If you are drowning in debt and have been for a while, you can probably think of nothing better than settling those debts and being free of those payments. The good news is, that is not an impossible dream. People are learning how to pay off their debts and gain that freedom every day. In some cases, it comes from establishing a budget you can live with and being disciplined to stick to it. If that includes spending less and paying more on your debts, you should start seeing your debt total start to shrink. If you can't manage that on your own, there are debt settlement services that can help. In addition, they can help you consolidate your debts, negotiate for lower interest rates and smaller monthly payments, and even guide you debt settlement agreements if you are far enough behind in your payments. Be cautious, though, in choosing such a service. There are many scams that can end up costing you hundreds or thousands of dollars in fees and doing further damage to your credit score. Consult the Better Business Bureau or even an attorney to find the right debt service for you.