GetOutOfDebt.org is independent and impartial. I sell nothing, and no company pays me to influence the advice I give you.
I’m Steve Rhode — people call me the Get Out of Debt Guy — and I started this site to do one thing: tell people the truth about getting out of debt, even when that truth costs a company money. After 30 years of doing this — and after going bankrupt myself in 1990 — I’ve watched too many good people get steered toward expensive “solutions” they never needed by companies that make money when they say yes. This page exists so you never have to wonder whose side I’m on. I’m on yours.
My promise of independence
- I sell no products or services. There is nothing on this site for you to buy.
- No company pays for, sponsors, or influences my advice — and I sell no advertising. Not banks, not debt-relief companies, not anyone. The one thing I’ll always be upfront about: now and then I’ll mention a service I personally use and include a referral link. If you use it, the company may give us both a small bonus — but I’ll always show you the plain, non-referral link right beside it, and you’re never required to use mine. Your choice, every time.
- No debt-relief company pays for, sponsors, or influences my advice. What you read here is what I actually believe is best for you — not what’s best for someone’s bottom line.
- I do not generate or sell leads. Your information is never packaged up and sold to a company that wants to pitch you.
- All of my advice, tools, and guides are free. Always have been, always will be.
That independence is the whole point. Most of the debt “advice” you’ll find online is really a sales funnel — the page is free, but it exists to sell you a debt settlement program, a consolidation loan, or your name and number to whoever bids highest. I don’t do any of that. The advice on this site is never for sale — and on the rare occasion I point you to a service I use myself, I’ll tell you plainly that it’s a referral link and show you the plain one too, so the choice is always yours.
Why this matters for you
When you’re scared about money, the last thing you need is advice quietly bent toward someone’s commission. A consolidation loan, a debt settlement plan, a credit counseling program — sometimes one of those genuinely is the right move, and sometimes it’s the worst thing you could do. The only way to know is to get the answer from someone who earns exactly the same amount whether you say yes or no: nothing.
So when I tell you bankruptcy might be your best option — even though it’s the one thing no commercial site will ever push, because there’s no money in it — you can trust that I’m telling you because it’s true, not because it pays.
Who’s behind this
My name is Steve Rhode. People call me the Get Out of Debt Guy. I’ve been giving free debt help since 1994, I’ve testified about consumer debt, I’ve written about it for decades, and I’ve made every mistake in the book myself. You can read my full story on the About page. The short version: I have no product to sell you and no reason to tell you anything but the truth.
If something on this site ever reads like a sales pitch, email me and tell me — because it shouldn’t, and I’ll fix it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is GetOutOfDebt.org really free?
Yes. Every article, tool, guide, and the Ask Steve chat is free to use. There is nothing on this site for you to buy, and you don’t need to create an account or hand over your information to get help.
Do debt-relief companies pay you to recommend them?
No. No debt-relief company, bank, or lender pays me a commission or referral fee, and none of them pay for, sponsor, or influence the advice on this site. The only place I ever earn anything is an occasional, clearly-labeled referral link to a consumer service I personally use — and I always show the plain link beside it so using mine is your choice, never a requirement. No debt-relief company is ever part of that.
How does the site make money, then?
Almost nothing — and that’s the point. I don’t sell products or services, I don’t sell your information as a lead, and I don’t earn advertising revenue. The one small exception is the occasional referral link I tell you about openly, where a company may give us both a bonus if you choose to use it. Nobody pays me to recommend a debt solution, so I can still tell you bankruptcy might be your best option precisely because no one pays me when you choose it.
Why does independence matter for debt advice?
Because when money changes hands, advice stops being honest. Most “free” debt advice online is really a sales funnel built to steer you toward a product. Since I earn the same whether you say yes or no to anything — nothing — you can trust that what I tell you is about what’s best for you, not someone’s bottom line.
If you’d like to talk through your own situation, the free Ask Steve tool is the best place to start. No email required, nothing to buy.
