Client Stories

Learning About Car Finance or Home Financing…Gave Me a Way Better Perspective on it

Some clients who work with SEED find themselves in situations where they feel trapped, with few options to change their circumstances. Rylee Nepinak faces a different set of challenges. Like many young people, the professional story of his life is just beginning, and he is exploring his options.

At the age of 21, Rylee has already built an impressive list of work experience. WASAC (Winnipeg Aboriginal Sports Achievement Centre) gave him his first day job at 15. He continues to work with them today, and also works at his local community centre and with Green Team, both jobs involve mentoring youth, either after school or over the summer.

Rylee also trained and worked in carpentry, and while attending Neeginan College Carpentry, he enrolled in SEED’s Money Management Training course, taught by Millie Acuna, Asset Building Programs Manager. He completed carpentry school and the Money Management Training, then went on to complete SEED’s Saving Circle program.

I was having problems saving cheque to cheque

“Being in school, it wasn’t really a topic that was touched on as much as it should be, so when it came more to learning about car finance or home financing, the program gave me a way better perspective on it. I valued how in-depth it went about finance and home ownership, because I never really got that in high school. It was practical. We had to find an actual car that we wanted to buy and go through the actual process of buying it – on paper. It prepared me to buy my own car.

He bought a used Chrysler 300, his dream car. He uses it to go grocery shopping or to chauffeur family around. “It gets the necessities of my life done easier, it’s more convenient for me and my family.” It’s not all work though, as he admits to also using the car to “take the girls out on dates.”

“Before [Money Management Training] I was pretty bad with money,” Rylee confesses. “I was having problems saving cheque to cheque.” He believes the program opens doors for youth, “I’ve recommended this program to a lot of my friends and family.” They have benefited from the programs too, mostly signing up for SEED’s Community Referral program to open a free bank account. “Not everyone wants to commit the two months to the Saving Circle.”

With a better understanding of budgeting and his personal finances, he now knows what is reasonable to expect, and he has the tools to weigh the value of different paths.

One thing is clear: Rylee will continue to work hard and explore his world. “I spent a little time on EIA and just not doing something for that period of time – months of not doing something – just really bugged me. We have a lot of free time when we’re young, and I don’t want to waste it.”

Rylee remains grateful to SEED for helping him to navigate it all. “SEED is a great organization. Millie is an awesome coordinator, they should know that they’re very lucky to have a coordinator like her. She has definitely had an awesome influence on my life.”