I recently stopped paying my credit cards and negotiated with the credit card companies to settle each one. Went from owing $25,000 and some change to just a little over half. Sure, my credit took a huge hit and it took MONTHS of back and forth with both companies but I paid them both off in lump sums and now I’m credit card debt free. I’m not advising others do this because I don’t know your situation. Luckily I already own a home and a car so I don’t need my credit pulled for anything anytime soon. Divorce completely fucked up my finances(she incurred a lot of debt on a card that was in my name and used it for massive purchases and left me holding the bag). Some of the debt was mine, but the lion’s share had to do with her purchases or me using the credit lines to pay her so I could keep the house. Ugh. Fuck credit cards. I’ll never have one again. Absolute fucking nightmare.