In my 25 to 30 years working with personal money management problems I have never seen worry help solve problem. In fact it has just opposite effect.

Worry clouds your judgment. You have certain actions that you need to take to get your problems solved and you will need a clear head to make necessary decisions.

In some cases worry leads to desperation and is used as an excuse not to face problem.

Let me say this in explicit terms "No one dies of starvation or goes to jail because they can't pay their bills in this country". I understand that there have been people starve to death in US but that was more than likely an extreme situation. Also, if there is anyone that goes to jail because of their debts you can bet there was fraud involved.

Even if you don't have any income at all there are places to turn. Worrying is not going to make things happen.

The best thing you can do to get started solving your money problems, after you stop worrying about it, is to access your situation. You have to look at it as if you are an outsider looking in.

Find out exactly what problem is. This is easier than you think. Here are a few of most common problems that are causing your worries:

Credit Card Debt Medical Bills Impulse Spending Mortgage Payment or Rent too high Absence of a Budget Unorganized Bills and Files Late Payments & Fees Overdraft Fees Not Prioritizing Spending

If you have your spending set up by category it won't take long to see where problem is. Here is an example:

There are several factors that contribute to budgets failing. The most common is that people just don't want to change way they live and how they handle their money.

We get comfortable with way we live and making a major lifestyle change is something that scares most of us. But, my friend, this is probably what it will take to get your finances in order and keep them that way.

I can almost guess what you are thinking, "I'm done with this article. This clown is trying to make me change everything and I don't want to". Am I right?

This change doesn't have to be devastating. When you change way you think about your finances this change will be welcome.

The first and most important thing you have to do is to decide what it is you want to do with your money. I'm talking about setting your goals. When you have a goal that is really important to you it is easier to do what's necessary to reach that goal.

"That goal stuff is all fine and good but what if I can't even pay my bills now? What good is a goal to me?" If you don't have a goal there is little motivation to solve problem.

We are working backwards here. You set your goal first (the solution) and then work on how to get there (the problem).

Let me give you an example. You have a goal to be debt free in next 5 years. The problem is that you don't have enough money now to pay your bills and put food on table. This seems like an impossible mission. If being debt free is really important to you then you will find a way to make it happen.

Recently I received an email from a lady that wanted information about what she could do to keep here bill collectors from contacting her work and discussing her finances with her friends and family. I won't go into details here but you can read case study by visiting:

http://www.homemoneyhelp.com/articles/takecontrol.html

This lady and her husband had car loans totaling over $1300 per month. They voluntarily had these vehicles repossessed. This action will have a devastating effect on their credit report, however, I don't believe it will be quite as bad as having to file bankruptcy.

This couple made a hard choice in order to reach their goals. While you may not have to have anything repossessed, you are still going to have to make hard choices. My point is that you can do it if you try. This is just one example of how you can budget even if you are behind on your bills.

There are many other things you can do if you are behind. One of best ways to get started is to contact your bill collectors and see what arrangements can be made. You may be surprised to find that these people are willing to work with you to solve problem.

How many times have you considered a purchase just to ask yourself "Can I Afford This?". When you have a budget in place this is a question that you won't need to ask. You will have numbers in front of you. If payment is too much to fit in your budget then answer is No.