For most of us being in some form of debt is just a fact of life.

Credit cards, overdrafts, personal loans and mortgages are increasingly easy to get and, not surprisingly, more and more of us have them.

But while some of us have only have a foot in the debt pool, an alarming number of people are drowning.

If you fall into the latter group then there are a couple of steps you can take to get your head above water again.

The national debt picture Card and overdraft debt increased by �1.693bn in July Mortgage debt increased by �4.452bn Total consumer debt is �699bn Debt per household is an average �27,000

Know yourself

The first step is to work out where you stand.

Take stock of how much money is coming in, and importantly how much is going out.

Take a look at how much you are spending on day-to-day living and how much is being spent on, or demanded by, the people you owe money to.

If it looks bad, don't be discouraged, there is always a way to sort this out.

Stop borrowing

The best place to begin to turn things around is to stop making them worse. Stop borrowing money.

Borrowing more money simply to pay off the running costs of other debts will eventually sink you.

Don't jump into a so-called "consolidation loan" without carefully considering what you are getting yourself into.

You will probably have seen these loans on TV. They offer to take away debt worries by shifting all your existing loans into one "easily affordable" loan.

Borrowing more money simply to pay off the running costs of other debts will eventually sink you

Typically they give the impression they are saving you money - but that is not always the case.

They usually spread the loan over a longer period, costing you more in the long run.

Most debt counsellors advise people to steer clear of these offers.

Pick up the phone

The key to managing a debt problem is communication.

Stop ignoring those letters from your creditors. If you tell them you are in trouble you might be surprised at how helpful they can be.

Most lenders prefer to arrange to have some of their debt repaid, rather than be forced to chase you through the courts for their cash.

But before you call your lenders you might want to speak to an expert in debt management.

There are some good free services available

Try your local Citizens Advice Bureau on 020 7833 2181. They will have helped thousands of people with similar debt problems. Or you could call the Consumer Credit Counselling Service on 0800 1381111, or the National Debt Line on 0808 8084000.

Stick to your plan

Once you have a plan for dealing with a debt problem, stick to it. This may mean some belt tightening but the end reward, a life without crippling debt, will be worth it.

Stay out of trouble

It isn't difficult to fall into debt trouble.

Following a few simple rules should help you steer clear of the dept-pool's deep end.