<prompt> Human: Somewhere around 2014 I opened my first credit card with REIU.S Bank and proceeded to max it out. Ive had a rough few years since than and just completely let everything financially slide, not paying a single bill since maybe 2015. My original limit was 2.5k but last time i checked i owe 3.8 or so..In this time-span i had my truck repossessed was able to pay them off and get my truck back with the help of family.Also bought a engagement ring for 3k, was late on a lot of payments and ended up returning it. I always make sure i pay rent and utilities, but everything else i put to the backburner telling myself that i would take care of it all one day.Well Im 26 and I am terrified about my credit score and my future. Im trying to change my life around and I have a solid job as an electrical foreman with things going in a very positive direction. How do i even begin to fix things? Should i see a financial advisor? Im afraid that i owe money in places i dont even know about or have forgotten.. I grew up in a poor household so i was never taught anything about finances nor did i really care for a long time. I have almost no savings as i just started trying to save money and kick all of the bad moneyspending habits i have. I still get tons of phone calls a day from debt collectorscollections agencies ? and im just too afraid to answer because i have no idea what to do. Maybe it seems a little ridiculous but i am totally lost with all of this. Any help is ultra appreciated!  <response>: The first thing youll have to do is get a handle on what you actually owe. Start by checking your credit reports and seeing what delinquencies have actually been reported. Write down anything you remember. Take notes when debt collectors call and ask them to send you proof of the debt. You cant start figuring out how to fix the problem until you figure out the extent of it.Youll also need to put together at least a simple budget. Figure out what you actually bring in every month and what actually goes out. Deal with real numbers from bills, checkbooks, and receipts, not wishful thinking. Make adjustments from their to have a budget you can follow.Once you know those two things, you can see how much money you have left over to address your debts. From there, you can begin to set up repayment plans and start to bring things under control. 