US households owe a total of $420 billion in credit card debt so it’s no surprise that everyone is looking for an easy solution. Debt consolidation (and debt settlement) companies offer a quick fix but they often cost you a lot, wreck your credit score, and they may even completely scam you without performing any of the promised work. Rather than consolidation and settlement companies, consider the sure route- ‘manually’ consolidating your own debt and, if needed, utilizing loan companies like Lending Club or SoFi- just make sure to do your homework and read the fine print! In the end, make sure you have a plan to keep yourself from taking on new debt- you don’t want to end up back in the same situation!During this episode we enjoyed a Secret Lovers - the Sequel by Wilmington Brewing Company which you can find on Untappd. A big thanks to Naomi for donating this beer to the show! And if you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts, Castbox, or wherever you get your podcasts- we’d love to hear from you.Best friends out! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers