Best Way to Tackle $21k Debt
I am currently sitting at around $21k in Credit Card Debt Currently. Last year I lost my job, which halved my income. I have been struggling to find work at competitive pay to what I was making. My husband and I also lost housing twice last year, and he had similar debt before we married. For the credit cards in my name alone, what would be your best suggestions to tackle? I am a substitute teacher at the moment, and I make $140 on a full days work, but make half day pay on occasion depending on the assignment. I am out of work 14 weeks of the year due to break, but am applying for summer and secondary jobs actively.
For more context:
I called with a few of my CCs already, but Discover was the only to offer 2 hardship programs so far. The first would give 9.9% APR for 6 months, and lower minimum payment by 1.5x the balance. The second was offered at 16.99% for one year, but it would suspend my account and I would pay more in interest. I am looking to paying off versus temporary hardship, but thought I could use that to my advantage. Right now, this is my CC lineup:
- Care Credit: $549.99 29.99% min. payment: $50
- Capital One: $5875.99 29.74% min. payment: $195
- Citi Simp.: $7136.63 28.99% min. payment: $468.35
- Apple: $2478.70 26.24% min. payment: $75
- Discover: $4990.95 24.24% min. payment: 112.22
I also have a car loan which I took out long before my credit racked up the way it did. I have about 33 payments remaining, and I pay $246 a month for that car. I think my insurance is around $160 a month. The only other debts I have are Affirm, and I am paying off a plane ticket because I have to travel cross country this summer for family obligations. The ticket costed roughly $500.
My credit score has already tanked to like 580-600 and I tried my best to keep up with my payments, but it seems like even though I have my cards locked and don't spend, I am always 2 steps forward, 3 steps back. I have researched many options like debt settlement and debt management, but I am starting to seriously doubt my financial literacy. I was hoping that I might find advice from others who have been through something similar. I am open to any and all advice.
My mental health has been at an all time low, and I've been on Zoloft for about a year and a half now, so please be gentle 😂 Thank you all!
EDIT: I have been and am actively looking for better jobs. I went from a $60k a year salary, to subbing so I wouldn't be unemployed. It was a drastic pay cut, and the job search has been miserable. The area I live in is mostly housing, so jobs are low pay and competitive. We only have one vehicle, so transportation to work can be tricky for us. Have cut out all other expenses like rent (living with parents again), subscriptions, internet, utilities, and I carpool to work now with coworkers. Just to add even more context. We got hit with lots of unexpected expenses through all of this (I was in a hit and run, and I had various dental/medical expenses as well).