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Eugene Gets Ahead of Just Getting By

For 45-year-old Eugene of Edmonton, the path to debt wasn’t paved with frivolous purchases, fancy gifts or multiple credit cards. It was simply a matter of getting by.

The father of three says his mortgage, insurance and interest combined to overwhelm him.

An engineer, Eugene moved to Edmonton from the Philippines in 2007 and took a position as a project coordinator after learning he couldn’t work locally as an engineer. Settling in, he and his wife contemplated their next move. Unsure about purchasing a house, he says his wife pushed him.

“I thought maybe this is not the right time,” he says, “but my wife insisted.”

Eugene was told he was ineligible for a mortgage. “We were not approved,” he laughs. However, much to his surprise, he received a phone call the following day informing him that there had been a mistake and he had been approved after all.

Shortly after they bought their home, the financial responsibility began to take its toll…

“I was paying around $2,500 a month,” Eugene says. “It was 85 percent of my salary.”

By 2009, the stress proved too much to bear. How did he know? When he counted all payments, loans, and the collective interest of everything between him and his wife, the debt had reached a high of $20,000. Eugene felt trapped.

“When I realized we were in trouble, I said to my wife, ‘I have a feeling we should go back home,’” he recalls. “I had to do something, so I made a move.”

The journey to financial freedom was as simple as a brief Google search. “Consolidated Credit was right up top. I called the office, spoke to a gentleman and explained my situation. I was able to talk to someone right away, and they said they could help me. They gave me a plan. It was so manageable,” he explains. “It was a big breather.”

However, the stress of the situation had already managed to take its toll…

Eugene suffered a major heart attack in 2009 and a second in 2012. The second heart attack was near-fatal, shutting his organs down.

“Stress creates trouble,” he says. “If you’re a person who carries so much stress inside the body, you don’t see the problem until you feel it. You don’t realize.”

Sadly, Eugene is now battling Stage 3 cancer.

“If you don’t manage your finances properly, it’s just like digging your own grave. Little by little. One day at a time.”

Eugene hopes for the best for himself and his family – and is now completely debt free.

“Everyone has problems. I learned there is always hope. There are always people that help people. There’s always someone. Hope is waiting just outside your window.”

If you’re struggling with your own debt problems – particularly if that stress is starting to affect your health – you need to get help. Call Consolidated Credit today at (844)-402-3073  or take the first step now with a request for a Free Debt Analysis.

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