 TITLE: Credit Repair: How to “Fix” Your Credit Yourself CONTENT: How to Get Extra Help With Your Credit and Debt\n-----------------------------------------------\nIf your debt is manageable, consider consolidating it via a personal loan or balance transfer credit card.\nIn some cases, debt consolidation loans can provide lower interest rates and reduced monthly payments, as long as you qualify and stick to the program terms. With a balance transfer card, you can typically get an introductory 0% APR promotion, during which you can pay down the balance interest-free. Just be mindful not to continue charging on the original card once the balance is transferred.\nIf your debt feels overwhelming and your credit isn't good enough to get a balance transfer card or a low-interest personal loan, it may be valuable to seek out the services of a reputable credit counseling agency. Many are nonprofit, and you can typically get a consultation with personalized advice for your situation at no cost.\nYou can review more information on selecting the right reputable credit counselor for you from the National Foundation for Credit Counseling.\nCredit counselors can also help you develop a debt management plan (DMP) with unsecured debt like credit cards. With this arrangement, you'll make your monthly debt payments to the credit counseling agency, and it will disburse the funds to your creditors. The agency may also be able to negotiate lower monthly payments and interest rates.\nIf the credit counselor negotiates settled amounts that mean you pay less to your creditors than was originally owed, your credit score could take a hit. In addition, your credit report may denote that accounts are paid through a DMP and were not paid as originally agreed, which may be viewed negatively by lenders. However, using a DMP may not negatively impact your credit history when you continue to make payments on time as agreed under the new terms. END