FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING, SEE THE OTHER SECTIONS OF THIS DOCUMENT

Wherever you are on the spectrum from a mild financial crunch to a full-blown financial crisis, now is the time to start doing what you can to fix the situation. The worse things get, the harder it will be to correct them.

Do what you have to do, rather than what you would like to do. For example:

• Do your best to pay at least the minimum amount due each month on credit cards and keep your mortgage payments up to date. 
• If it looks like you will have to miss a mortgage or rent payment etc, call the lender or company that services the loan or  your landlord immediately. Don't wait u ntil you receive a mortgage foreclosure, notice of eviction from your apartment, an interruption in gas or electric service etc.. Take immediate steps to change the situation.

To help the situation, there are 10 steps to take.  The steps involve some work on your part, although not as much as you may think.

• The first step is to take your finances apart and take a good look at them - one at a time. 
• Once you have the picture, look at all the steps you can take to help make the crunch easier to handle, or possibly get rid of it entirely
• If excessive use of credit cards for non-medical expenses is part of the problem, put your cards away. Use cash for a while until things stabilize.

Free counseling is available if needed through Consumer Credit Counselors. Financial Planners are also available if you need professional help through this situation.

If there doesn't seem to be a way out of your financial bind, consider bankrupcy. The idea of bankruptcy may go against the grain, but it is such a bedrock of American life that our founding fathers included it in the constitution to provide a second chance when necessary. You may be able to save some assets to help you start again.

If finances are keeping you from getting the medical care you need, there are alternatives available. See the Survivorship A to Z information for people who are Uninsured.

If finances start to pull you down emotionally, focus on the important things in life your diagnosis has reminded you of. Get help if you need it. If you can't afford professional help, at least speak with someone else in your situation such as in a support group or with a buddy in a similar situation.  Talking helps. For information about emotions, click here. For information about support groups, click here. To find a cancer buddy, click here. To find other buddies, contact a disease specific nonprofit organization.

NOTE:

• Learn about your rights vis-a-vis debt collectors. Debt collectors are not allowed to harrass you.
• One way to save money on health care costs is to lose weight if you are overweight. Stuidies show that overweight people spend more on health care. One study showed that people with a body mass index of 25 spent $1,938 a year on health costs. People with a body mass index of 40 spent $5,510; people with a body mass of index of 45 spent $13,327.  Plus more and more employers are requiring people with health issues such as being over weight to pay a higher share of health insurance premiums.
• It is worth taking a moment to find out if you or a close family member has unclaimed assets. Check each state you have lived in at: www.naupa.org .

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