As debt settlement’s popularity grows, so do the number of companies offering professional debt settlement programs. These companies offer a valuable service to consumers, especially those who do not have the patience or emotional strength to negotiate directly with aggressive and sometimes intimidating creditors and debt collectors. However, with the right information, you can negotiate your own debt settlements and be debt-free in about two to three years.

Here are twelve benefits to demonstrate the value of the do-it-yourself debt settlement method.

1. Low investment. Do-it-yourself debt settlement guides are much less expensive than the service fees charged by professional debt settlement companies. For example, the popular “Do-It-Yourself Debt Settlement Kit,� published by the National Financial Awareness Network, costs only about $150 and is available for purchase online at www.nfan.com.

2. High return. If you were able to settle one $6000 account for 50 percent (which is a typical settlement amount), you would save $3000. That is a 200 percent return on your $150.

3. Save money. Hiring a professional debt settlement company will likely cost you thousands of dollars in service fees, compared to about $150 for a do-it-yourself debt settlement kit.

4. Know thyself. Who do you trust more than yourself with your money? Handing your personal, sensitive financial dealings over to a complete stranger can be unnerving, especially if it is unnecessary.

5. Stay in the know. By managing your own debt settlement program, you will always know what is going on with your accounts. How can you keep yourself in the dark?

6. You are your best client. Professional debt settlement companies often service thousands of clients. It is nearly impossible for anyone else to provide the level of service and attention that you can provide to yourself.

7. Flexibility. Handling your own settlement savings plan means that you can quickly make adjustments when needed. If you have to go through a third party, they may require several says advanced notice, which can place additional hardships on your in emergency situations.

8. No debt too small. For business purposes, many professional debt settlement companies will only enroll applicants with $10,000 or more in total unsecured debt (like credit card and medical debt) and each credit account balance must be at least $500 or $1000, depending on the company. Of course, these numbers vary, but the point is that you do not need to have tens of thousands of dollars in credit card debt to settle your own debts.

9. Privacy. By doing your own debt settlement, you keep your personal business to yourself. You also alleviate the potential for the third-party debt settlement company misplacing your personal, sensitive information or a disgruntled employee stealing your information and committing fraud in your name – making you an identity theft victim.

10. Record keeping. As a do-it-yourselfer, you only have your records to keep up with. Professional debt settlement companies often have thousands of clients and each client has multiple accounts to keep up with.

11. State regulations. Some states have very restrictive regulations for companies that provide debt services. For some consumers, they cannot enroll in many professional debt settlement programs because their state’s regulations have taken that option away from them. However, there is no law against negotiating directly with your creditors. In fact, creditors often send automatic settlement offers to customers who fall behind in paying their bills.

12. A better you. Going through any debt resolution process is a learning experience. If you pay attention and stay on top of your program, you will learn a lot about personal finance, budgeting, prioritizing and how the credit and debt collection systems work. You will also be less likely to fall into the same debt traps as before because of the unpleasant experiences you had while struggling to resolve your debts.