DIY Debt Settlement Help.

In a few weeks I'm going to be getting some cash from my husbands trust fund. He'll get approx. $15,000. While it isn't enough to even TOUCH my student loans. I know I'll be able to settle the 4 CC we have and 2 deficiency balances on auto loans for cars that were repo'd.

My question is, what is the best way to go about settlement. How much percentage of the balance should I offer each company. I already talked to Western Mass Credit who is holding one of the deficiency accounts. The balance was about $4,000 and they said they'd take $2,600. Is this a good deal or should I press for lower?

I really want to get these CC's (2 are in collections and 2 are judgments) and deficiency balances taken care of. But I want to have a little left over to put in savings that way I can try to set up payment arrangements on my student loans.

Also, I'm going to offer to pay them via money order or cashier's check. I'm in no way, shape, or form going to give them our checking account number and access to the $15,000 that will be sitting in it. Should I offer to pay them via Western Union if they won't take a MO or cashier's check? For some reason I remember hearing someone say never pay a collection agency via WU.

I already know to ask them for the settlement offer in writing before I send ANY payment. But how do I go about making sure once I pay that they send me a receipt and mark the account as paid and closed so no future collection activity can happen.

I'm excited to be able to pay some things off, but stressed that this will blow up in my face.

Any help at all will be appreciated!