to-day operations running smoothly. From processing wire transfers to maintaining a network of ATMs to making sure your new card arrives when your old one expires, our Support Services team has got you covered. And behind our scenes is our back office detective, Stephen…

At a credit union, every single penny must be accounted for and the person in charge of accounting at Gain Federal Credit Union is Alan Pan, "The Money Man." He is the Accounting Supervisor and he and his team are responsible for balancing the books, tracking all the funds that come and go through the credit union and even forecasting the future. A…

Today’s episode features three interwoven stories of financial resiliency. Wendy, a GreenPath employee, invited her mother and younger sister to share their experiences alongside her. In talking with all three women, we explore the unique challenges of different life events: moving to a new country, buying a new home, foreclosure, and paying for co…

Have you ever wished your credit score was a few points higher? Ok, maybe a whole heap of points higher? Whether you're looking to make your next big financing move or just want to keep tabs on your credit and identity, it never hurts to improve your score. Good thing our former VP of Lending, Greg Marcella, is here with two handy tools to monitor …

GreenPath Financial Wellness has a mission to empower people to lead financially healthy lives. They provide the tools that you need to accomplish financial goals, to navigate life's ups and downs, and to pursue your dreams. That includes financial counseling, budgeting advice, housing services and debt management. To learn more, we chatted with fi…

Today’s episode features Jasmine Paul, award-winning children’s book author, certified financial education instructor, and speaker focused on making wealth fun. After finding herself homeless for a brief period during college, Jasmine resolved to turn her financial life around. Learning through books and conversations during her career in the Airfo…

A year into a promising new career path, Jesse was unprepared to lose his job. He found himself relying on his cards for basic living expenses and rent as his credit debt accumulated. He was optimistic that he could make things work with freelancing, but the income wasn’t sustainable. As he considered options to tackle his debt–amidst mounting anxi…

Early in their marriage, Matt and Kendal found themselves at a financial crossroads. Both entered their relationship with children from previous marriages and past bankruptcies. Together, they sought the guidance of GreenPath, creating a strategy to tackle their debt and build sustainable financial habits to carry them into their future. Matt and K…

LeAnn takes pride in helping others. But when it came to asking for help, that didn’t come as naturally. She found herself in a frustrating cycle with her credit card debt: able to maintain minimum payments, but unable to make progress towards payoff. Beyond the financial implications, her mental and physical health were impacted. After making the …

It began innocently enough. Renita visited a mall retailer where she was invited to apply for a credit card that provided a discount. She didn’t even think she would be approved for the card. When she was approved, she felt confident in her ability to successfully manage her new account. Over time, debt started to snowball as she opened additional …

Khalil partnered with GreenPath to improve his credit and pay down his debt helping him purchase his first vehicle.By GreenPath Financial Wellness

Ericka Young, a financial wellness expert and best-selling author of "Naked and Unashamed: 10 Money Conversations Every Couple Must Have", talks about her journey to paying of $90,000 in debt.By GreenPath Financial Wellness

Real $tories episode 41 features Lavell and Nina, two former guests, whose resilience brought them financial wellness.By GreenPath Financial Wellness

The National Academy Foundation (aka. NAF) brings educational programs to high schools to teach subjects that are not a part of most standard curricula. In Burbank Unified School District (aka. BUSD), students can take courses in Medicine, Engineering, and our favorite, Business! These specialized tracks focus on preparing students for the real wor…

Financial wellness is a hot topic these days, and no one knows that better than Greenpath Financial Wellness. We visit with our Corporate Trainer, Jasmine Jimenez to talk about how Greenpath and Gain have come together to support the financial wellness of our Members. From financial counseling to debt management to housing services and more, Greenp…

In today’s episode, we’ll be catching up with two of our former guests, Michele and Natasha, about their path to wellness.By GreenPath Financial Wellness

Have questions about using the equity in your home (or future home) to cover other expenses like home improvement, home repairs, paying off high-interest debt, or even a vacation? Ask Kim, David Kim, that is, the Real Estate Lending Manager at Gain Federal Credit Union. If you've built up equity in your home, a Home Equity Loan or a Home Equity Lin…

Looking for a car AND an "edge" at the dealership? Turn to your credit union and Consumer Lending Manager Robert Lopez. He'll let you know how to prepare and what to look out for when it comes to shopping, financing, and driving home with a sweet new ride and peace of mind. He's got advice for everyone from the first-time auto shopper to the season…

Want to know the ins and outs of Real Estate? There's no better man for the job than Gain's Real Estate Lending Manager David Kim! David has spent his career tapping into the pulse of the housing market and has tips from the inside for homebuyers. Whether you're looking to refinance, upsize, downsize, or just get your feet wet with your very first …

Kitty’s story is one of shame transformed to pride. She wants to change the conversation around money and empower others to speak openly about money.By GreenPath Financial Wellness

Maria Barajas has had a complete tour of the credit union world, from student to intern to ambassador. Next up? Graduating high school! Come learn about Gain's youth programs from one of our star students and youngest contributors! Maria is an Independent Advantage graduate, spent time shadowing all of the credit union's departments as an intern, a…

