 TITLE: How to Manage Credit Card Debt If You’re Unemployed CONTENT: Work With a Nonprofit Credit Counselor\n--------------------------------------\nIf budgeting and identifying strategies to deal with debt becomes overwhelming on your own, seek out help from a reputable nonprofit credit counselor.\nAgencies affiliated with the National Association for Credit Counseling, for instance, have trained counselors on staff who can assist you in making a basic budget and considering your options for paying credit card bills on a tight income. Your first hour-long consultation—which may be all you need—is free. Credit counseling agencies also offer debt management plans: These require you to make one monthly payment to the agency, which negotiates with creditors and pays them on your behalf.\nBut don't confuse debt management with debt settlement, which is offered by debt relief companies that counsel you to stop paying your creditors. That can hurt your credit score and lead to costly fees. When you're feeling stressed during a period of unemployment, avoid agreeing to a debt settlement plan that could cause long-term harm. Working with a well-regarded nonprofit credit counseling agency is a safer bet. END