That’s what flashed on the screen. I scoffed, confused, thinking maybe the machine was broken. Then I checked my phone—nope, I had just maxed out my $16,000 credit card.

To make things worse, I had just financed a GMC Truck. I was 21, already $29,000 in debt, and for the first time, it hit me. Was this normal? Did everyone feel this suffocated? Was everyone just working to keep up with their debt?

Those questions led me straight into personal finance. I realized something fast—without a financial game plan - you're going to get steamrolled.

I was lucky. I worked with some guys in the Air National Guard who actually understood money. They had done it right—paid off debt, built wealth, and set themselves up for freedom. I soaked up everything they taught me.

CARD DECLINED

Fast forward to 2017, when my wife and I made a choice most people thought was insane. I had just come back from deployment, and most guys were buying Corvettes, Tacomas, or tricking out their cars. We did something different.

We took every single dollar I made from deployment and paid off my wife’s $42,000 in student loans.

That one decision set us up for everything we’ve built since. Not all debt is bad, but most of it is. And it turns out, making one right move with money can change your entire future.

Since then, I’ve been helping people with their money—sitting in coffee shops, meeting up at breweries, just talking through real-life financial problems. I did it because I genuinely enjoyed it… and because I saw people’s lives changing.

Today, it feels like no matter how much you make, money doesn’t go as far as it used to. Grocery bills creep up. Housing prices are ridiculous. Even if your income has grown, it still feels like you’re not making progress.

I’ve come a long way since maxing out that credit card. I earn significantly more now as an RN than I did in the military, and because I’ve managed my money well, I should feel that difference.

But even with a strong financial game plan, I can see how the rising cost of everything makes it harder for people to get ahead.
And if I feel that way—someone with no debt and a clear wealth-building strategy—I can only imagine how it feels for people buried under loans, car payments, and credit card balances.

This is why I started Joe Humphrey Financial Coaching.

We live in the richest country in the world, so why doesn’t it feel like it? Why are so many people working 40+ hours a week, year after year, with nothing to show for it?

I want everyone to win. I want you to win.

I've seen firsthand that with the right plan and the right mindset, financial freedom isn’t just possible—it’s inevitable. You don’t have to be stressed about money. You don’t have to feel like you’re just scraping by. You can get your money working for you and finally get back to what actually matters— family, life, and the future you've always wanted.

Fast Forward to 2017 - We Did What No One Else Was Doing

Fast Forward to Today - Why I started Joe Humphrey Financial Coaching

MY STORY