Jean’s Story: When the Credit Card Company Cut Her Limit.

How your card balance availability can vanish.

Jean had always tried to stay on top of her bills. She worked hard, used her credit card for groceries and gas, and promised herself she’d pay it off soon.

Her card had a $12,000 limit, and over time, she used about $5,000 of it. Each month she sent a payment — sometimes the minimum, sometimes just $100 when money was tight.

She thought as long as she kept paying something, she’d be fine.

But one day, she opened her email and saw a notice from her credit card company:

“Your credit limit has been reduced to $5,500.”

Jean was shocked. Overnight, her available credit had almost disappeared. Now, she owed nearly the same amount as her new limit — meaning she was maxed out.

The company said it was because of her “credit utilization rate” and risk review. In simple terms, they worried she might fall behind.

But this made Jean’s situation even worse. She relied on that card for everyday expenses — like gas, groceries, and the occasional emergency. With her limit cut and interest growing, she started falling behind faster than ever.

Each month, it felt like she was running in place — paying, but never catching up.

Jean finally realized she needed help. That’s when she reached out to TrueHelp US to learn her options before things got worse.