Too Much Debt?

by S. Lieberman

Warning signs of debt problems1. You do not have any savings.2. You make minimum payments on your credit cards.3. You use credit cards for things you used to buy with cash, such as groceries.4. You use increasing amounts of your total income to pay off debts.5. You have more than two or three major credit cards.6. After you pay your credit card bill, you increase your balance by the same amount (or more) the following month.7. You are at or near your credit limit on your credit cards.8. You count on the float in order to pay your bills, writing a check hoping that you'll be able to cover it by the time it clears your bank.9. You are unsure of the total amount you owe on all your debts.10. You take out cash advances on your credit card to pay other bills.11. You have tried to make a purchase with your credit card and been declined.12. You have been denied credit.13. You bounce checks.14. You get calls from collectors.15. You lie to your spouse or other family member about your spending, hide credit card statements or constantly argue with family members about your finances.If you realize that you are in over your head, the sooner you act, the easier it will be to get out from under the burden of debt. Beware of companies that promise to fix your credit. There's no easy fix, but it is possible to turn your finances around if you work at it.Here are some other warning signs that you might be piling up too much debt:You cannot pay off the bill in full each month. Even before you get to the stage where you're only paying the minimum, there are warning signs. If you rarely see your credit card balance drop to zero, you need to start rethinking your spending/saving plan.You are charging because you do not have the money. If you are making purchases with your credit card because you cannot afford to pay cash, that is a strong sign you are in financial trouble.You are near or at the limit with your credit cards. You have spent yourself into a corner, and the credit you need to buy necessities for everyday life is used up.You are suffering physically and/or emotionally. Your brain is recognizing that your spending patterns are in conflict with your income and your anxiety level increases.You are running up unsecured lines of credit. Many institutions offer lines of credit or overdraft protection on checking or savings accounts. If you are utilizing these services on your accounts month to month, then you have a problem. Because these services usually have a cost associated with them, they can be expensive every time they are used. These services were initially meant to help with short-term liquidity issues, not relied upon every month.You are living paycheck to paycheck. You do not know which bill to pay first.If you or your spouse became unemployed, you'd be in financial hot water. This is another indication that you're living month to month, and a sign that you have no savings as a reserve. You need to build up that savings account.All you can pay are the minimums. Whether you earn $25,000 or $250,000 a year, this is a sure sign of financial trouble.You are using future money to pay current bills. Borrowing from next month's income to pay last month's bills is a good sign that you're in over your head.You are always in a jam financially. If it seems like you are always in a financial crisis, then you're definitely above your debt comfort zone. Scale back and build some savings.You are denied credit -- or asked to obtain a co-signer. If you have established credit and now creditors don't think you have enough money to repay them, chances are you don't.

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