For Amy Barndt (49, structural drafter/detailer, New Iberia, LA), debt wasn’t just a number—it was the price of her freedom. After 25 years of marriage, she found herself buried in nearly $40,000 of credit card debt, taking on the financial burden of divorce.
“He wouldn’t leave,” she said. “I was trying to make it as easy on him as possible just to get him out.” The marriage had run its course, but Amy had already been covering most of the household expenses. “I was pretty much paying all the bills already anyway… Struggling, but I was doing it by robbing Peter to pay Paul every month. Then once the balances get too high, you’re paying ridiculous interest and only minimum payments aren’t going to pay it down.”
“I Knew Bankruptcy Would Hurt My Family”
Amy considered her options: a consolidation loan or bankruptcy. But neither felt right. “I’m still going to have the big note and still have the higher interest,” she said of consolidation.
Bankruptcy was even riskier. “I own some property with siblings. If I go through bankruptcy, they can try to take that. And I was like, no—I can’t do that to the siblings.”
So she started researching other solutions. She’d heard of National Debt Relief years earlier through a friend, but she wasn’t sure what to expect. After reading reviews and testimonials, she decided to make the call.
“It Was Super Easy”
Amy enrolled $33,030 in credit card debt. The process, she said, was simple. “Really honestly, the signup was easy. I didn’t have any problems.”
Still, not everything was smooth. One aggressive creditor kept contacting her, even reaching out through Facebook. “She was hounding me… I blocked her on Facebook. I blocked her on my phone.” Once her program kicked in, those calls stopped. “It is nice to be able to answer my phone again,” she said. “That was pretty awesome.”
“Trust the Process”
When Amy accepted her first settlement offer, she was nervous. “Is it the right settlement? Do I need to question it?” But she chose to trust the process.
That choice paid off. “I watched the balance drop much faster than I thought it would,” she said. Over time, she was even able to make lump-sum contributions that helped her finish early.
By the time she graduated, Amy was checking the website several times a day just to see the confirmation. “That was amazing,” she said. “Basically, then you get a $600-a-month raise. Because all of a sudden, I’m no longer needing to make the program payments anymore.”
“I Finally Feel Stable”
Now debt-free, Amy says her financial life is more secure than it’s been in years. “If I need something, I can go get it. If I want to splurge a little bit, I can, because I do make decent money. It had just gotten out of control before.”
She’s remarried, but this time around, she’s handling things differently. “Our finances are completely separate,” she said. “And I’ve learned how to say no. If I can afford it, that’s fine. If I can’t afford it, oh well.”
“One of the Best Decisions I’ve Ever Made”
Amy is focused on staying on track and looking ahead to new goals, including the possibility of buying or building a new home in the future. She’s glad she trusted herself—and the process.
“I went from paying probably $1,600 a month on credit cards, paying only minimum payments, to paying $600 a month—and just watching that balance drop,” she said.
“I would do it again in a heartbeat. I hope I never have to. But if I did, I would definitely go through National Debt Relief again.”
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