I'm going to get an inheritance and have credit card debt. I want to pay back the debt but I don't want to have to use all of the money. I know that credit counseling places can help, but I feel that I am an intelligent person and can deal with my creditors on my own. I'm looking for some tips on how to do this.

You need to provide more information. Are you delinquent on this debt? Are they will a collection agency? How much are we talking about in respect to the inheritance?

Call up each and don't tell them you have money coming in, or they will find a way to just take it ( if they have a judgement they can do that anyway)
But if you owe 1000, tell them you want to try and settle and have access to borrow some money, will they settle for? Now the for is the issue, how old is the debt, how long since you have not paid the bill. If this is a credit card debt and you have not paid them any payments in over a year, most likely they may settle for 1/2 of what you owe. If this is a bill where you are current on all payments most likely they may not even settle for anything less.