Background: Olu, a Nigerian professional living in North America, was burdened with high-interest credit card debts. Despite having a stable income, the high-interest rates were making it difficult for him to make significant progress in paying off his debts, and his credit score was suffering.

Solution: Olu discovered Coterie and joined a savings room specifically designed for individuals aiming to pay off high-interest debts and improve their credit scores. This group of 10 members saved $400 each per month, pooling $4,000 monthly to be given to one member in turn.

Steps Taken:

• Community Selection: Olu carefully chose a savings room that matched his budget and financial goals.
• Automated Contributions: Set up automatic monthly contributions to ensure he never missed a payment.
• Debt Repayment: In the 6th month, Olu received his lump sum payout of $4,000, which he used to pay off a significant portion of his highest-interest debt.
• Consistent Savings: Continued making his monthly contributions even after receiving his lump sum, ensuring steady financial discipline.
• Credit Reporting: Coterie reported his regular savings and debt repayment activities to credit bureaus, gradually improving his credit score.
• Financial Education: Participated in Coterie’s financial literacy workshops to learn better budgeting and debt management strategies.

Outcome: Olu managed to pay off his high-interest debts more quickly than he would have on his own, while also improving his credit score.

The zero-interest saving room provided him with a structured way to save and pay off debts without the added burden of interest, setting him on a path to financial stability and freedom.