In debt up to my eyeballs

The debt counselor will be in touch and hopefully you will be able to consolidate your payments and get things straightened out soon. Most important to remember - you say you have two cards that are not presently over their limit - don't be tempted to use them! Try not to use any additional credit until you can get back on target.

First and foremost, make sure your rent/mortgage is paid every month. Having a place to live is much more important than getting credit cards paid. Continue to work with the finance company on your car payment and try to get it current/keep it current. This will get you to and from work in case your area doesn't have mass transit, or schedules that can accommodate your work schedule. Keep your utilities paid. From that point, you can work on your credit card bills. Worst case, you can always send "hardship letters" to those creditors explaining your situation and offering them a payment plan you are comfortable with - then keep your word to them.

Do not allow yourself to get in the pdl cycle - that will only make things much, much worse.

Hang in there - stay with us and keep us posted on how you are doing. We can help you get through this rough time - we have all been there at some point in time.

Welcome to the Community :D Like hereto help said, somone will contact you soon. You said only one will work with you? Try to keep calling the others back and see if they have a hardship payment plan of some type. I continued to call until I got someone that would drop the interest and fees and let me commit to getting it paid off. I told them I wanted to pay it off, but with the interest,fees,etc., I couldn't. If that doesn't work, discuss the options you may have with the credit counselor, such as consolidation. Feel free to ask questions, you aren't alone-we are here to help support and guide you!..Karen

Just like Heretohelp stated you should pay your cards late or not at all instead of paying your car loan late. Take care of you important monthly bills first and work on the credit cards last. Most cards are not going to negotiate with you until you are a few months late anyway. They really have no incentive to if you are paying what they want and paying it on time according to their rules. Over limit fees are such BS anyways. That????????s just another way for them to rip you off. If you are not worried about your credit then quit paying them all and set the money that you would be paying them aside in a savings account. I would definitely do this to the ones that are over the limit. If 2 of the 8 are not over the limit and are current you might consider paying those on time still if you have the money. As they start calling start offering settlements. I would offer 50% of the last balance owed after subtracting out all the fees. This method will lower your credit score but it is the same thing that most debt settlement companies do and charge you for it. Make sure if you settle that you get a Paid in full letter in writing prior to sending them any money. Do not give them direct access to your bank account. Do not send them post dated checks. Both of those will likely get your account overdrawn. Do not agree to pay them if you do not have the money. If they counter by asking for 80% tell them you do not have it and you will call them when you do. When they call you the next day offer the 50% again. If you settle and pay them keep a copy of the letter and the check you paid them with forever. The last thing you want is for the debt to show up again in 5 years as unpaid so you will need proof.

If you owe less than 5,000 to each then they will probably not sue you. I prefer to work debt from smallest to largest but if one of them is pushing for a lawsuit then it would be in your best interest to settle it ahead of the others. Most cards will settle around 60% but I have seen as low as 10%. The debt has to be pretty old to get that though.