About Consolidated Credit

Credit Counseling Success Story: Y.L. Long Beach, California

You wouldn't believe what my life has been like this past year, and just how lucky I got making the decision to join CCCS.

Like a lot of people, I racked up more than a handful on my credit cards during college and post-college life. To be honest, I wouldn't have survived without them, but now that I have a steady career blooming, I wanted a clean fresh start, and my debt was preventing me from that.

I was so stressed paying nearly $1,000 a month just on credit cards and about half of that was going to interest alone. My sister introduced me to Consolidated Credit and honest to God, just speaking with a counselor about my future payment program, gave me such a huge relief! I joined immediately and making that first payment gave me a great deal more financial freedom, and it didn't hurt to know that I will be debt free in less then three years! Doing it on my own would have taken me more than 15 years!

In mid-November 2007, my fiancé decided he had a change of heart after living together for three years. That took a huge toll in my finances and my entire way of living. Being largely dependent on his help for three years and living quite comfortably, it wasn't easy moving into a three bedroom apartment with four roommates.

That following February 2008, during my on-going devastation and reevaluating my life, I decided to call CCCS. I didn't want to be dependent on anyone or anything ever again. I wanted to be self-efficient - I wanted to be free.

Getting rid of my debt was a large factor in achieving that freedom. Cutting down nearly $400 a month on my credit card bills helped a lot! I was able to enjoy myself and able to save some money again. You can say in a way, CCCS saved me not only in regards to my financial debt, but indirectly assisted me in with my personal problems as well.

With my savings from the past eight months, I was able to put a security deposit down for my own apartment. No more late night loud party roommates. No more dirty bathrooms and dirty kitchen sinks, and no more waiting around for the bathroom, thank God!

On October 16th, I received a call from my uncle telling me my grandmother was dying at the hospital. She lived in Milwaukee, WI and had raised me and my younger sister. I was her favorite granddaughter. I had to see her before she passed so I grabbed what money I had saved and bought airplane tickets to leave that next day.

I made it in time to spend her waking moments with her and to say "I love you." She passed away October 17th 11:30pm. I was able to contribute what little I had toward her funeral bills, it was the least I could do. It was my first death experience in the family.

I am 28. Female. And the more I think about it, the more I truly believe in the importance of preparing oneself for life’s emergencies and CCCS has helped me do that. Life is going to throw more curve balls. You avoid them sometimes or hit a homerun. You shouldn't feel like you got hit by one. Was that cheesy? I just thought of it. Works for me!