Credit Chaos - Signs You May Need Help

Ever noticed how too much of a good thing can sometimes become a bad thing? Paying your way by plastic too often or spending too frivolously in general can lead to tremendous debt and a future of recurring financial problems. "Just one more outfit" or "one last hand of poker" becomes another hundred dollars or more tacked onto the huge mound of debt that has already collected.

Interest rates pile the debt even higher and cause a bulkier load as each interest rate compounds on the balance and previous interest charges. Relieving oneself from these financially difficult times can develop into a burdensome task that may not be completely manageable without some professional advice.

Credit counseling may be just the answer you are looking for if you experience drastic financial woes continuously without relief. If you answer "yes" to many of the following questions, you may want to consider a free consultation on credit counseling.

- Do you have trouble keeping track of how much you owe?

- Have you applied for credit several times recently - within the past year or so?

- Have you been denied credit?

- Do you have a hard time paying your bills each month?

- Do you borrow funding from family, friends and significant others to pay monthly bills?

- Do your personal or business relationships suffer due to credit problems?

- Are creditors and collections offices banging down your door and calling relentlessly to get money out of you?

- Are you using cash advances or convenience checks to pay bills?

- Do you suffer from insomnia because of your debt?

- Do you find that interest rates offered to you frequently range on the higher end of the scale?

- Is gambling one of your preferred pastimes in the hopes of paying your bills?

- Are you unable to make at least the minimum payments owed on your credit cards each month?

If these situations seem to relate to your personal circumstances, credit-counseling services may dramatically improve your current credit situation. Credit-counseling agencies help consumers by working out specialized debt-management plans that are specific for each applicant. Suppose a consumer has debt across four different credit cards as well as a significant doctor bill. Each month, the consumer will send a single payment to the credit-counseling agency - much more convenient than sending payment for five or more individual bills. The agency will in turn allocate funding to each of the creditors, matching the agreed upon payment plan for each.

Countless companies, agencies and organizations exist to assist consumers with an escape from the clutches of debt. A good start might be to look into a nonprofit organization that helps consumers alleviate debt. You can explore the Web to find the right one for you, or you can start by gathering free information from the National Foundation for Credit Counseling, a nonprofit organization that has aided debt-stricken individuals since 1961.

The National Foundation for Credit Counseling:

The majority of services offered with the NFCC are provided at very low or no cost at all to consumers. Counseling is available in person, over the phone, through the mail or online. According to the website, the nonprofit National Foundation for Credit Counseling "sets the national standard for quality credit counseling, debt reduction services and education for financial wellness." NFCC is located in Silver Spring, MD, though other branches can be located toll-free by calling 1-800-388-2227 or visiting http://www.nfcc.org.