As a second thought, call your creditors that aren’t in default and try to negotiate a better interest rate or payment. It doesn’t hurt to ask and if they oblige you it’ll give you some wiggle room to get the collections cleared up.

Keep some cash in reserves for emergency but remember that that interest on your credit cards is eating up the little interest your cash is earning, so if I were you, I’d keep 2 months of emergency cash and put all the rest toward paying off the debts. You’ll feel so much better at the end of the day when you know you are free and clear.

It’ll take a little bit of sacrifice and forgoing that coffee or night out... but interest you’re paying is straight up money stolen from your pocket.

It is a lucky person who has never been in your predicament. (I was not lucky, lol) Don’t feel bad about it, but do work to overcome the situation and come out stronger and smarter with your money. If one day you have kids... well, make sure you teach them about money as well.