I've accumulated about $15k in credit card debt across 3 different cards and the interest rates are absolutely killing me. I keep seeing ads for debt consolidation loans, but I'm terrified it's going to tank my credit score even further. Has anyone actually used one of these to get out of debt? Did your score go up after you paid off the cards with the loan, or did the hard inquiry and new account make things worse? Just trying to figure out if this is a smart move or a trap.