It Pays to Watch regulars will already know Sarah Giles. Both her and her husband Steve managed to lift the dark cloud of debt that saw them owe more than their combined annual salary 18 months ago.

In October 2006, they were almost £14,000 in the red but a year a half later they had slashed that to £6,000. That turned their debt from a critical figure to a manageable one and has completely transformed their lives and lifted much of the gloom.

After they told their story on our show in January, Sarah decided to start a career as a debt counsellor so she could use her experience to help others.

Sarah started at the Citizens Advice Bureau as a voluntary debt counsellor last week, initially working two days out of seven. Not only is she able to empathise with her clients’ plight and see them through the emotional trauma, but she also has the practical experience of painful and pain-free budgeting to ensure they make the same sort of recovery as she has.

She hopes to eventually become a full-time, fully paid debt counsellor once her two daughters Ashli and Katelin are old enough to go to school.

If you have debt problems, there are free services available to help you. Read Martin's Debt Help article for full information.