Better Banking just hit the North Valley and leading the charge is our Director of Branches, Stephanie Gonzalez. Managing a banking branch is one thing, building a new one from scratch is something else altogether. From location to build-out to interior design to Opening Day, hear every step in the process and learn what it takes to bring Better Ba…

Nichelle & Oscar are a reminder to others that when it comes to debt (and the stress it brings) you are never alone. Listen now.By GreenPath Financial Wellness

You can trust Gain with handling your money and securing your sensitive data, and the main man in charge is our Director of IT and "Data Cop", J. Modic. Member or not, you're coming with us on a conversation about how the credit union keeps its Members safe, common hacker tactics to be aware of, and why Eric's dog's name is not a good password. We …

David knows first-hand the importance of financial education and access to resources and opportunities. Listen to his story about tacking student loans, law school, and family.By GreenPath Financial Wellness

Molly McDonald, a single mom of five, rebounded from a financial catastrophe. Her family faced the potential loss of their home. Listen to her story.By GreenPath Financial Wellness

Stephanie has navigated payday loans, credit card debt, student loans, a foreclosure and an eviction. Listen to her story.By GreenPath Financial Wellness

Learn about Independent Advantage, The Better Banking Class for Teens with Laurie Krattiger and Jasmine Dixon, the Community Education Program Coordinators at Gain Federal Credit Union. To Know More visit TheBetterBankingPodcast.com Follow us on social: Facebook: GainCreditUnion Twitter: @gainfcu Instagram: @gainfcu The views and opinions expressed…

Episode 34 features the best financial advice from three experts: Danny, Shannon, and Amanda. Listen to their tips on how to achieve financial wellness.By GreenPath Financial Wellness

We welcome Director of Business Development, Brock Collins of Gain Federal Credit Union to discuss how the Credit Union lends a helping hand to the surrounding community. To Know More visit TheBetterBankingPodcast.com Follow us on social: Facebook: GainCreditUnion Twitter: @GainFCU Instagram: @GainFCU The views and opinions expressed by hosts and g…

We welcome Greg Marcella, the Vice President of Lending at Gain Federal Credit Union to break down the elements that go into calculating your credit score and how you can raise it! To Know More visit TheBetterBankingPodcast.com Follow us on social: Facebook: GainCreditUnion Twitter: @GainFCU Instagram: @GainFCU The views and opinions expressed by h…

In part 2 of Derek's story, he talks about his inspiration to start a financial education program for his fellow inmates which he enhanced with materials from GreenPath.By GreenPath Financial Wellness

We welcome Anna Escobar, the Consumer Loan Specialist at Gain Federal Credit Union to talk about Guaranteed Asset Protection (GAP) Insurance and Mechanical Breakdown Coverage (MBC), two insurance ideas that can help you out in case of an auto accident! To Know More visit TheBetterBankingPodcast.com Follow us on social: Facebook: GainCreditUnion Twi…

We welcome AJ Warna of Auto Expert to tell you how Gain's car shopping service can find, purchase, and deliver the right vehicle to you at the right price. Yes, we deliver and it's all FREE for Gain Members! To Know More visit TheBetterBankingPodcast.com Follow us on social: Facebook: GainCreditUnion Twitter: @GainFCU Instagram: @GainFCU The views …

Derek’s money story is as real as it gets. He has taken the lessons from his past life to fuel his personal growth. Listen to his journey.By GreenPath Financial Wellness

Branch Manager Paul Stewart joins the podcast to talk about our flagship location, the Burbank headquarters! We get an inside look at managing the staff, protecting the community, and serving, you, the member, through the good times, the tough times, and the really tough times. To Know More visit TheBetterBankingPodcast.com Follow us on social: Fac…

Kristin, a loyal listener of our podcast, reflects on her experience with GreenPath and her journey to reach financial wellness.By GreenPath Financial Wellness

Hear from Liz, Nina, Jessie, Lavell, Lauren, and Katie who teach us that while our circumstances may be different, we share the same struggles and triumphs.By GreenPath Financial Wellness

Despite having a mortgage payment that doubled and tens of thousands of dollars of credit card debt, she found a way to persevere.By GreenPath Financial Wellness

The impact of delayed gratification and the value of not comparing your lifestyle to others. Listen to Danny's story.By GreenPath Financial Wellness

Regina has been at a crossroads with her finances. Each time, GreenPath has provided different kinds of support. Listen to her story.By GreenPath Financial Wellness

Financial Literacy Month, which is designated by Congress to raise awareness about the importance of financial literacy education.By GreenPath Financial Wellness

In this episode, we’re going to check in with our very first guest. I originally talked to Katie in December 2018. First, we’ll play some highlights of that interview. (Check out the full original episode here.) Then, we’ll go to a recent conversation with her. Katie’s story is a good reminder that the journey to financial wellness is never a strai…

Long before this podcast was born, our guest, Shannon McLay, was a pioneer. Her podcast, Martinis and Your Money has been going strong for 7 years… and 400 episodes. On her show, Shannon is not shy about talking about her own challenges.By GreenPath Financial Wellness