Up to your ears in bills? You're not alone. Want to start saving money, but you're not sure where to begin? Thinking of debt consolidation , but not sure if it's a good idea? Read on to rearrange your finances, and get the peace of mind you're longing for. Also, see our tips on student consolidation and debt management.

Credit Card Debt: Why You May Be Doing Even Worse Than You Think.

You may have heard that the national average for U.S. household credit card bills is pushing $9,000. If you've been comforting yourself by thinking, "Oh, I only have $7,000 in credit card debt, so I'm doing better than average - I don't need debt consolidation," think again. Financial experts will remind you that the $9,000 figure is skewed - in reality, more than half of American households pay off their credit card balances monthly or don't use credit cards at all; the majority of those who owe credit card debt owe much less than $9,000.

In fact, less than 10% of Americans owe that much - and many owe much more, tilting the average to the high end. Who's in the most trouble when it comes to credit cards? Often, it's those with household incomes under $50,000, according to MSN Money. People fall into the vicious cycle of credit cards when they use cards for expenses beyond their means or even for day-to-day living expenses. Once you start racking up those finance charges, and interest fees, it's hard to escape. That $7000 can easily turn into $9000...then $13000...then $17000...until you have a totally unmanageable burden. That's why consolidating your bills [link to lead gen form at bottom of page] is a good idea.