It's never pleasant to realize that you're in financial hot water, but pretending the situation doesn't exist is NEVER the way to deal with the problem. If you're having trouble meeting monthly payments, find yourself borrowing or using credit cards to meet daily expenses, or have one or more of your credit accounts turned over to a collection agency, it's time for you to get proactive and bring your debts back under control. Below you'll find five ways to reduce your debt. Some take time, all take some level of commitment and effort - but it's worth putting in the time to start cleaning up your debt situation. 1. Develop a budget - and stick to it. The first step toward getting control of your finances is to realistically assess your situation. Sit down and draw up a budget that takes into account all your income and expenses. First, list all your income. Next, list each of your 'fixed expenses', the ones that don't vary from month to month. Those may include your rent or mortgage payment, your auto loan payment, and your utilities if you're on a budget plan to pay for them. Next, add in necessary expenses and payments on bills that vary from month to month. Finally, list all your daily and regular expenses for entertainment, transportation and the like. Your goal is to develop a budget that lets you meet all of your monthly fixed expenses, and figure out where you can cut expenses to start paying down your credit card and other debt. 2. Contact your creditors. Communication is one of your best tools to help you through difficult financial times. Your creditors would really prefer NOT to take stronger measures to collect the money that you owe them. After all, it costs them more money to refer your debt out to a collection agency. As soon as you know that you're having trouble making ends meet, call your creditors and explain the situation. In most cases, they'll be happy to work out a modified payment plan that will make it easier for you to meet monthly ex