By definition, saving - for anything - requires us to not get things now so that we can get bigger ones later.

Get your friends involved. Let your shopping buddies know that you're on a tight budget, and they can help you out when your willpower starts to weaken at the mall.

Rolling all of your debts into a single loan is a good idea - in theory. In fact, it can be a great idea.

A little personality goes a long way.

Once the settlement is completed, the credit card company will report it to the credit bureaus, which will then make a notation on your credit report that that account was paid by settlement. That's going to signal to future lenders that you left the last guy hanging. That's why, as with bankruptcy, debt settlement is an extreme option, one you shouldn't take lightly. It's not just an easy, cheap way to eliminate debt.

You must be sure - and I mean absolutely positive - that you have the willpower to pay off those credit cards and not use them again.

Take the cards out of your wallet. A debit card is accepted just about everywhere that credit cards are, and you'll be spending money you have - always a good thing.