How to tell if your debt problem is becoming serious

Debt can be a heavy weight to bear on those who have it.  Sometimes you can scale back and watch your spending, but it can be easy to get right back to where you started.  And it can be easy to deny that you're having serious money problems.  Here are 15 signs that you might be in serious debt.

These signs come from bankrate.com , which offers financial information and advice.

1.  Your credit card balance is rising but your income in decreasing

2.  You are only paying the minimum on your accounts, or less

3.  You apply for credit cards to pay off other credit card bills

4.  You have too many credit cards

5.  You are at, or extremely close to the limit on your credit card

6.  You charge more each month than you make in payments

7.  You work overtime just to keep up with payments

8.  You don't know how much you owe

9.  You receive phone calls/emails about delinquent bills

10.  You use your credit card to buy necessities like food

11. You use credit cards because you have no money

12.  You dip into savings accounts or your IRA to pay bills

13.  You hide the true cost of purchases from your spouse

14.  You sign up for credit cards that send unsolicited offers to you in the mail

15.  You have lost your job, or fear you might, and you are concerned about how to pay your bills