Many times we don't see the signs of a financial trouble until it's too late. But a financial crisis doesn't occur overnight. There are many warning signs that may indicate that your financial situation may be getting out of control. Ask yourself these important questions:

1. Do you pay only monthly minimums or occasionally miss payments on charge accounts and credit cards? Are your cards nearing or over your available credit limit?
2. Do you depend on overtime or multiple jobs to cover monthly bills?
3. Do you often borrow from friends and relatives or depend on cash advances to cover basic expenses or pay your credit obligations?
4. Do you find it impossible to save money or find yourself exhausting savings as a way of supporting your debts?
5. Do you often float or bounce checks, hoping that checks you've written don't clear the bank before payday?
More warning signs...

For more information on signs of financial failure, a list of possible solutions, and suggestions for preventing problems in the future, read Financial Failure - Warning signs and solutions in our tutorial section.