On our Credit Cards discussion board recently, Fool Community member Jay Allen shared some diagnostic tips for those dealing with debt. Here are most of them:
You might be overextended if.
. you have more credit cards in your wallet than you have pictures of your kids, grandkids, boyfriend, girlfriend, spouse, etc.
. you're on a first-name basis with your credit collector and exchange birthday, anniversary, and holiday cards.
. your mailperson sues you for medical costs of their lower back pain after carrying around your credit card statements.
. you've moved at least once to stay ahead of the creditors.
. you pay more in interest than you do in income taxes.
. in your opinion, the national debt doesn't look that bad.
. one month's interest payments would pay for that trip to Hawaii that you've always wanted to take.
. you can't remember which card has a balance that will cover the purchase you are about to make.
. you have to hand the clerk more than two cards before your purchase gets approved.
. your credit report takes three days to download.
. you see someone else's credit card and think, "Oooh, that's one I don't have."
If any of this rings true for you, you probably need some help digging yourself out of debt. And you can dig yourself out, by the way -- here's "Proof You Can Pay Off Your Debt." Let us help, via our get-out-of-debt guidance.
Learn more in our Credit Center, which features some surprisingly interesting info about the credit card industry. Being smart about credit can save you lots of money. And speaking of credit cards, check out our Fool credit card. Use it responsibly, and it can serve you well.
Longtime Fool contributor Selena Maranjian has written or co-written The Motley Fool Money Guide and The Motley Fool Investment Guide for Teens . The Motley Fool is Fools writing for Fools.
