Amy’s Story: An Essential Employee During the Coronavirus Pandemic

Meet Amy, a banker with two teenage daughters who lives in North Tazewell, Virginia.

What’s your profession?

I work at New People’s Bank and I do customer service. I do loans and I dabble in just about everything in the bank.

We have a stay-at-home order except for essential employees or groceries because of coronavirus. It’s in place until June 10. Our bank lobbies are closed but the drive-throughs are open. I still get to work, thank goodness.

Sometimes you’d think, “I’d like to stay at home.” But really, I feel blessed that I still have a paycheck right now.

What do you like about the community in North Tazewell?

It’s a small community, a small town. I’ve lived here my whole life. I just like the pace. It’s slow. I’ve visited big cities before, and I can’t imagine the hustle and bustle. It’s a safe community and I feel safe here and comfortable. It’s great to visit cities because there’s so much to do, but the feeling when you come home is just a breath of fresh air.

How did you find out about SaverLife?

The bank I work at was a partner with SaverLife for the SaverLife Bluefield campaign. On a webinar, the SaverLife representative told us we could sign up ourselves so we could tell customers about it.

What’s your living situation like?

I am married, but my husband and I don’t live together. My youngest daughter lives with me, and my husband and my oldest daughter have moved out. It’s been hard. We’re still married and there’s no divorce on the horizon. It’s more of a partnership now. I have a 15-year-old and a 13-year-old. They live pretty near us. We can actually walk to their house! I see my older daughter every day, but she’s a daddy’s girl and she wants to be with him.

What does a day in your life currently look like?

I get up, I get ready for work, and I go to work. I don’t go out to lunch anymore because I just bring it with me to work. When I get home, I fix dinner and go over my daughters’ homework with them.

My parents are in their mid-70s and they live 15 minutes away from me. I’m afraid to visit them because I am still dealing with the public. I wash my hands all day and take all kinds of precautions, but it’s still scary. My mom made Easter lunch for us, which she does every year, but I didn’t feel safe going over.

How is your family coping with what’s going on?

My daughters aren’t affected so much. My older daughter is upset that they’ve been out of school for three or four weeks. They miss their friends.

My daughters’ teachers send work to them while school is closed. It’s hard to get them to do all that work. I’m working during the day, so I can’t really monitor what they’re doing.

What do you envision for your family’s future?

In the immediate future, I would like this virus to be done! Longer-term, I’d ultimately like my kids to go to college and have a good future, where they can depend on themselves and don’t have to depend on anyone to take care of them.

My older daughter has dropped the bomb that she wants to be a diesel mechanic because that’s what her dad does. He’s a heavy equipment mechanic in a coal mine, and she really loves him and idolizes him. She wants to go to vocational school. That’s a hard career, especially for a woman! You want to tell your kids that they can do whatever they want to do, but you also have your own preferences.

She’s loved animals her whole life. In middle school, she wanted to be a vet. But now all of a sudden, she wants to be a diesel mechanic. My youngest daughter, who’s in seventh grade, told her pediatrician she wants to be a cheerleader for the 49ers.

What has the financial impact of the coronavirus crisis been for you?

It hasn’t impacted me financially, thank goodness. My husband is still working as well. We live on the Virginia side of the Virginia/West Virginia state line and the governor of West Virginia has made coal mining an essential job.

However, I don’t see nearly as much traffic and I know that a lot of Main Street businesses, mom and pop businesses, that have had to close. That’s heart-breaking.

But it’s also a bit worrisome that I’m not sure everyone is obeying the stay-at-home order. I understand that people need to get outside, but I wish everyone would do what they need to so that this can end faster.

What does money mean to you in your life?

I like money and I know it’s important, but it’s not the main thing I focus on. I don’t obsess about it.

Are you a good saver?

Yes and no. I’m a good saver, but if I have a lot saved, I’ll dip into it for this or that. I often wonder how to balance my savings with my debt, and I use my savings to pay off my debt.

How do you feel about SaverLife?

I recently won a $50 gift card to Amazon! I think it’s a good motivational tool to help people save. Once you have a goal, it’s easier to visualize what you’re saving for. It gives you a motivation to save more.