Ok, so things aren't so great right now.

But believe me, they can, and will get better if you are prepared to put a bit of work in, and sometimes be a bit patient!

The first step is to be honest with yourself about the situation you are in. This is the hardest part in my experience! Work out what you truly owe altogether, and if you owe money to more than one organisation think about how to prioritise the debts.

Only you know your own circumstances but generally speaking 'priority debts' are those that affect, for example your home and family. These include mortgage and rent arrears, and utilities that may be cut off. These need to be addressed as a most urgently. There is information on dealing with these type of debts by clicking on 'Debts on your home'.Next you need to look at any other debts, including credit cards, HP, loan agreements, overdrafts, rentals etc. More information about dealing with these debts is available by clicking on 'Credit Debts'.

Once you have got a true picture of where you're at and begun to tackle the problems, using the advice in the sections mentioned above, you can begin to think about the future. Unfortunately the repurcussions of money problems can go on long after you've sorted out the debt itself.

Previous problems can affect your ability to get credit, as your credit rating is affected. For more information about your credit record and rating and how to make a start on improving it, click on 'Credit Reports'.

It is a sad fact that when you are recovering from money problems, just when you need the support most, most banks and financial institutions back off and won't touch you with a barge pole! I have done a lot of research (which has involved a lot of failed applications!) into which organisations are more understanding, and more information can be found in the 'Banking After Debt' section.