If you are having trouble paying your bills, you need to:
- Work out a budget;
- Get in touch with your creditors as soon as you can; and
- Think about loan consolidation or filing for bankruptcy.
You may also want to set financial goals. The Setting SMART Goals Toolkit from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau teaches you how to set goals that are:
- (S)pecific,
- (M)easurable,
- (A)chievable,
- (R)elevant, and
- (T)ime bound