How do you think you got into financial trouble?
Over spending using one credit card to pay off another.
How did that make you feel?
Anxious, frustrated.
How long did it take you to get back on your feet financially?
5 years.
Is your outlook on life different now that you are debt free?
I don’t want to go back there.
How did dealing with your debt help in other areas of your life?
It made me think more about spending.
If you had a chance for a “do over” in your life what would you have done differently that could have prevented you from getting into debt?
Not having a credit card and saying “no” to my husband.
What influenced you the most to change your spending habits?
Not being able to meet our obligations.
How did Credit Counselling Services of Atlantic Canada help you with your situation?
They put us on a budget, cut up our credit card and gave us a repayment schedule we could handle.
How did it feel when you finished working with Credit Counselling Services and became debt free?
Lighter knowing that we could now save towards our future.
What are you doing now to ensure you don’t repeat past financial mistakes?
Watching our spending.
If you were to experience financial difficulty again, would you use credit counselling to get back on track?
Yes.
How has becoming debt free allowed you to plan for your future?
Being able to plan retirement savings.
Have you been able to educate/encourage other members of your family to budget and save?
They are proud of what we were able to do.
If you had to give up one daily expense to be debt free, what would it be?
Encourage my husband to give up coffee.
