A good place to start is the National Foundation for Credit Counseling, which can help steer you toward resources in your area. In many cases, the counselor's fees will be paid by the lenders themselves.
Watch out for any credit counselor who demands hefty fees upfront or who isn't affiliated with either the National Foundation for Credit Counseling or the Assn. of Independent Consumer Credit Counseling Agencies.
"There's no pretty picture for being deep in debt right now," said Linda Sherry, a spokeswoman for Consumer Action. "If you start missing payments, chances are you'll end up ruining your credit."
That might not sound like such a terrible thing at the moment. But down the road, when we finally get through this mess, you may be in the market for a car or a house or some other purchase requiring banks to be your buddy.
Keep your eye on the bigger picture.
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David Lazarus' column runs Wednesdays and Sundays. Send your tips or feedback to david.lazarus@latimes.com.
