| You know you need to seek
help from a credit counselor when ... It may sound like
a comedy routine opener, but for lots of people it's definitely not a laughing
matter. Many who are weighed down with debt opt first for
self-help, trimming back on spending and keeping a close eye on accounts. But
much like losing weight, some people have the willpower to shed a few pounds on
their own while others require the help of a personal trainer.
When do you need
to call in a financial fitness expert? Here are 15 instances that could indicate
that your balances are getting the better of you and that credit counseling might
help: 1. Your credit
card balances are rising while your income is decreasing. 2.
You are only paying the minimum amounts required on your accounts, or maybe even
less than the minimums. 3. You're
juggling bills. For example, you apply for another credit card and use cash advances
from it to pay an existing card. 4. You
have more credit cards than a successful gambler has poker chips. 5.
You are at or perilously near the limit on each of your credit cards. 6.
You consistently charge more each month than you make in payments. 7.
You are working overtime to keep up with your credit card payments. 8.
You don't know how much you owe and really don't want to find out. 9.
You have received phone calls or letters about delinquent bill payments. 10.
You are using your credit card to buy necessities like food or gasoline. 11.
Your credit cards are no longer used for the sake of convenience, but because
you don't have money. 12. You are
dipping into savings or your IRA to pay your monthly bills. 13.
You are hiding the true cost of your purchases from your spouse. 14.
You're playing the card game by signing up for every credit card that sends you
an unsolicited offer. 15.
You have just lost your job, or are fearful that you are about to, and are concerned
about how you will pay all your bills. Look
for a pattern
There's no magic number
of statements with which you must agree to determine if you have a credit problem.
Even if you see yourself in several of these instances, you still might be able
to deal with your credit crunch on your own. But
if you spot a trend, beware. For example, don't panic
if you occasionally shop surreptitiously, not letting the spouse in on your splurge.
"Anybody might do this once or twice," says Debby Vinyard, co-owner
of Vinyard Financial Planning and Associates, in Marion, Ill. "But if it's
becoming routine, you probably have a problem." Similarly,
paying of minimum balances once in a while could be acceptable. But if it's more
than an isolated money management misstep, you could be headed for trouble. "If
you see some of these warning signs, you need to take a serious look and find
out why," Vinyard says. "Maybe it's something temporary. You're between
jobs. "But if it's becoming a bad pattern, you need to
be honest. Admitting you have a problem will go at least halfway toward solving
it." Don't wait too long
Cate Williams, vice president of financial literacy and
corporate representative for Money
Management International, says it's far easier on families to
seek help sooner rather than later.
"The best time to seek credit counseling is before
all the extreme warning signs show up," Williams says. "Generally,
it's easier to work with someone heading down the path toward financial
difficulties rather than someone that's already reached that destination.
Just like we should have fitness checkups, in light of the ever
changing economy everyone could benefit from a 'financial checkup'"
Any trip to a credit counselor should be
preceded by a thorough analysis of your family's personal finances: how much money
you have saved, how much you owe, how much you have coming in each month, and
so on. Such an analysis will help you assess how much trouble you're in and how
much help you need.
"MMI believes that most consumers could benefit
from a good old fashioned budgeting session," Williams says.
"Having a monthly cash flow budget and a review of your balance
sheet will give anyone encouragement to keep doing things right
or adjust their plan to meet goals."
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