Get To Know Latia I.
Latia is a mom of two from Connecticut who works for a utility company as a lead analyst in rate design. She has a 4-year-old daughter, Zaria, and a son who is almost 13. In her free time she’s a gamer, an avid reader and loves binging good TV. And now that she’s debt free, she’s focused on giving her kids the financial education she never had.
I took a bad experience and made it a good one. It was more than getting out of debt for me. It was a chance to learn and move forward. Now I know how to live life debt-free.
Debt Amount: $13,401
Graduated: June 2023
Savings: $245 a month!*
How did the debt begin?
I was a single mom. My son’s father lost his job, and I inherited all the bills at once. Daycare was the most expensive. I was using credit cards to make ends meet. Before I knew it, I was $13,000 in debt.
How did the debt affect your life and well-being?
I was keeping up with it — paying everything on time, but my credit utilization was over 99% on my cards, and I was still dishing out minimum payments. When life happens, it feels like you’re trapped.
What was your lightbulb moment?
I was paying over maybe four or $500 a month just trying to meet minimum payments. So they were making a killing off of me in interest. I realized there’s no way I’m gonna pay these balances. I was like, “why don’t I just consolidate this stuff into one payment?” I thought I’ll probably never use these cards again. I’m ready to let go. I just need something or someone to help me.
How did the first call make you feel?
I don’t remember my representative’s name but I will never forget his voice because he was so reassuring.
He was like “listen, my job is to help you. It’s not to sell you anything. If you join us, you can start fresh.” And it resonated with me.
What is the best part about working with Accredited?
With Accredited Debt Relief, I was paying $235 a month — significantly lower than what I was paying before.*
What did you learn along the way?
They gave me a safety net, but more than that, they gave me financial literacy. Now I know how to live life debt-free — and how to teach my kids to do the same.
My financial habits have absolutely changed. Even though the debt wasn’t totally my fault, I still look back and see some things I could’ve avoided — like buying a $3,000 couch when I didn’t need to. But that’s hindsight. Now I know better.
How did it feel when you graduated?
It felt like there should’ve been a ceremony! I got that final email, “Congratulations, you’re done,” and I just thought, “Wow, I made it!” I even told Beyond, we need a virtual graduation — let us celebrate together. (laughs) It was an amazing feeling.
What was waiting for you on the other side of debt?
It’s been amazing. I feel like I’m back. I can go on vacation twice a year… because I understand how to budget for it. I went to Mexico — but we saved up for it and didn’t use credit.
I went from driving a 1996 Toyota Avalon… and now I have a 2025 Lexus RX 350 with a good interest rate. They ran my credit and were like, “What do you want?” I couldn’t believe it.
And I was able to save enough money to redo my floors and have a new kitchen built.
About this testimonial
*Latia is a real graduate who was compensated for taking the time to share her experience with us. Clients typically save $480 on their monthly payments. Savings were calculated by subtracting her program payment from her self-reported payments or tradeline minimums on eligible accounts.