A debt management program will adversely affect your credit initially, almost the same as bankruptcy. However, when you complete the program, you will have a good payment history and won’t suffer the stigma of bankruptcy showing on your credit file for 10 years.

Debt consolidation isn’t a good idea. Shifting your credit card debt to another loan only allows you to run those credit cards back up and you end up in a worse position.

If you consolidate your loans they will charge you a fee to do so. I would not consolidate if I could help it. You do not want to incure more debt. Follow the following steps.

First prioritize your bills

1)Shelter, food, utilities, transportation are your first priority pay these bills first.
2)Eliminate non essentials –cell phones, cable TV, internet ect.
3)Negotiate with creditors
4)Sell stuff to get cash
5)List bills with total payoffs from least amount to greatest amount and pay the minimum on everything except the first bill where you apply as much as possible until its paid off then move to the next bill.

Reseach the snowball payoff schedule online