>> Major funding for "Opportunity Knock$" is provided by the National Council for Financial Opportunities, a nonprofit dedicated to reducing poverty and creating economic mobility by breaking down systematic barriers, increasing equitable access to capital, and making opportunity accessible to all.

Its programmatic areas of focus include financial resiliency, financial accessibility, and income adequacy.

Additional funding provided by Balance, a national nonprofit financial counseling agency.

And by Callahan & Associates, which facilitates collaboration between financial cooperatives.

Previously on "Opportunity Knock$"... Over the next three months, each of you will get undivided time with one of these three financial coaches.

>> I don't want to discredit that we've made a lot of progress since we first started dating a million years ago, but how do we make our money grow?

>> I just recently moved to Tampa from Upstate New York.

I shouldn't be scared for my kids to be able to play outside.

>> I feel stuck.

I'm stuck in my job.

>> My biggest fear is to be a financial burden to somebody.

>> Every day, millions of Americans must make the choice between rent and food.

"Opportunity Knock$" has matched three expert coaches with six struggling families to give a personalized financial experience that even you can benefit from.

Through this journey, we will see that the American dream is possible with the right advice.

Will the obstacles they face prove to be too much for these six families or will the coaches help them open the door when opportunity knocks?

♪ Coach Louis Barajas is here for his first meeting with Fiona and James, who rent one of the units in a turn-of-the-century fourplex in Los Angeles, California.

>> Welcome.

>> Hey.

>> Nice to meet you.

>> Nice to meet you, Fiona.

>> Hi.

Nice to meet you.

>> Nice to meet you, too.

>> Welcome.

>> Thank you.

I'll follow you.

>> Alright.

Come on in.

>> Welcome to our home.

>> Thank you.

Oh, my gosh.

Look at this piano.

How did you get that up the stairs?

>> Well, it was four very large men, step by step.

>> Oh, my gosh.

>> And we moved -- It took three hours to move it up.

>> What are you guys going to do when you move out?

>> I don't know yet.

I've done a little research on Louis, and I love that he calls himself "The Financial Healer."

I just feel like he's your best friend, and he's already just -- "Hey, nice piano."

And, like, he just has a way to make you feel really comfortable.

>> Yeah.

>> So, if you can just share with me where you're at, where you want to be.

Tell me a little bit about your life story.

>> Yeah.

Well, we met about seven years ago... >> Seven years ago.

>> ...online, which is kind of fun.

[ Laughs ] >> Intentionally?

You were looking?

>> Yeah, yeah.

We were late bloomers.

We both came out here to be artists.

I'm an actor, and he's a musician.

And then we had to get regular jobs to really pay the bills.

So, I fell into the beauty industry and I became an eyebrow artist until COVID hit.

I had a mobile brow business.

I would go to all these different companies and go in and do all their brows, and I did pretty well.

But when the pandemic hit, it basically all stopped.

>> So, similar to her, I followed my dreams out here.

My first big fear was that I was going to fail in L.A. and have to move back East.

And so I decided that I need to get a day job in a way.

But I also loved science.

So my mom did mention -- she's like, "Why don't you become a sub, substitute teacher?"

I'm like, "Okay, I'll give it a shot."

15 years later, I'm here.

And, you know, I'm sort of hit that kind of ceiling of like, "What's next?"

>> Well, and then, on top of it all, the cost of living in L.A. has just rose... >> It's skyrocketed.

>> ...more and more.

>> So I'm starting to feel inflation's going up.

Everything's going up.

And my salary is not really going up much.

And so, to start a family gives me a lot of anxiety in L.A. >> And then when we started trying to get pregnant, I didn't realize my body was so stressed out.

Then realized we needed help in trying to get pregnant.

>> So you've had problems getting pregnant?

>> Yeah.

>> Okay.

So, what methods are you using?

>> We started with the IUI, with this intravenous.

>> Mm-hmm.

>> An IUI was the cheapest route.

It's about $3,000, roughly.

And they're basically taking the sperm and then putting it in and then crossing your fingers.

Just kind of, like, helping the process along.

>> Did three tries of that and then said, "Okay."

We went to the IVF, done it twice.

>> It was very traumatic.

And -- >> I mean, the hard part that we're learning is, you know, you have a very unique body.

Every person is different.

