You're paying your bills online one night and those nasty credit card statements are making you ill. If only there was some way to get rid of them, you daydream. PING. As if the advertisers were reading your mind up pops an e-mail that reads something like this:

When do you need to call in a financial fitness expert? Here are 15 instances that could indicate that your balances are getting the better of you and that credit counseling might help:

I have one claim against me. Collection agency "A" sends me a demand letter. I send back my dispute notice. That agency then sells my account to Collection Agency "B" which restarts the whole pattern again. Every six months I have to stop what I'm doing to reply to a new collection agency. When is a "no" a "no"? Why do I have to keep sending out letters? It has been over four years and I've sent seven letters. The claim is for $40. I've spent $10 responding. When does it become harassment?

I refinanced my home and now owe more money than what I can sell it for. I am being transferred and the only thing I can think of is to rent the house. I can't sell it because I do not have the money that is owed on it. Do you have any suggestions to help me out of debt? By the way, my credit cards are also maxed out. -- Kathi

My niece has the idea that if she ignores her creditors and does not have any contact with them for seven years, then they can no longer come after her for the money she owes them. She got this idea from a financial author. The author says that the creditor can no longer sue you. I'm hoping you can elaborate on this. I'm wondering if, despite the fact that they cannot sue you, that they can: continue to record the debt and allow it to accrue interest; prevent you from ever getting a loan; put a lien on any home or any real property that you do get; garnish your wages.

It sounds tempting to consumers in debt: Take out one big loan to consolidate various balances into one, easier-to-handle and less-costly package. But be careful of what looks to be a quick fix. "You're getting symptomatic relief, not a credit cure," says Chris Viale, president of Cambridge Credit Corp., a nonprofit credit counseling agency based in Agawam, Mass.

It is that time again when we look at the old year and say that we will do more, better, smarter things next year; that the sins of the past will forever be buried and having learned many painful lessons, we shall become new men and women.

Contacting a debtor. A collector may contact you in person, by mail, telephone, telegram or fax. However, a debt collector may not contact you at inconvenient times or places, such as before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m., unless you agree. A debt collector also may not contact you at work if the collector knows that your employer disapproves of such contacts.

Homeowners today treat their houses like piggy banks, readily transforming their equity into cash and credit. You have home equity loans (still sometimes called second mortgages), home equity lines of credit and reverse mortgages. Then there's cash-out refinancing.

Homeowners today treat their houses like piggy banks, readily transforming their equity into cash and credit. You have home equity loans (still sometimes called second mortgages), home equity lines of credit and reverse mortgages. Then there's cash-out refinancing.