Latest news with #JenniferAllen
News18
03-07-2025
- Business
- News18
This Realtor Repaid A Loan Of Rs 10,30,000 With The Help Of ChatGPT
A woman used ChatGPT to repay Rs 10.3 lakh of debt in 30 days. From budgeting to finding lost funds, AI helped her regain control of her finances In a world where Artificial Intelligence is changing how we work, create, and solve problems, one woman found a way to use AI not for tech or business, but to dig herself out of crushing personal debt. Her story proves that smart tools, when used wisely, can make a real impact on everyday lives. How This Woman Repaid Her Loan Artificial Intelligence is transforming countless sectors, from data analysis and automation to streamlining routine tasks. But one woman in the United States took this transformation a step further, using AI to help repay her credit card debt. Jennifer Allen, a 35-year-old realtor and content creator from Delaware, USA, used ChatGPT to tackle more than half of her $23,000 (around ₹19.7 lakh) credit card bill. Although she had a decent income, Jennifer lacked financial literacy. After her daughter's birth and a series of medical emergencies, she found herself increasingly reliant on credit cards. 'We weren't living lavishly—just getting by. But I wasn't keeping track of how quickly the debt was growing," she told Newsweek. The 30-Day AI Finance Challenge Determined to take control of her finances, Jennifer committed to a 30-day personal finance challenge using ChatGPT. Each day, the AI recommended simple but practical tasks—such as cancelling unused subscriptions, launching a side hustle, and reviewing forgotten accounts. On one of those days, Jennifer discovered $10,000 (Rs 8.5 lakh) sitting in an old brokerage account—something she had long forgotten. On another day, she used ChatGPT to create a pantry-based meal plan, cutting down her grocery bill by Rs 50,000 a month. The Results Of Using ChatGPT By the end of the 30 days, Jennifer had repaid $12,078 (Rs 10.3 lakh), more than half of her outstanding debt. 'There was no magic trick. It was about consistency, awareness, and finally paying attention to my finances," she said. 'I stopped being afraid of my numbers." Jennifer now plans to complete another 30-day challenge to clear her remaining debt. Her journey comes at a time when household debt in the US has surged to $18.2 trillion, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. For those struggling with similar challenges, her advice is simple: 'You don't have to know everything—just stop turning away from your problems." First Published: July 03, 2025, 12:49 IST
Indian Express
02-07-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
‘I stopped being afraid of my numbers': US woman pays off $12K credit card debt with ChatGPT's help
A 35-year-old woman from Delaware is inspiring thousands online after revealing how she paid off more than $12,000 (Rs. 10.28 lakh, approximately) of her $23,000 (Rs. 19.7 lakh, approximately) credit card debt in just 30 days with the help of ChatGPT. Jennifer Allen, a realtor and content creator, told Newsweek that although she earned a decent income, managing her finances had always been a struggle. 'Not because I don't make enough, but because I was never taught financial literacy,' she admitted. For years, she focused on working harder instead of tackling the real issue that was 'poor financial habits'. Things came to a head after she became a mother. 'We weren't living lavishly, we were just surviving. But the debt piled up while I wasn't looking,' she said. To take control of her finances, Jennifer gave herself a 30-day challenge and used ChatGPT as her guide. Each day, she asked the AI tool for simple, practical financial advice and made a point to follow through. The suggestions were simple and straightforward, and the key was in the consistency. 'It wasn't some big financial hack,' Jennifer said, adding, 'It was the act of facing it every day, tracking it, talking about it, looking at it. I stopped being afraid of my numbers.' The AI suggested steps like cancelling unused subscriptions, selling household items on Facebook Marketplace, and planning meals using what was already in her kitchen. One of the biggest wins came when ChatGPT advised her to review her dormant accounts, leading her to discover a brokerage account she had forgotten about, with $10,000 (Rs. 8.56 lakh, approximately) in it. Another money-saving tip came when ChatGPT recommended cutting back on grocery expenses by using existing pantry items. Jennifer said that the strategy alone saved her hundreds of dollars. At the end of the 30 days, she had paid off more than half of her debt. Encouraged by her progress, Jennifer now plans to do a second 30-day challenge to clear the remaining balance. Allen gave simple advice to people by simply stating, 'Don't wait until you feel ready or smart enough to start. You don't have to know all the answers. You just have to stop pretending it's not happening.'