Of course, in the medical industry, they give you, "Well, we know it works for thousands of women.

We're going to give you the same clinical methodology, but everyone is different."

And so she had some really negative, negative reactions.

>> It was really sensitive.

>> And it's an art form.

I mean, there's nothing perfect about the fertility world.

>> And on top of it all, because he's in education, he doesn't get fertility benefits.

All of this is out of pocket.

>> So, how much money have you already spent?

>> So, we've spent, in total, $75,000.

And we're not done with this.

We're still spending money.

>> You probably financed a lot of this IVF?

>> Of course, yes.

>> And, so, what were the payments on the IVF?

What are your payments?

>> We have a total of $35,000 in loans, and so our payments are -- have been equaling about $800 a month.

>> I mean, that's got to put a tremendous amount of pressure on you guys.

Let's be honest.

What kind of a burden is it putting on the marriage?

♪ ♪ >> Coach Patrice Washington has arrived to meet with Michelle, a single mother of three who recently moved from her hometown in New York to Tampa, Florida.

>> Hi!

>> Hello.

Good morning.

>> How are you?

>> Alright.

>> Thank you for having me in your home.

>> Yes.

Thanks for coming.

I'm extremely nervous to be going on this financial journey, because one of my biggest fears is running out of money.

>> What brought you down to Tampa?

>> Weather.

[ Laughs ] Growing up, I lived between my mom and my dad.

And, you know, majority of the time I spent with my dad.

But the times when I did go to my mom's house, you always heard her complaining about, you know, a bill or having to make ends meet.

My intentions of coming here was, "Okay, I'm gonna drive a school bus."

I drove school bus for 10 years out there.

I was the CDL teacher, you know, out there.

But then, okay, they hired you.

Now let's talk about pay.

And it was a big pay cut coming here.

>> And you're a single mom?

>> Yes.

>> Okay.

You enjoy this job or do you feel like you're just doing it because you have to?

>> I enjoy it.

Like, I enjoy being a school-bus driver.

>> Okay.

So, if I said, what is your dream job, though, would you say... >> My goal is to own a transportation business.

>> Really?

>> Yes.

>> Oh, my gosh.

Okay, so, tell me about that.

You want to own a transportation service?

>> Yes, I actually want to do, like, a Medicaid cab.

>> What is that?

>> So, as you know, a lot of people need rides to their appointments, the elderly, you know, like dialysis and stuff like that.

So, I know, like, insurance usually covers rides like that.

>> Yes.

>> So I would like to be that ride.

>> Oh, my gosh.

I love that.

How did you learn about this medi-cab business?

>> I actually had a friend who started one out in New York, and I see there's a great need for it.

And I know a lot of people come here to retire.

>> That's what I was going to say.

This is supposed to be a retirement capital.

So that definitely sounds like a great niche.

>> And I was also thinking like party buses or just rides in general.

You know, a lot of people want to go to Miami or to Disney.

So, whatever I decide to do, I know it's going to be some type of driving.

>> Okay, so, what's stopping you from pursuing that?

>> Knowing the steps.

You know, I don't really know what I need to do to start it.

And definitely money.

You know, everything starts with money.

I don't feel like I actually have that space to come up with the money to start a business.

>> Okay, so, I'm gonna challenge you a little bit here.

So, you said everything starts with money.

I think everything starts with your mindset.

>> Yes.

>> Mindset is first, because if you have your mindset dialed in, then you'll find a way to get to the money.

The mindset is not, "Oh, it takes money to make money," right?

The mindset has to be, "This is what I want to do, and I'm going to figure out the next best step to get there."

>> Definitely.

>> Yeah.

>> Definitely.

>> Okay, so, that's where we're starting.

Okay, so, you talked about money.

Let's dive into that a little bit.

So, what's going on with the finances?

>> So, I definitely live paycheck-to-paycheck.

So just being able to, you know, stay above water and just not be completely broke is hard.

>> Yeah.

So, break down check-to-check.

What does that look like?

>> I do have Section 8, but at one point, the income was pretty good and they were going to kick me off.

>> Mm-hmm.

>> But COVID hit.

So COVID kind of, like, allowed me to get it back.

So, you know, toward more toward the end, 2021, I packed up and moved.

>> Yeah.

Do you feel like Section 8 is a blessing, but also a hindrance?

