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Join us as we wrap up season three of the podcast with MMI staff Maura Attardi, the Director of Financial Wellness; Tara Alderete, the Director of Enterprise Learning; and Amy Lins, the Vice President of Customer Success. Adam and the team from MMI discuss the broad range of MMI clients, the services MMI offers, budgeting trends made popular by social media, and common scams with the financial ind...

Today on the show, three professionals join Adam to discuss all things student loans. Amy Lins is a Financial Educator at MMI, Adam Minsky is a Student Loan Attorney, and Zina Kumok is a Personal Finance Writer that specializes in student loans. Our three guests discuss loan repayment and forgiveness, how to apply for repayment initiatives, and the mental impact that student loans can have on the...

Melissa John is an attorney from Salisbury, Massachusetts. In her twenties, she didn’t have a strong grasp on how to responsibly use credit cards. This, mixed with some medical costs and law school tuition left Melissa entering her thirties with $70,000 of debt. When she reached out to a financial advisor, he recommended MMI. Now, in just three years, Melissa has paid off the debt and says that sh...

When Sarah found herself in $70,000 of credit card debt, she reached out to Money Management International for assistance in paying it all off. She first got into debt when she was in college and didn’t have a strong understanding of how credit cards work. Now debt-free, Sarah is more intentional with her spending and advises people in similar situations to take action as soon as possible when pay...

Michael McKeaney is no stranger to debt, having gone into it multiple times in his life. However, during his second round of attempting to pay it off, Michael reached out to MMI in hopes of finding an easier way to reach his goal. With the help of MMI, Michael was able to pay off around $40,000 in just under five years and increase his credit score by 120 points. Now, Michael is able to regularly...

Kristin Pierre is a freelance singer and model, as well as executive assistant from Weehawken, New Jersey. As a freelancer, Kristin found her income to be unpredictable and she quickly found herself racking up credit card debt from shopping. When she reached her breaking point, Kristin reached out to MMI and was immediately comforted by a MMI counselor. Now, Kristin has paid off $20,000 in five ye...

Sami Johnson is a realtor and hairstylist from Athens, Georgia. After starting a retail job in her early 20’s, Sami, a self-proclaimed “Shopaholic,” started accruing credit card debt from in-store credit cards. When she reached out to MMI, Sami had roughly 15 credit cards and $25,000 of debt. Now, five years later and with the help of MMI, Sami has paid off the debt and raised her credit score by...

Everett Lacey is a Poet and Photographer living in Columbia, Maryland. After a series of unexpected costs, Everett found himself in $26,000 of debt. With all of this debt quickly piling up, he had no idea what to do to ensure he could still pay his bills. It was at this point that he reached out to MMI. With the help of MMI, Everett was able to pay off the $26,000 and raise his credit score substa...

Edidiong Obot is a graduate student living in Washington, D.C. During her undergrad, Edidiong first went into debt after buying a laptop with an Apple Credit Card. A few credit cards later, Edidiong found herself $30,000 in debt. After being recommended MMI, Edidiong connected with friendly and helpful counselors who helped her pay off that $30,000 in just over three years, while increasing her cr...

Gabriel Grant is a military veteran from Connecticut. After finding MMI online, Gabriel enrolled in a Debt Management Plan to help pay off the debt he incurred from building a home, all while going back to school and welcoming a child. Now, just three years later, Gabriel has paid off $25,000 and raised his credit score 50 points. Now, Gabriel can enjoy financial freedom in the comfort of his own...

When Katie Sanders first graduated from college, she unknowingly lacked the financial education needed to make wise credit card decisions. After going to the doctor and charging it to her credit card, Katie was only able to make the minimum payments causing the interest to pile up. After connecting with MMI, Katie was able to pay off $30,000 in just three years. Now, Katie enjoys giving her daught...

Ryan Revell is a mom of three, who after getting married, quickly spiralled into credit card debt. When her and her husband sat down and calculated just how much debt they had, they totalled up $28,000. Wanting to avoid filing for bankruptcy, Ryann and her husband decided to call Money Management International. In just five years, Ryann and her husband paid off their debt in full and now live a ha...

