subject: Debt Problem Warning Signs [print this page] Many Americans have over spent during the last 3 years. It has created a major credit problem for most. Here are some important indicators to help you see if you are on the verge of major debt problems:
You have little or no savings - Very often, people fall into bankruptcy because they have some unexpected expense. If you have no savings built up, it means that any medical emergency, car accident or other unforeseen challenge will have to be paid for on credit.
You only make minimum payments on your credit card debt - When you only pay the minimum balance on your credit card debt, you are practically giving you money away to credit card companies, lenders and banks. You accrue the most interest on your credit card debt making minimum payments, and thus you really are not solving your debt problems.
You continue making credit card purchases, even though you are trying to pay off those same cards - If you were trying to bail the water out of a boat, you wouldn't put it back into the ocean would you? The same logic applies to credit card debt; if you know you have a debt problem, put the plastic away until you can get the balance down to either zero or at least a manageable number.
You have at least one credit card or line of credit that is near or over its credit limit - A sure sign of a potentially major debt problem is when your lines of credit are all used up. If you do not have enough money in your paycheck to fund your expenses, and you have used up all of your credit lines, what will you turn to in order to make ends meet? Debt problems often begin to become obvious when a consumer has no money left just before rent is due, or a car payment. This is when you have nowhere to turn since all your credit cards are maxed out.
One last sign of debt problems is when you are occasionally late in making payments on your bills, your credit cards and other monthly expenses - Once you are late once, it becomes okay to be late a second time. Part of the snowball effect is when a consumer gets so overwhelmed with their debt problems that paying bills in general becomes too much. Soon enough, all of the mail begins to take on a pink tone (meaning Past Due notices) and potential debt problems become massive debt problems.
If you are wondering if your finances exhibit any warning signs of potential debt problems, check the above five warning signals. If one of more of these sounds familiar, you should immediately take stock of your finances and see where you can cut back, whether you can make more money or if you need some sort of outside assistance.
by: J Chase
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