>> Yes.

Both.

>> Okay.

>> Both because, you know, it makes you not work to your full potential, I feel.

It was times where I'd be like, "You know, I need the overtime, but I know if I do this overtime, I know my rent's going to go up."

I believe Section 8 keeps me stagnated.

I feel like if I work too much, they're going to raise the rent.

But then if I don't work, yes, the rent stays low, but I still have to pay the other bills, so it's impossible either way.

It's hard.

So, Section 8 puts you in a place where you're never really going to succeed because you're never going to work up to your full capacity because you want their help.

>> Well, I'm gonna have to be honest with you.

Where you are right now and for what you said you want to do, which is start your business, it's ridiculous.

♪ ♪ >> Coach Jean Chatzky is walking up for her initial coach meeting with Juliette and Hannah, who live with their young daughter in South Philadelphia.

>> Hi!

>> I'm Jean.

>> Hi, Jean.

How are you?

>> Nice to meet you.

>> Hi.

I am Juliette.

>> Hi, Juliette.

>> Come on in.

>> Thanks.

>> Oh, no.

Here she is, like, this famous woman who is going to destroy us.

[ Both laugh ] >> You want a cup of coffee?

>> Oh, no.

I'm fully caffeinated, but thank you so much.

>> But, like, as soon as Jean said "Hello," she just seemed so warm.

This very successful, well-educated woman is really chill, and I wasn't expecting chill.

>> I want to dive into your finances, but, first, I want to dive into your lives a little bit, if that's okay.

>> We were in similar friend groups.

>> And I was, like, really trying to be straight.

Like, really -- I was giving it a college try.

But then I realized, like, I had really strong feelings for Jules, and I kissed her.

I made the first move.

>> You did?

>> Yeah.

>> Wow.

>> And we've been together basically since we were like 23 years old, so over 10 years.

>> Oh, wow.

How about your life here in Philly?

Where are you working?

A little more -- Just a little more history.

>> Jules got into Penn, and then I got a job in Philly.

>> So, when you got into Penn, what was it for?

>> Got my master's in social work.

>> What kind of social worker are you?

>> I'm a school social worker, so I work with children and families in an elementary school.

>> Not a lucrative -- not a lucrative social worker.

>> Right.

Right.

>> And are you happy here?

Is this where you're planning to stay, to grow your family?

>> We just really ended up falling in love with the city.

We got married here.

We bought a home here.

We started our family here.

Yeah, so we're in for the long run.

>> What are your biggest financial issues at this point?

And what do you want?

What are you looking to change?

>> We have debt that we don't know what to do with.

And we want to grow our family, and we're unsure if, like, financially, if we can do that.

>> Yeah.

>> And as a same-sex couple, it's a little bit more expensive to even get the process going.

>> Just to even get pregnant.

>> Yeah.

How much did it cost to get pregnant?

>> Each insemination is $350.

So, between everything, I think probably $7,000.

Like, every time we would go in there, it was ka-ching.

>> Yeah.

No, I mean, I remember trying to have a baby.

It doesn't happen on the first time.

>> Yeah.

>> Right?

>> We both come from big families, and our siblings are such a gift.

And we always dreamed of, when we had our family, to be able to give our child a sibling.

And it's just hard to think about how we would make that work.

>> And then you also want to grow your business, too.

>> What business?

>> So, I started a Teachers Pay Teachers store.

Teachers Pay Teachers is a website where teachers can go and get online resources.

>> It's like you buy lesson plans and tool-- >> Yeah.

>> Okay.

>> My Teachers Pay Teachers store is called Teaching Rainbow Allies, and it is all about LGBTQ history.

I started last summer.

I worked so hard on it and I made $100.

>> We got to figure out if that's something that you should be doing because it's costing you too much time and money and energy.

>> Yeah.

>> Maybe there's a way to think about turning, turning it around.

Let's dive into some actual numbers.

I'm just going, I'm just going to take a few notes.

I see you guys have some paper, as well.

I want to look at where your money is going.

How do you manage the money back and forth and who pays for what?

Like, do you, do you sit down and do you do a budget together?

>> Not really.

>> Not really >> Okay.

So, are you in constant communication about what's coming out of where and how much there is?

Do you -- Are you pretty clear on where the money is going?

