There is debt, and then there is so much debt that you avoid even thinking about it because it will cause you major stress. If your money situation is in the latter, then you need to take a serious look at your debt and see if it is too much to handle. If so, you need to make a plan and begin to reduce it or it will just get worse. Here are some warning signs you have too much debt:

1. You aren't able to save any money, including for Christmas or vacation clubs.
2. You are using credit cards to purchase necessities like food.
3. You're getting calls from creditors about collecting on your bills.
4. You've maxed out your credit cards.
5. You're being denied credit.
6. You're receiving letters and calls from businesses that want to 'fix your credit'.
7. You write out a check and hope you can get enough money in the bank before it clears. Or, you bounce checks.
8. You spend increasing amounts of income to pay the minimum on debts.
9. Your debt load, excluding your mortgage, exceeds 20 percent of your take-home pay. (This figure was given by Bill Hampel, chief economist for the Credit Union National Association, a trade organization.)
10. You use one credit card to pay off another.
11. You hide purchases or the fact that you have too much debt from your family or you keep your spouse in the dark.
12. You lose sleep over your debt worries.
13. You don't even know how much debt you have.
14. You continue to charge more than you pay each month.
15. You feel like you will never be able to get out of debt and you've given up.

Don't give up! You can get yourself out of debt and even start some savings! Continue learning to be a money smart person and you'll get there.