i used to help out with the Debt Counselors decades ago in the USAF...at that time there were three consistent pieces of advice:
bankruptcy is a last resort
without spending discipline, debt consolidation is a lie
I had a manager a few years ago who's wife kept spending them in to debt. Not excessive, just burning through the paycheck. He was an engineer and made decent money, but it's not about what you make - it's about what you spend. And it's just too easy to spend plastic. He got mason jars and labeled them: "Car Payment", "Groceries", "Entertainment", etc. and they agreed on a budget. He put the budgeted cash for each thing in the jars on the first of every month. For the first few weeks/months, it was hard. The jars always seemed to come up empty before the month was up. But then one month, she came to him and said "I've got money left over, where do I put it?"
and he said "that's your money. buy or save, it's up to you"
Then she was on board and they haven't outspent their lifestyle since.
bankruptcy is a last resort
without spending discipline, debt consolidation is a lie
I had a manager a few years ago who's wife kept spending them in to debt. Not excessive, just burning through the paycheck. He was an engineer and made decent money, but it's not about what you make - it's about what you spend. And it's just too easy to spend plastic. He got mason jars and labeled them: "Car Payment", "Groceries", "Entertainment", etc. and they agreed on a budget. He put the budgeted cash for each thing in the jars on the first of every month. For the first few weeks/months, it was hard. The jars always seemed to come up empty before the month was up. But then one month, she came to him and said "I've got money left over, where do I put it?"
and he said "that's your money. buy or save, it's up to you"
Then she was on board and they haven't outspent their lifestyle since.