CTV News
26-06-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Alberta surrogacy agency's sudden closure devastates hopeful parents around the world
Hopeful parents from around the world say the sudden closure of an Alberta surrogacy agency has left them at a financial loss and emotionally devastated. The sudden closure of JA Surrogacy Canada has left multiple intended parents emotionally and financially at a loss while also pointing out the pitfalls of Canada's surrogacy system. 'I think fertility is such an emotionally, physically and financially draining journey,' said Kim Appel from central Alberta. 'It makes us feel stuck because we lost a financial aspect, and we lost a little bit of our dreams that could have come true.' She and her husband, Martijn Appel, say they have been trying for 12 years to have a baby. Kim and Martijn Appel Kim and Martijn Appel They signed up with Alberta-based JA Surrogacy Canada and say they spent more than $20,000 in hopes a surrogate would carry their biological child. On Friday, they received an email that the agency would be closing and all the employees terminated. One Hungarian woman living in Ireland tells CTV News she and her husband also spent about $19,000 so the agency could cover the surrogate's expenses. Now they have to start the process all over. 'I feel completely devastated. We are trying to focus on the future instead of the past, but it's very hard,' said the woman, who only wanted to be referred to as Tunde. Tunde Tunde JA Surrogacy was founded by Jennifer Allen; she died in 2023. Her husband, Phil Allen, inherited the company but sent CTV News a statement, which reads in part: 'Unfortunately, recent financial disclosures have brought to light a devastating reality—the company is insolvent, with over $150,000 in liabilities and no funds remaining in its bank accounts. As shareholders, we want to be absolutely clear—we have never taken any compensation, dividends or personal withdrawals from the company.' It also reads: 'We are fully committed to transparency and accountability. In light of the situation, we are in the process of engaging a qualified forensic accountant to conduct a comprehensive review of the company's finances. Our goal is to trace all funds and provide clear answers for every intended parent, surrogate and service provider affected. This is not just a financial review—it is a moral obligation, and we will pursue it with the seriousness it deserves.' Allen has also reached out to RCMP, and CTV News has not been informed if any charges have been laid. The company's now former CEO, Michelle Avery, sent CTV News a statement, which reads in part: 'Mr. Allen made the unilateral decision to close the doors without providing notice or severance to employees, and without allowing proper time for clients to be notified/allowed to direct what occurred with their funds.' One Calgary-based lawyer who helps clients with all aspects related to fertility says it's likely these clients are left without recourse to get their money back. 'The key thing is to make sure that the money that is (held) in trust, which is there for the benefit of the surrogate and managing her expenses through the process—that (money held in trust) is protected,' said Ellen Embury with Embury and West. The sudden closure of JA Surrogacy Canada has left multiple intended parents emotionally and financially at a loss while also pointing out the pitfalls of Canada's surrogacy system. The sudden closure of JA Surrogacy Canada has left multiple intended parents emotionally and financially at a loss while also pointing out the pitfalls of Canada's surrogacy system. Surrogacy pitfalls Same-sex couples, single people or couples experiencing illness or infertility are referred to as 'intended parents' when starting the process of connecting with a surrogate who will carry a pregnancy on their behalf. Surrogates cannot be paid in Canada under law. Expenses like hotel stays and transportation can be covered, and agencies vary in their processes to administer a surrogate's expenses. Agencies are not regulated, and surrogates cannot be compelled to carry a pregnancy, as it's not a service or commodity, said Embury. Fertility advocates say the agency's closure highlights the pitfalls of surrogacy arrangements in Canada. 'Surrogacy shouldn't be full of crazy stories. It shouldn't be full of scary times. We need to support (intended parents) and surrogates,' said Sara Cohen, past president of Fertility Matters Canada. 'Even regulation, in my opinion, is not going to (stop) that some companies go bankrupt and it is tragic and it is awful when it is so hard for this already incredibly vulnerable community to have to experience that.' Cohen is also the founder of Fertility Law and also represents clients across the fertility spectrum. She and Embury agree legalizing compensation for surrogates would provide a basis for regulations to require agencies to protect funds held in a trust. Fertility treatments and surrogacy are governed by the Assisted Human Reproduction Act.
Washington Post
11-06-2025
- Washington Post
The beauty of burn scars
Jennifer Allen's most recent book is 'Mālama Honua: Hōkūle'a - A Voyage of Hope.' The little birds are back. Blackened trees sprout leaves on the highest branches. Excavators clear plots, leaving shallow graves where homes once stood. At the base of the San Gabriel Mountains, in the foothill town of Altadena, things seem to be moving along. In time, reenvisioned and reconstructed, the future landscape will trace the path of one of the most destructive wildfires in California history, the Eaton Fire.
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Saguaro National Park will grow by 47 acres. How a private trust is making it happen
Saguaro National Park West will add 47 acres to its protected park lands in the foothills of the Tucson Mountains after an acquisition of two properties by the Trust for Public Land. The addition will strengthen wildlife corridors, preserve Sonoran desert habitat and expand recreational access. The Trust for Public Land, an organization with a mission to create quality parks and protect green spaces, announced the addition to the park on April 25. The new acreage adds to the organization's work protecting over 2,300 acres in and around Saguaro National Park since 1993. The land was purchased with a federal funding source called the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which comes from a portion of the federal government's offshore oil and natural gas revenues that are reinvested into protecting American natural resources. The Trust for Public Land also received financial assistance for project costs from Pima County and the Southern Arizona Hiking Club, a nonprofit volunteer group that promotes outdoor recreation. Saguaro National Park, encompassing about 92,000 acres across two locations, protects ecologically valuable and biodiverse Sonoran desert landscape, including a number of unique desert species like roadrunners, Gila monsters, desert tortoises and the iconic saguaro cactus. The new park land will also bolster the linkage between Saguaro National Park and Pima County's Sweetwater Preserve, an 880-acre park that includes 13 miles of interconnected trails used for hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding. The preserve was created in 2004 through a partnership among Trust for Public Land, Tucson Mountain Association and Pima County. 'I'm beyond pleased to see Saguaro National Park West growing with this new addition of beautiful natural land,' said Pima County Supervisor Jennifer Allen in a news release. 'Being good stewards of our public lands is one of the core principles of Pima County, as laid out in the Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan,' said Allen. 'It's an honor to see our conservation partner, Trust for Public Land, continue and expand that stewardship within our community.' As the park expands, outdoor recreationists may soon be able to explore the new acreage after a public planning process is completed. 'Preserving the wildlife linkages is job one. Any new trail linkages have to go through a public planning process,' said Michael Patrick, senior project manager at Trust for Public Land, 'so everyone will get a chance to say what they want to see out here before the park actually puts it in the trails and opens it up.' John Leos covers environmental issues for The Arizona Republic and azcentral. Send tips or questions to Environmental coverage on and in The Arizona Republic is supported by a grant from the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust. Follow The Republic environmental reporting team at and @azcenvironment on Facebook and Instagram. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Land trust acquires 47 acres to help Saguaro National Park grow
