What if you've tried to make a budget to pay off your cards, but the money to pay them off just isn't there? Well, you have a few options.

*It may be time search for additional employment. You need to increase your income. Try taking on a second job or maybe you can try to look for a higher paying job. Just be sure that the extra money you make is used to pay off the debt to you have accumulated. This can really lighten the strain on your budget.

* Attempt to negotiate with your creditors. If you talk to your creditors, some of them may be willing to give you more time to pay, drop late fees, or reduce your interest and your minimum payment. It's possible that they might even settle for a lower amount than you actually owe, although it's rare to achieve this without a lawyer.

* Consolidate your debt. Home equity loans, or second mortgages, are often used by people who are in an unmanageable amount of debt to consolidate the debt and reduce interest charges and monthly payments. The trouble is that by doing this, you put your house on the line.

You may also pay more in interest than you realize, because even though the interest rate is lower, you will be paying for a longer time. If you choose this route, paying more than the minimum payment each month will save you money.

If you do not want to put your home at risk you might try applying for a new credit card with a high limit and low rate. Then you can transfer the balances of your cards to this one card and reduce your monthly expenditures.

Once you have consolidated your debt you have to be careful not to begin charging things again and run the credit card balances back up. You will be in worse shape than you were in the beginning.

* File for Bankruptcy. This should be your last resort. Chapter 7 bankruptcy wipes all of your debts clean, but you may lose some of your property depending on your individual circumstances. Chapter 13, which is now more common because of changes in the law, sets up a court-ordered payment plan to pay off your debt. Either type will stay on your credit report for 7 years, and on public record permanently.