>> Not really.

>> Not really.

♪ ♪ >> He's in education.

He doesn't get fertility benefits.

>> So, how much money have you already spent?

>> We have a total of $35,000 in loans.

>> Let's be honest.

What kind of a burden is it putting on the marriage?

>> It's been so hard, and I'm watching everybody else having children, just whipping 'em out, and it's not that easy for me.

>> I know that you're being strong for your wife, but I need you to be vulnerable to me right now and tell me, what kind of pressure are you under?

Let's be real.

>> I just -- I want my wife to be happy the way she actually earns her money.

And I love the idea of us both being supportive towards our goals, financially, as well.

But I do have fear that it's going to be all to me, that if I do something wrong, it's all going to be my fault... >> Okay.

>> ...financially.

We don't fight a lot, but, usually, when our really intense fights happen, it started with money, when it's around especially with IVF or even buying a house, all these things that trigger this fear of not getting what we want.

>> The problems are not the money or the lack thereof.

The problems are in the communication with each other.

So, you mentioned to me that one of your dreams was to have this beautiful home or own your own home.

Part of the whole process of what we're working on is taking a look at opportunities that you may never have thought of.

What are your thoughts about, if you have a child, moving to a different part of the country that's more affordable?

>> I don't know.

>> I mean, up until now, we've, we've only wanted to live here.

And so we really haven't thought much else about it.

>> No.

I've been here for 16 years, and she's been here for 20, so we've never really considered it.

>> I used to love living here in Los Angeles.

You used to be able to stretch a dollar here, and now it's just gone up, up, up.

And it's -- it's kind of really made the city just less...enchanting.

>> What's going to happen is, as we work through a lot of these "possibilities," is just opening our mind to things that we never even thought about that potentially align with our values and align with our goals to give us our purpose and to give us meaning.

>> Awesome.

That's exciting.

I love that he started talking about the emotions that are involved with it.

And, so, once you calm the emotions down, then we can start looking at the numbers a little bit more.

>> The process is not easy and it's not that short.

And so, within the process, it's going to get tough.

>> Okay.

>> There is light at the end of the tunnel, and it's not a train coming your way, right?

[ Laughter ] Right?

>> We already feel bad enough about the state of things.

So, you know, bringing in, like, empathy and understanding and compassion to the situation, like, we can now -- it just helps us, like, loosen up and make this, believe it or not, maybe fun, you know?

It doesn't have to be so treacherous.

>> We want to work on moving in the direction that you want, right?

>> Okay.

>> Okay, we're going to work on lowering your debt.

We're going to work on your finances.

Figure out how we're going to have this baby, where we're going to have this baby, where we're going to live.

How do we give you that independence?

How do we learn to monetize your creativity, to have fun again?

♪ ♪ >> And so, you have about $600 a month left -- >> Yeah.

>> Right?

-- to make it through the month?

Well, I'm gonna have to be honest with you.

Where you are right now and for what you said you want to do, which is start your business, it's ridiculous.

And, eventually, if you want to start the business, you're going to have to get off Section 8.

>> Yes.

>> Right?

Like, you're going to have to make more money.

It's always going to hold you back... >> Yes.

>> ...from actually living out your full potential and really getting a chance to build your empire.

>> Yes.

>> Right?

Your transportation empire.

If you can only make so much... >> So much.

>> ...it's always going to keep you playing small.

>> Yeah.

>> Right?

And so, for the sake of the kids, too, you want to show them what's possible.

>> Yes.

Patrice is not judging me.

She's telling me to focus on ways to get off of Section 8, ways to improve my life.

>> So, you know a part of this journey is going to be a lot of homework, right?

Now, I'm going to tell you now, it may feel a little hard at different points, but it's necessary.

If you're going to, you know, take this thing to the next level, clean up your finances, and really feel empowered, it's going to start with you shifting your mindset and saying, "I'm committed to this.

I'm not interested, but committed."

You know the difference, right?

>> Yes.

My ending goal is to ultimately get off Section 8 and be able to pay my bills without needing assistance.

>> I want you to be committed to the vision of seeing yourself, like, you know, with better finances and living the life that you want to live.

But don't be attached to what it looks like, because we're going to start with some homework and then we're going to have the check-in and then we're going to, you know, do some other things.

