A dream of a better life, and how it became real

Years of domestic violence did not shatter Linda’s ability to dream of a better life for her kids.

But she was yet to fully comprehend getting her kids away from her violent ex-partner was only the start.

On escaping, Linda did not know she would have to fight her way out of the debt tied to that violent relationship. All the while raising two children and working full time.

“Sometimes things aren’t as easy as they seem, there are a lot of things that happen that we just don’t want to talk about as they’re so raw it hurts,” Linda says of the toll of those years.

“Often we are ashamed or when we finally do come to terms with it, naturally we just want to put it behind us and move on.”

Linda was driven by the ambition to build the best possible life for her children, including her dream of one day owning her own home.

“I went through so much guilt for not being able to do more for my children, trying to ensure they had a much better life than what we had.”

“I knew none of it was my fault and I couldn’t change a lot of it even if I tried, but as a mum I knew they deserved better and wished every day that they had the best, brightest childhood”

Linda says she had made poor decisions with money in the fight to pay off the debts she inherited. But she kept fighting hard to stay on the path to financial wellbeing.

This included working several jobs to restore her credit rating and provide her children with a stable living environment.

She went to great lengths to give her kids a chance at the simple pleasures of childhood - including volunteering at the local soccer in exchange for discounted fees so her kids could continue to play.

Linda finally worked herself into a position where she had saved more than $100,000 for a deposit for a new home.

Helping a customer succeed

That is when Linda was introduced to ANZ Mobile Lender Glen Wilkins.

Glen brought 25 years of specialist knowledge and guidance to his chats with Linda. He says getting a result comes from valuing a customer’s time as you would your own.

Glen took the time to understand Linda’s personal story and challenges and the two workshopped multiple scenarios to help take Linda forward.

“I needed to understand Linda’s journey resulting in how she got to where she was both personally and financially. When you witness the strength of your client, to navigate through these personal and financial challenges and still position herself to potentially purchase her own home… it’s easy to support her cause,” he says.

Glen’s ultimate goal was to help educate Linda and give her a full understanding of her money and financial situation. This would help her take control of her family’s financial future and build a better life for them.

“I didn’t have anyone to give me financial help or advice, just some friends who made suggestions. Glen took the time understand my journey,” she says.

Linda recently achieved her dream of providing a house for her kids and says her new-found confidence around money and financial security has brought enormous peace of mind. These are crucial lessons for Linda and for all of us.

Financial Wellbeing isn’t about how much you earn or how much you know about money. It’s about the ability to meet your current commitments comfortably and have the financial resilience to maintain this into the future.

Our network of ANZ Mobile Lenders across the country are committed to shaping a world where people and communities thrive. Supporting customers and the community to make the most of their money throughout their lives is critical to this.

Nathalie Hesse is Head of Mobile Lending at ANZ