Final numbers are in from Project Money Season 13 – and they’re impressive! After working one-on-one with a Summit Financial Coach for seven months to take control of their daily financial lives, the four Project Money teams have incredible debt reductions and savings to show for all their hard work. (And one team has a $10,000 prize!)
Now they’re sharing the valuable insights they gained along the way with you. Check out each team’s practical tips and inspiration below – it could be the start of big financial turning points in your life too.
And the winner is...kATIE!
Congratulations, Katie, on winning the 13th season of Project Money – and taking home the $10,000 grand prize! Before Project Money, Katie felt the pressure of balancing urgent monthly bills with long-term goals like building retirement and college funds. After completing the program, she’s proud to have established a budget that allows her to comfortably achieve both. Beyond her impressive debt reduction and savings progress, Katie has gained knowledge and tools that she’s shared with her children along the way. In the years ahead, she’s excited to continue building on her rock-solid foundation by prioritizing her retirement savings and creating an estate plan. Well done, Katie!
Her advice for owning your finances:
- Explore your “why” to determine what is important to you and set achievable goals accordingly.
- Use all the resources available to you, like working with a Summit coach!
- Start tracking your expenses and net worth! It’s hard to improve your finances if you aren’t looking at the whole picture.
Total Savings Increase: $19,180
Total Debt Reduction: $3,955
MARY & JOSH
At the outset of their Project Money experience, Mary and Josh aimed to find a balance between saving and spending after buying a new home. By sticking to their budget and staying disciplined in their savings habits, the couple is feeling relief from the weight of their financial stress and enjoying a newfound confidence when it comes to money. Their new approach and the skills they’ve learned in the program have allowed them to focus less on the day-to-day and more on big picture goals, like building an emergency savings, buying a new car and saving for their kids’ education. You have so much to be proud of, you two!
Their advice for owning your finances:
- Treat your savings like a monthly bill. Once you put it in, don’t touch it!
- Don’t lose faith. Even if you have a setback or are discouraged, trust your plan and stick with it.
- Set concrete goals. Seeing how close you are to achieving them is a powerful motivator!
Total Savings Increase: $28,737
Total Debt Reduction: $14,477
JASMINE
Jasmine was confident that she could transform her financial outlook – she just needed the knowledge and structure to make the right changes. After her Project Money journey, she’s seeing the brighter financial future she dreamed of at the beginning! The accountability of working with her Summit coach gave her the foundation to start prioritizing her savings and cutting out problem spending – which in turn gave her the financial confidence to buy a home! In the future, she’s eager to take on the challenge of buying and managing more properties to keep growing her income and providing more opportunities for her family. We know you’ll keep owning it, Jasmine!
Her advice for owning your finances:
- Use Summit’s Climbr® tool to keep track of expenses and hold yourself accountable.
- If you often overspend on something (like takeout), set a monthly limit and stick to it.
- Set smart monthly goals that will help you stay consistent.
Total Debt Reduction: $11,513
Total Savings Increase: $1,737
KELLY & ERIC
Always on the go, Kelly and Eric set out to build a disciplined financial foundation so they could reduce the stress of growing debt and a lack of savings. By diligently sticking to the plan they built with their Summit coach, they’ve reached a place of comfort they had never known when it came to their finances. The couple has made some impressive changes to start building up their emergency savings and slash their debt, and they look forward to tackling long-term goals like buying another car and growing their retirement funds. Keep up the great work, Kelly and Eric!
Their advice for owning your finances:
- If you don't have an emergency savings account, start there. It's the safety net that helps you make all the other decisions.
- Simplify your accounts to help you keep track of exactly how much you have.
- Set aside money from each paycheck for upcoming expenses so you won’t have to scramble when the time comes.
Total Savings Increase: $21,413
Total Debt Reduction: $6,724
Congratulations to all the teams on these amazing accomplishments! If you missed our other Project Money blogs, check out their money management tips.
