Those new holiday toys from last month may already be broken, and many Iowans are now finding themselves nearly broke. As the December bills flood mailboxes in January, offices like Consumer Credit of the Quad Cities get busier. Brian DeLaney is operations manager of the Davenport service. He says people wait to think about their budgets until the bills start coming in.DeLaney highlights the services clients can get through a service like his, which is available at nine offices statewide or via a tollfree hotline. There are no up-front fees and DeLaney says the initial credit counseling session usually lasts about an hour. DeLaney says some people may be ashamed to ask for financial help, but he says it’s a greater shame to continue digging oneself deeper into debt. He says most creditors will work with customers if the customers go to a credit counselor to get help.There are consumer credit offices in: Ames, Council Bluffs, Waterloo, Cedar Rapids, Fort Dodge, Des Moines, Davenport, Algona and Spirit Lake. For help, call 800-838-8830 or surf to “www.toomuchdebt.com”.
