If you’ve recently been struggling to pay your bills, you might be worried that bill collectors are going to start calling, demanding money that you don’t have. What most people don’t know is that these companies are usually willing to work with you while you are struggling with your finances. This article offers tips on how to deal with your credit companies in order to keep bill collectors from calling:

Call Them First
You know when you’re going to be unable to make your payments, so, rather than just pretending that they don’t exist, call and talk to your creditors. Explain your situation to them and ask if there’s anything they can do to help you out until you’ve straightened out your finances. If you have a good payment history, these creditors will be willing to lower your monthly payments or even postpone them for a short period of time. However, you need to call them before you’ve missed too many payments. The longer you avoid them, the less likely they’ll be willing to work with you.

Visit a Credit Counselor
A credit counselor will work with you in order to help you arrange your finances in a way that you’ll be able to pay all of your monthly bills. And, if they cannot find a way for you to meet your payments, they will suggest other actions that may be beneficial to both you and your credit score. Many non-profit credit counselors do not charge for their services, and they’ll look out for what’s best for you.

Consider Debt Consolidation
If you have good credit, you may be able to get approved for a loan with an introductory interest rate of 0%. If you feel that your financial troubles will last longer than the introductory period, then you may need to consider taking out a second mortgage or consolidating your debts through a debt consolidation company. Speak with a credit counselor before making your decision and make sure that, if you choose to consolidate your debts, you will be able to pay the monthly payment on the new loan. Transferring your balances to a new loan and then missing payments will severely damage your credit score.