
Years ago, Manon started acquiring debt when she and the father of her child separated. Through her mother, she came into contact with an administrator who helped her manage her money. In this way, she was able to pay off her debts. Since last year, she has been truly debt-free.
Manon’s financial problems started when she was younger. She had just given birth to her first daughter and they had to survive on a small income. Manon ran her own company together with her ex. When they split up, the first financial problems arose. “The company was in my name, so I took on most of the debt,” she says.
The situation was difficult. Manon had to constantly choose between buying nice things for her daughter and putting food on the table. The debts hung over her head like a dark cloud. “You’re earning money, but you know those debts are still there. In addition, I didn’t want to seek help because I wanted to prove myself as a young mother and I was afraid that they would take my daughter away from me.
People around you try to take your situation into account, but it is still tiring to always have to explain things. When the bailiff sent a tax letter to my employer about attachment of earnings, I was deeply ashamed.”

Manon tried to pay off her debts, but she was not successful yet. She took on all kinds of jobs. “I worked in service, call centers, shoe stores, you name it. I then decided to change course and start studying. And after several conversations with my mother, she put me in touch with an administrator.”
During the covid period, she obtained her security diploma. Within two years, she had a permanent contract as a full-time security guard. This allowed her to start the debt settlement process. “Within a year and a half, I paid off € 40,000 in debt. Last October, I finally became debt-free. I immediately booked a weekend trip. It was the first time for me and my daughter, so it felt very special.”
Now Manon is only still under guardianship. “I will soon have to appear in court to end the guardianship. Yet the time under guardianship sometimes felt like a relief. I no longer received letters from bailiffs, and as long as money kept coming in, everything was taken care of for me.”
“When I got out of debt, I went away for a few days with my daughter. We had never done that before.”

Manon , 37 years old
Things are better now, but the feeling that she has to explain everything is still there. “I prefer to handle everything myself. I can now save for the future and give more to my children, such as for sports. Looking back, I should have sought help much sooner. It would have saved me years.” Her advice? “Seek help as soon as possible and talk to the right people. The sooner you get help, the sooner you can move on.
And a tip for others: make sure you save some money, keep joint and personal accounts separate, and avoid Klarna. “In addition, make sure that you don’t get stuck in debt,” Manon concludes.
*This story is narrated by an actor and is inspired by true real-life stories. The names of the individuals are known to the Municipality of Leeuwarden.”
Contact
Do you need personal assistance? We will gladly assist you!
Monday to Friday
08.00 AM – 5.30 PM