Several years ago, Moncton-based Emilia found herself drowning in debt. Life had thrown a series of challenges her way—she was battling a medical condition, awaiting surgery, and unable to work for a long period of time. On top of that, she was going through a divorce and trying to support her family. As her bills piled up, she found herself facing more than $40,000 in debt spread across two credit cards. The pressure was immense, and the weight of her financial situation became a constant burden.
“For those four years, I had to rely heavily on credit just to survive. It felt like a dark cloud over my head,” Emilia recalled. “I struggled to get the right advice from my bank. Every time I went in person, I felt like they never explained things clearly and it was hard to communicate with them.”
As the stress mounted, she knew something had to change. Her therapist recommended she try credit counselling with SolveYourDebts.com—a suggestion that turned out to be a lifeline.
“My counsellor was incredibly helpful—they simplified everything and made it easy to understand. Financial terms can be full of jargon, but they broke it down in a way that made sense to me,” Emilia says. It was a stark difference from her bank.
“The bank wasn’t helpful at all, but having a credit counselling professional sit down and explain my options made all the difference.”
Emilia worked with her credit counsellor to create a five-year repayment plan. The plan allowed her to pay off her debt in manageable monthly instalments of $800 without accumulating more interest. “I thought five years was a reasonable term. The payments forced me to stick to a very tight budget, but I knew that at the end of it, I’d be debt-free. That kept me going.”
The process wasn’t easy, and Emilia had to make sacrifices along the way, but she says it was a weight off her shoulders knowing she had a clear plan.
“It felt amazing to make that final payment. It was a huge blessing because I no longer had that hanging over me all the time,” she reflected. “I don’t carry a balance on my credit cards anymore, and my budget is now very manageable. Aside from my mortgage, I don’t have any other debt, and I’m already thinking about how I can fast-track paying off the mortgage too.”
Looking back, Emilia is grateful for the journey, even with its struggles. “I’m in a way better situation now. I don’t have the medical condition anymore, and I’m stable. Credit counselling was the best decision I made, and I would recommend it to anyone. You have nothing to lose by trying it.”
Emilia’s journey from debt to financial stability serves as a reminder that even in the darkest moments, there’s always a way out. For her, it started with taking that first step towards seeking help. “Sometimes, life happens,” she said. “But with the right guidance, you can find your way through.”
