We decided to try debt consolidation counseling before going to file anything.  Maybe they could see a way for us to work with our creditors and take care of the debts we owe.  Maybe they could talk to them and see what we can do.  It was worth a try anyway.  I looked up a few places, and so did Deb.  We found that there is a service not far from here, so we went right away.  We are getting sick of the phone calls and are worried to death that we could lose everything we have worked for.  When we got to the office they were really nice.  We took about an hour there as an introduction and went over all our debts and then talked a little about any assets we had, plus our income from work and from the little bit of investment money that we have  left.  I felt like I was spilling my life's story on all of this.  The woman was very nice.  She said that our case was far from the worse she had ever seen. That was good.   That gave us some hope.  I'm not sure what we can do in the short run, but in the long run we don't even have enough cash to buy food.  I'm going to have to start pawing things just to eat.  It's frightening.