Nov 9, 2022
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Bad credit can follow you around for years — especially if you’ve never been taught how to fix it.
John Schmoll was fresh out of college when he racked up $25,000 in credit card debt, on top of the $25,000 he already owed in student loans.
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“I was definitely in trouble,” he remembers. “I was using credit cards to fund a lifestyle I wanted but could not afford.”
The amount of interest John owed kept piling up and he tried everything possible to chip away at his $50,000 debt.
“I did a variety of things, from side hustles to selling plasma.”
It took John around five years to pay off his debt, and during that time his credit score took a huge hit.
He wasn’t sure how to get it back on track, so he turned to a credit counseling service for help.
“They directed me to several tools to use, one of which was Credit Sesame,” John says. It was a total game-changer.
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When John started using Credit Sesame his score was in the mid-500s — today it’s over 830.
An increase of nearly 300 points
Credit Sesame analyzed John’s credit report and gave him personalized advice on how to increase his score — things like which bills to pay off first, when to bump up his credit limit, and how to cut down on his spending.
“It [helped] me to monitor the number of accounts I have and to be mindful of the importance of having a good mix of credit,” says John.
Credit Sesame also provided free tools to help John understand why his credit score was where it was, and taught him how to make the right financial moves in the future.
“I found the free score simulator and credit report card most useful,” John says. “They helped me stay on top of what was going on with my credit and easily monitor my progress.”
With the help of Credit Sesame, John saw his score increase by almost 300 points.
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The stress of bad credit is gone, and he has more time and energy to spend on what matters most — his wife Nicole and their three kids.
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A life-changing decision
For a long time, John’s financial outlook was bleak.
“My credit was in shambles and quickly going nowhere,” he says. “I was not financially literate.”
Monitoring his credit for free with Credit Sesame changed his attitude completely.
“I began to learn the importance of credit and how to use it to manage my financial life.”
Now John is debt-free, his credit score is excellent, and he even runs his own finance website, Frugal Rules, which helps teach others how to avoid making the same mistakes he did.
Credit Sesame helped John, and it can help you too. Sign up today — it only takes two minutes, and it won’t cost you a cent.
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Shane is a reporter for Moneywise. He holds a bachelor’s degree in English Language & Literature from Western University and is a graduate of the Algonquin College Scriptwriting program.
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