Millions of people in this country are stretched beyond their means, with multiple credit cards, 2nd mortgages, high fuel costs, etc. The stress involved has truly taken a toll on people when you see all the ads for anti-depressants, credit counselors, and bankruptcy attorneys. It is overwhelming to say the least.

Is there a way for the normal American to get out of this black hole of debt that we have dug for ourselves? Of course there is. But it will take some organization, focus, and a little bit of time. Follow along for helpful hints to get yourself out of debt.

1.Mortgages Shop around for a lower interest rate. You can go online, or check with your local bank to see if perhaps your interest rate it too high and could be lower, possibly saving you thousands long term. Some people may realize that their home is too large now (empty nesters), and perhaps selling and going smaller could help to ease the pain of that monthly mortgage payment.

2.Credit Cards Just like mortgages, shop around for cards with the lowest interest rate available. Check to see if you can transfer one card's balance to the newer/lower interest card without paying any additional fees. A lot of new cards out there have a grace period of one year with 0% interest on transfers. If you can do this so that you are down to one card only, the amount you pay in the long term is MUCH lower than had you paid the 5 cards with 25% interest.

3.Taxes Make sure that you use those deductibles the interest on your mortgage payments, kids in school/daycare, any home office items, and church offering statements. It pays to keep your receipts year round. Should you get a refund from either the State/Federal Govt, take that money and either pay down your mortgage, or pay OFF those credit cards. Do not look at that refund money as an excuse to go shopping, no matter how tempting that may be.

4.Look at your cars/car payments. Are you driving a car that really isn't necessary? Do you have a truck that you don't use at all for hauling items, but only for driving? See about trading it in for an older model car, and take any additional money from the trade and put that towards your credit cards/mortgage payment.

5.Phone/Internet Bills With broadband phone service so widely available in most areas these days, it may be wise for you to see if your cable provider can add a broadband line to your bill, and cut out the monthly phone bill/long distance bill that you are paying now. Most times you can save yourself between $30 and $60 a month.

6.Consolidation If you still have bills that don't seem to be dwindling or there are so many that it is hard to keep track of paying them every month, consider consolidating them into one monthly bill. There are dozens of firms out there who can help you with this process. Some can often contact the creditor for you and negotiate a fixed amount/no interest.

You can make a dent in your debt and still have money left for your personal enjoyment. Don't give up; just focus on what you need to get down, get organized, and slowly the debt will diminish.