Living under the constant shadow of debt isn’t fun for anybody. If you feel like you’re drowning under a sea of debt, you may think you have no other option other than filing for bankruptcy. This should be avoided at all costs, since it will be a mark on your financial history for many years. It’s important to understand that it doesn’t give you clean slate, but allows people to rebuild their credit, slowly, without the adversity debt. If you do decide to file, you’ll find it's nearly impossible to get good rates on various loans, if at all, or good rates for credit and a variety of other things. Before making this decision, consider a few creative ways others have used to pay off their debt, without having to file for bankruptcy. Read more »