The goal of this episode is to provide an overview of what a Debt Management Plan is, who qualifies for one, and how to break down the stigma that often surrounds debt. Utilizing interviews with four subject matter experts, we will weave together a narrative that answers the following questions: What is a Debt Management Plan? How is a DMP different from other types of debt repayment programs? Wha...

Ericka L. Rutledge first ran into debt issues when she enrolled in grad school on the path to becoming a psychologist. Between the cost of living in New York City and the cost of tuition, practicum, and internship, her debt was building quickly, not to mention additional medical and childcare expenses. After she got in touch with Money Management International, she was able to pay off $33,000 in j...

Join us for a thought-provoking conversation with Leigh Phillips, where she challenges conventional perspectives on saving and debt reduction. Discover how Saverlife, a nonprofit financial tech company, leverages behavioral science to empower individuals in achieving financial goals. Learn about their innovative app that tracks expenses, builds better habits, and provides valuable resources for an...

Marla Puckett has seen it all. Having recently celebrated 20 years as a Credit Counselor, Marla is an expert on helping consumers reach their financial goals. She is dedicated to providing personalized guidance to each client she encounters. Marla and Adam discuss the her experience in the last 20 years, stigma around debt, and “Spending Plans”. Stay tuned to the end because little does she know,...

Ilia Mack thought her finances were under control. She purchased a home and still had savings left over, until it came to fixing up the house. Underestimating the cost of repairs, along with exterminating a squatter raccoon left Ilia with $20,000 worth of debt. Ilia was put in touch with Money Management International to help pay off her growing debt. Three years after meeting with MMI, Ilia has p...

For Mike Clement, a septic tank was his ‘tipping point.’ After he and his family moved to a larger house on four acres, unexpected repairs started piling up. Mike and his wife used store-sponsored credit cards to cover the costs. When their septic tank needed to be replaced, they took out a home equity loan. Mike knew he needed help. While working with the debt relief counselors at Money Managemen...

When Paige Demontigny helped a family member pay for necessary but expensive name-brand prescriptions, she amassed unmanageable credit card debt. Paige's bank suggested contacting MMI for help. The debt relief counselors at Money Management International advocated on Paige's behalf by contacting her creditors and negotiating interest rates. With discipline and MMI's advocacy, Paige pai...

After a difficult divorce and subsequent relocation, Annette Spychalla accumulated consumer debt that was too big to overcome alone. In this episode, Annette shares how she found the courage to face her problems and get help. With MMI’s help, Annette paid off $20,000 of credit card debt in four years. Now working as a Jay Shetty certified life coach, Annette advises that anyone struggling with the...

After leaving an unhealthy relationship, Lauren Lazarus wanted a fresh start and rented a new apartment. As Lauren settled into the next chapter of her life, the temptation of furnishing her home with new items resulted in maxed-out credit cards. When Lauren didn’t qualify for a much-needed education loan, she knew she needed help. Her mom suggested that she contact Money Management International....

When Brittney Roberson’s evening side hustles weren’t tackling her credit card debt effectively, her mom suggested she contact Money Management International. Working with the credit counselors at MMI, Brittney made a big sacrifice — moving back home to live with her mom — to decrease her monthly expenses. Those sacrifices paid off, as Brittney was able to eliminate $57,000 of credit card debt in...

Jared Walker believes that a medical emergency shouldn’t be followed by a financial emergency. After watching his family go through a medical crisis, Jared founded Dollar For, a national nonprofit that crushes medical bills by empowering patients and advocating on their behalf. In this episode, Jared will share more about Dollar For and explain Charity Care, medical debt, and how you can overcome...

Jarred Butler’s finances were stretched thin when unexpected medical expenses started piling up. As a busy dad of four kids, all under the age of 10, Jarred needed help. When he contacted MMI, he was pleasantly surprised by their expertise and encouragement. Since working with the debt relief counselors at Money Management International, Jarred paid off $30,000 in just over one and a half years, i...

When we started working on this podcast back in April, our team wanted to accomplish a few things. One, we wanted to share the stories of MMI clients who conquered their debt and achieved financial freedom. Two, we hoped to inspire listeners that yes… they can do this too. And third… and this is kind of the “big one”… we wanted to peel back the layers of stigma, shame, and secrecy when it comes to...