Why you NEED a Credit Counselor in your Debt Payoff Plan

As many of you are aware, gaining control of my family’s debt is one of the big goals I have for 2018. From creating my family’s debt payoff plan, (find out how to put one together here) to implementing my own strategies, to say I have been learning a lot about finances would be an understatement. One of my greatest sources of financial education, however, was the meeting I had with a credit counselor.

Yes, I said credit counselor.

Before starting to really dig into our debt this year, I did not even know that there was such a thing. You see, through all the Pinterest tips, financial blogs, and YouTube podcasts that I had seen until that point, none of them had suggested sitting down and speaking with an actual human about the financial mess I had created.

Because talking to someone who knows what they are talking about would only make sense, right?

Therefore, one day I stumbled upon a credit counselor with my local credit union.

I had called to ask some simple loan questions, knowing my credit was the opposite of stellar. The amazing person on the other end of the line suggested I sit and meet with a counselor in their main branch. (Did I mention this meeting was FREE?!)

The next thing I know, I found myself walking out of a 2-hour meeting with such a clearer understanding of my credit situation!

So why was this credit counselor so amazing?

Speaks Credit Report Language

Have any of you ever printed off your credit report? The real one, that is like 20+ pages? Did it look like parts of it had been written by someone from another planet?

Mine did.

While I could take away the just of the report, (late payments, and closed accounts from my college days) my credit counselor was able to translate that puppy!

That meant that I was able to leave that meeting knowing everything that had been reported regarding my credit situation. This was a big step up from my prior understanding of just the financial lingo that came in small words.

Mistakes, positive remarks, payment history. All of these and more were covered as we combed through my report page by page.

Not only that, but my counselor was able to provide suggestions regarding my accounts that would further improve my score. Win!

Helps you to see the Big Picture

Once you start the process of paying off your debt, it is easy to spiral downward as you become overwhelmed. The great thing about a credit counselor?

They have always seen a situation worse than yours.

Seriously though, I went into the meeting with my credit counselor thinking I was forever doomed. Medical bills, student loans, and college credit card mistakes. My credit has seen it all.

The best part?

My counselor did not bat a freaking eye at my credit dilemmas.

Instead, he focused on the positives of my situation. Looking at my credit “big picture”, he was able to tell me how everything I had done had affected my and give pointers for my next steps.

Validate your Debt Plan

Since we have already been through how to build your getting out of debt plan, I will assume that you already have some rough ideas on paper before you schedule your own meeting with a credit counselor.

Having sat and spelled out my debt plan prior to this meeting really worked in my favor. As my credit counselor was working through a plan of action for me, I was able to tell him what I had already done, and what my next steps were.

After so many hours of scouring Pinterest for plans to get out of debt, it was amazing to be validated in my own debt plan by a professional

Better yet, the plans that we agreed upon that I have already acted upon are already putting my credit score on the rise. (OK, so as an adult that makes me excited. No judging)

Empowers you to Set Financial Goals

Between the facts that my credit counselor ensured me that I was not as bad off as I had originally thought and the validation of my current debt plan, I left that meeting feeling pretty damn confident.

It can be discouraging to look at the money you need to make your debt plan work. Having a sit down where you learn just how much paying off those amounts is going to benefit your family? That leaves you feeling like the freaking debt rainmaker.

Seriously, all I wanted to do when I left that meeting was come up with more ways to make extra money. I wanted to pay off as many bills, and make as many extra payments as I could. And I wanted to do it as fast as I could.

If you need that extra shove to get you started, meeting with a credit counselor will do it for you!

Financial Education that will Blow your Mind

As I mentioned before, I did quite a bit of debt research before starting my own journey.

Hours and hours it seems I spent scouring Pinterest and the internet as a whole. Learning budgeting, interest rates, and legal jargon. There was something new in every post.

And yet, the lessons that I had been given by the internet were nothing compared to what I was able to learn in the office of a credit counselor.

No matter how many Pinterest posts I could go through, none of them could have dissected my credit report the way that my counselor did. He was able to tell me exactly who to call, what to dispute, and how to settle.

None of that information was provided by the internet, and in the end, it will save my family thousands. (And a lot of headache!)

Debt is no fun, and I totally get that. When you get serious about getting rid of it, a credit counselor is definitely a great stepping stone on that journey!

So what is stopping you from setting up a meeting with a credit counselor?

Give your bank a call today and see if they have a counselor you can meet with. If not, google non-profit counselors in your area and get that meeting set up today!

If you have met with a counselor, how did it go for you? Did you find it helpful? Let me know!

Ready to start getting your debt paid today, yet do not know where to come up with the money? Check out this post on the 11 apps to help you make money from your phone today!