Based on your financial expertise, provide your response or viewpoint on the given financial question or topic. The response format is open.

Should I use a credit repair agency?
So you are in IT, that is great news because you can earn a fabulous income.  The part time is not great, but you can use this to your advantage.  You can get another job or three to boost your income in the short term.  In the long term  you should be able to find a better paying job fairly easily.   There is one way to never deal with creditors again:  never borrow money again.  Its pretty damn simple and from the suggestions of your post you don't seem to be very good at handling credit.  This would make you fairly normal.  78% of  US households don't have $1000 saved.  How are they going to handle a brake job/broken dryer/emergency room visit?  Those things happen. Cut your lifestyle to nothing, earn money and save it.  Say you have 2000 saved up.  Then a creditor calls saying you owe 5K.  Tell me you are willing to settle for the 2K you have saved.  If they don't, hang up.  If they are willing getting it writing and pay by a method that insulates you from further charges.   Boom one out of the way and keep going.  You will be 1099'd for some income, but it is a easy way to "earn" extra money.   This will all work if you commit yourself to never again borrowing money.