1. The 0% Interest Rate Syndrome

   You have more than one 0% interest rate credit card that's maxed out and you aren't saving money in an interest-bearing account to pay off those debts before the 0% interest rate period ends. Plus, you spend an inordinate amount of time researching 0% interest rate cards to transfer your debt so you don't need to pay interest. You feel very proud about this accomplishment when you can pull it off, but you feel physically ill when a credit card company turns you down. Although you might have all the latest deals memorized - which cards offer 12 months interest free, how much the cards charge for balance transfers, and the credit line amount - you tend to forget how much money you owe.




2. The "I'm Just Like Everyone Else" Excuse

   If you can't remember how much money you owe, then you aren't serious about paying off that debt. Instead, you continue to accumulate debt even with those 0% interest rates because you can't stop spending. If anyone makes a remark about how often you use credit cards, you might feel defensive about your actions. "I'm just like everyone else" may be your response. And, if the person who made the remark disagrees, you might feel superior to that person because, after all, that other person is odd for using cash and for not taking advantage of the rewards that cards offer. In your mind, you're perfectly normal because you do believe that "everyone" uses credit cards for their purchases. Plus, you believe that everyone is in debt. Why be different, especially since you think you handle debt pretty well.




3. Cash Feels Odd

   You may not see your income in dollars and cents, since you use direct deposit, pay bills online, and you use checks and credit cards instead of cash. If this is the case, paying for items with cash may feel different for you. In your eyes, cash represents "real" money, and you don't want to use it because, when you do, it may feel unpleasant. Instead, you feel more comfortable using credit for purchases, since those cards don't feel like real cash. Besides, why pay cash for something when you can get that item now for a "pay nothing for six months and no interest for two years" credit anyway? While you're correct to some extent about that deal, especially if you save money to pay off that item before the deal ends, you know deep in your heart that you'll continue to transfer or accumulate that debt rather than pay it off.




4. The "Icing is Better than the Cake" Issue

   Have you ever stuck your finger into a cake just to taste the icing? You couldn't wait for the cake to be served, could you? Instant gratification is one sign of addictive behavior, and compulsive spending is a sure signal that you're not patient or thoughtful about your purchases. In your mind, you feel that there's nothing you can't afford since you're a master at denial. When you talk or think about juggling your debt, you're really talking or thinking about borrowing more money. You'd rather borrow money to pay debts than pay the debts with cold, hard cash. And, you'd rather go into debt to purchase an item now rather than save over time to purchase that item in the future.




5. You're Special

   How can you not be special when credit card companies continue to offer their deals to you? You fall for the offers and you often don't read the fine print before you sign on the dotted line. Once you're sucked in, you feel you may as well spend the credit limit since it's there for the taking. It belongs to you, after all. On one hand, it would be insane not to take a better deal if offered, especially if the rate is lower and there's no annual fee involved. But, since you don't know how or when you'll pay off that loan, the deal becomes a temporary measure and a reason to put off paying off the debt. But, since you do know that these deals usually have a time limit before they take on costly redemption penalties, you often lose sleep as you worry about how to transfer that loan when the time limit arrives.




6. You Believe in Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny

   You often don't mind being in debt, because you believe that your ship will come in some day soon. You'll win the lottery or Publisher's Clearing House will knock on your door instead of debt collectors. The odds that you'll win or inherit a windfall are small, if not nonexistent. Also, when you think about the winnings you don't think about how that money will be reduced by taxes. Plus, even if you did win, would you really use that money to pay off your debt? Or, would you justify spending it on more purchases because that "special" money shouldn't be used to erase your mistakes?




7. You're Not the Problem

   Everyone else is to blame for your problems. After all, you needed to pay for everyone's dinner the other night, and you had to purchase that pricey piece of jewelry to impress your blind date. If it weren't for others, you wouldn't be in debt. As long as you don't take responsibility for your debts, you'll never feel that you need to pay them off. Instead, you might feel that others should pay you for your generosity. You become more and more angry about your situation, and this anger may affect your relationships and even your job. When you begin to lose friends, family member loyalties, and a means to bring in income, your problem has become serious.
   

Granted, most credit card companies don't tutor you on how to use credit cards responsibly and they don't want you to know how to simplify your finances. They want you to spend and sometimes it's okay if you don't pay. After all, the credit card company benefits from your late payments and increasing interest rates. But, the penalties for accumulating debt often are severe for the debtor.

If you feel that you fit the bill for a debtor in trouble, you're not alone. If you feel powerless about your debt and your spending, you can always turn to Debtor's Anonymous, where borrowing addicts in recovery can help you turn your life around if you're willing to change. Changing your spending and borrowing patterns isn't going to be easy, but others have done it and they're willing to teach you how to change. While this program might not salvage broken marriages, clear up bankruptcies, or fix other problems that occurred from your borrowing habits, it can help you to learn how to accept your past and move on to a more productive and debt-free life.