Fix your financial crisis. If you’re buried in bills, falling behind on your payments and wondering where you’ll get the money for your next mortgage payment, you need help. We can tell you where to go, what to ask and what to expect.

Get cash right now. If you’re out of money and need a couple hundred dollars to keep food on the table and gas in the car, you don’t have to turn to a payday loan store. There are other, less costly ways to get the money you need.

Get debt collectors off your back. We have a 10-step plan that explains how debt collectors work and how you should deal with them.

The 10 things debt collectors can't do. You don’t have to put up with threats and foul language. There are limits on everything from when they can call to what they can say.

Sign up with a good credit counselor. If you have a mountain of bills you need reputable help that can negotiate a realistic repayment plan with your creditors and get the collection agencies off your back.

Avoid your credit card’s most costly penalty. It’s called universal default and many consumers don’t even know it exists. Yet it allows most cards to raise your interest rate to painful heights if you miss a payment – any payment, not just your credit card payment -- or commit any number of other financial sins.

Get out of universal default. If you’ve missed a few payments, your credit card may have pushed the interest on your balance up to 24% or more. To escape that onerous penalty you’ll have to call, complain and negotiate. We can help you get ready, ask the right questions and anticipate how the customer service representative will respond.

Get free copies of your credit reports. The first step toward fixing your credit is to find out what the major credit reporting agencies are telling everyone from banks to employers about you – and make sure it’s right.

2/28 and 3/27 loans can be the best mortgages for subprime home buyers. Reasonable terms and interest rates make these loans good alternatives to the dangerous option ARMs, or "1% loans," and you can rebuild your credit.

Rebuild your credit scores. There are three simple things you can do, and you can start right now.

Get a good secured credit card. If you can’t qualify for a conventional card, this is the plastic for you. Just don’t waste hundreds of dollars a year on outrageous fees by applying for the wrong one.

Protect yourself from a financial emergency. You can do that even if you’re living paycheck-to-paycheck. Just try one or two of our suggestions and stop worrying that an unexpected car repair or illness will leave you penniless.

Manage your money. It’s tough to payoff all your bills. But building financial security for yourself and your family is easier if you have a plan and some simple rules to help make smart decisions each and every day.

Create a simple budget. Our easy-to-use system will track where your money goes and make sure your hard-earned dollars are being spent on the things that matter most.

Microloans are a new way to borrow $1,000 to $25,000 at a reasonable cost.

Have a question about your finances? Ask us at editors@interest.com