What should I do??

You are not earning enough to even qualify to rent an apartment! At least a half decent one. You need to find a full time job...work a second job if you have to.

Filing bankrupcy will not pay off your credit cards, you will still owe them, google the bankrupcy laws and get educated on the matter

Well, I'm not looking to get an apartment yet. My brother and I are starting a business so getting a second job is out of the question. I really just want to get out of debt so I can save money. I make some extra money on the side with Ebay and my art, but my credit cards are out of control. I want to know what would be the best course of action to get out of debt for me. Should I go through a consolidation program or file for bankruptcy or something else?

If you hear nothing else, take note of the following: Operate from this: "If I dont have the cash, I cant afford it". Living on what you earn is the first step toward being independent and financially successful. Dont look for the easy way out, you took the debt, it your responsibility to pay it, not anyone else.

Now, the tough stuff, why are you only making less than $10K a year? That's rhetorical. Is that all you are worth? Sounds like you dont pay rent and prob dont pay for food either? You dont make enough money to pay for those things. Somebody (or government assistance) is sugaring your existence because sounds like you are educated, so i doubt you live in the slums.

We have the same portfolio, same amount of student loans (mine are only 3%) and I have about $10K in credit cards. I make over $40K a year, no car payment, $500 month rent and i am making dents in by debt, just paid off 4 creditors, have 3 left. However, at 30K a year, it would be difficult to make that headway. What's different between our portfolios, aside from my earning power, is that I am independent, nobody pays my way on anything.

Filing bankrupcy will not pay off your credit cards, you will still owe them, google the bankrupcy laws and get educated on the matter. You took the loans, it is your responsibility to pay them off by working. Don't be that person who only thinks of the easy way out, there is no easy way out. The only way out is to work more or make more.

Regarding your cards, first thing is to call your card company and close off new transactions.You can attempt to negotiate lower interest rates too, but don't expect much. Next, figure out what your interest is each month, this will tell you what you have to pay each month just to keep them from not going up, interest is no different than making a credit card purchase, bet if you had known that what the interest is each month, you would have thought twice about racking it up. Once you have gotten down to the "real" numbers, you can see the kind of problem you really have. Your interest is probably about $100 a month, so unless you are paying more than $100 a month on the debt, you are paying interest on that interest too, called compounding, not ot mention that you're not paying the debt down. WIth your income, you wont qualify for other cards that offer 0% introductory so dont bother. So unfortunately, you don't have a lot of options....... Sounds like your priority is to start a business and go further into debt rather than work more hours to ease the financial burden and stress? Typical artist mentality....that may sound harsh, but you took out loans to have a lifestyle you wanted and now you want an easy way out. Unless that business is immediately lucrative enough to pay your debt, you will be stuck in debt and likely make no dent in it..........the financially and ethically responsible thing to do is find a job and make more money to pay the debt you legally owe. Then apply yourself to a business venture. Sounds like you want your cake and eat it to though, typical financially irresponsible debtor.......

Do the right thing........work to get your debt down to half of what it is, at least then you will have better options.........but if you are only going to work part time and put your time into a business that will likely take years to turn a profit, you aren't going to improve your situation and you will continue to pursue the easy options.

Thanks for the information on chapter 7, just provide the info though, I am not considering filing, so "I" dont "need" to research anything........she does.

Our bankruptcy laws need to change if a person can take out credit card debt and then escape from them.......as do a lot of things in this credit based welfare society, culture and economy. It is the reason our country is in debt, like father (government spending) like son and daughters (credit card unhappy). No more hand outs and get out of jail free cards.