<prompt> Human: After years of chronically ignoring credit card payments, ignoring my student loans, and carrying high balances I am finally trying to turn my shit around. The past few weeks I have been going through and paying off all my accounts in collections about 1600 on credit cards between 2 cards, medical debt in the hundreds and a few other things, and getting my student loans organized. I finally bit the bullet and looked up the number I have been dreading for years, and I am at 430.I signed up for credit karma and tried to apply for 2 secured credit cards but was denied both, one through my bank and one through capital one. Other than making timely payments to my student loan debt, what other ways can I start fixing my credit as quickly as possible?Also, if you have no advice, just please tell me I am not alone. This is such a low and horrible feeling.  <response>: Stop applying for cards, secured or not, is the 1st step. Every time you get turned down it hurts your credit score because they think youre trying to get into even more debts. Make timely payments for at least a year before applying again. Ive been there before. Hang in there! 