People often get to a place where they simply cant pay their bills, especially in todays economy which is not particularly sympathetic toward the poor or even the middle class. Inflation has impacted nearly every facet of daily life including food, gas, rent, clothes, utility bills and more. At the same time, salaries, especially in the lower ranges, have utterly failed to keep pace. When you get to the place where you cannot pay your bills and have money left over for food and other necessities, there are some hard decisions that have to be faced. The options are credit counseling and debt management services, or bankruptcy. Both have their pros and cons, so which road to take depends largely on the individual and how severe his or her financial problems have grown.
There are numerous credit counseling/debt management services available, both in most local communities and over the Internet. The services vary considerably, for example some charge fees and exist to make a profit, while others are strictly operated by volunteers and dont charge fees for their services. Some services are certified or accredited, and others are not. Some guarantee confidentiality, and...