>> Do a lot of work.

>> I just want to know that you are committed.

>> Yes, ma'am, I'm committed.

♪ ♪ ♪ >> Do you sit down and do you do a budget together?

>> Not really.

>> Not really.

>> Where's the money going?

So let's look at the monthly expenses.

Mortgage, student loans.

What other -- >> Daycare.

>> Daycare.

>> We're paying like $1,100 a month in daycare just to go to work.

>> Just to go to work.

>> Right.

What's the credit card picture and the credit card debt picture?

Do you have a balance on credit cards?

>> $900, so, like, not wild, but something that I don't feel comfortable with being able to pay off the statement.

>> Okay.

How many credit cards do you have?

And while you're laying that out, how many different accounts do you have?

Including everything.

>> Okay, I have three credit cards.

>> Oh, wow.

That's more than I thought.

[ Laughter ] >> Welcome, Jean.

I have three credit cards and then I have my savings account and my checking account, so that's five.

>> Five.

Okay.

>> I have one credit card, one savings account... >> Yeah.

>> ...our joint account... >> Oh, yeah.

>> ...and then I also have a random checking account that doesn't have so much money in it.

We have an account for Mae, too, so when she gets, like, baptism money or birthday money, we put it into her little account.

We don't pocket it.

>> Yeah.

>> We're honest.

>> [ Laughs ] >> With all of these different accounts, right, I get where the communication gets squishy.

The fact that you don't talk about it, does that create problems?

>> For sure, I think there's sometimes, like, I've bitten off more than I can chew.

>> What does that mean?

>> I was racking up some money on a credit card and then I was trying to pay it down too aggressively.

And then I ended up overdrafting my account a couple times.

>> Typically, when people say that they've overdrawn a couple of times, really, it's been a lot more than that.

So where are we really?

>> So, it's definitely happened more than I would like, and it wasn't just once.

>> Okay.

Does it cause issues?

>> It just seems like throwing money away.

And I think it goes back to, like, the communication piece, where it's like we might be able to help each other, but we need to be clear about that.

Even though we don't really argue about finances, I feel like it's still -- it still is a touchy subject.

And so to, to have Jean be able to just, like, look and say things, like, objectively and show us what we need to do.

I'm hoping to, like, just learn from her.

>> Yeah.

>> Have you thought about combining more accounts?

>> I think we, we brought -- We both have brought so much of our own debt into the relationship that it was like the house and the car, like, those -- That's, like, our debt.

And it feels like I'm bringing, like, all of this stuff.

It feels like I'm bringing, like, all of this weight that I wasn't, like, really ready to...

I would feel so uncomfortable if $700 a month was coming out of our account for just my debt.

Do you know what I mean?

Like, I think that -- I don't know if that sounds crazy.

>> It doesn't sound crazy to me.

Look, I get it.

My husband and I do what you guys are doing, right?

I get how weighty this feels.

It's a problem that, together, you will solve, together, you'll get out of, and -- >> It's hard to see that.

>> Yeah, it's hard to see -- >> It's hard to see it when you're in it, 100%.

But I do see sort of a confusing picture.

And I think the reason for the confusion sort of ties into the fact that when I asked you for all of your expenses, the things that you named for me, they don't add up to nearly the amount of money that you guys are taking home.

So that money's going somewhere, and you're not exactly sure where.

>> Yes.

♪ >> To find your own opportunities, please visit opportunityknocks.net.

Next week on "Opportunity Knock$"... >> I have an undeniable desire and pull to be there for the little moments with my kids.

>> It just sounds like you just want the American dream, right?

>> Yeah.

However, I'm not a U.S. citizen.

>> Fight the fear, fight the anxiety, and go for it, Patricia.

>> I need you to have a little mental shift here about how you can be good givers, but also be good stewards of your personal finances.

>> Right.

>> Major funding for "Opportunity Knock$" is provided by the National Council for Financial Opportunities, a nonprofit dedicated to reducing poverty and creating economic mobility by breaking down systematic barriers, increasing equitable access to capital, and making opportunity accessible to all.

Its programmatic areas of focus include financial resiliency, financial accessibility, and income adequacy.

Additional funding provided by Balance, a national nonprofit financial counseling agency.

And by Callahan & Associates, which facilitates collaboration between financial cooperatives.