Recent studies have shown that more than 35% of Americans have unpaid bills and debts which have been put in the hands of debt collection agencies – so if you are struggling to keep your head above water then you are certainly not alone.
Many consumers find it difficult to meet the repayments on anything and everything from credit cards to hospital bills, mortgages to car loans . . . the bills just keep on piling up with no end in sight. Even cell phone contracts and unpaid gym membership fees can end up with a collection agency and have a detrimental effect on your credit score. Bad credit can even have an effect on your job prospects and the price you pay for your car insurance – the problems are very deep rooted indeed.
It’s a worrying statistic isn’t it? Around a third of the Americans you see in the street will have some debt in collections. The figures are worse in some states than in others but even if you live in Minneapolis (only 20% of residents have debts in collection) it still paints a bleak picture.
If you are struggling with debt then the good news is definitely that you are not alone. Debt is certainly not something to hide or be ashamed of these days – hey, everybody’s doing it – but that still doesn’t make it okay.
There are important steps which you must take in order to get out of debt and the sooner you start along the road to financial recovery the better.
