Debt is all around. If you have seen any of the news at all lately, then you know the shape of things. Homeowners are losing their homes through foreclosure. The stock market is at nail-biting stages; the likes of which haven't been seen since the 1930's according to some analysts. Gas prices also are at an all-time high. The basic necessities that we need to live and survive are on the verge of becoming too expensive for some.

The way that most people are having to live day to day - no, it's not just paycheck to paycheck anymore - coupled with the debt they already have is no doubt cause for alarm; sleepless nights, depression, anxiety, etc., these are all on the rise on a national, if not global level. Those that are trying to pay down, or even pay off their debts are finding it increasingly difficult to keep up with, and stay on top of, simply because with the cost of living on the rise there's not enough money to cover everything.

It's not just the people of this country that are in debt; the country itself is facing debt levels of increasing proportions. We have become completely dependent on money. We learned a long time ago that we needed to have money to survive; that's something that even children know. However, as adults, it falls on us to be aware of our financial situation and our debt-to-income ratio; which is something you don't need any analyst to tell you. Unfortunately though, for some this ratio is getting larger and more out of control than ever before.

Some debt is controllable. Things like luxury items that aren't necessarily needed to survive, and things we could do without or cut back on, are all items that should be put under the money microscope and rethought before purchasing. Conversely though, there is debt that is simply out of our hands. Emergency situations can be the cause of these types of debts. Natural disasters that cause some to have to replace entire households; medical costs, which can't be avoided because some don't have the luxury of basic health care; these types of debt can steamroll your finances.

Still yet, there are some who are finding themselves in the situation of having to use one credit card to pay off another; taking out a second or third mortgage to pay the bills they have fallen behind on; or even getting a personal loan to make ends meet, these types of debt may put a band-aid on the bleeding financial situation for a little while, but they are hardly an adequate fix. Debts that are created to curtail the situation always have a way of catching up to your wallet. Not that most who find themselves in these types of situations don't want to pay the original debt off, they simply can't and because of this they feel they have run out of options.

While it may be true that some debt can be avoided, it is just as true that some debt can not. Picture the perfect homeowner, standing in front of the perfect house. Now add two cars in the garage. Along with the house and two cars, there is also a spouse and perhaps a child or two. Aside from the house, the cars, and a family, now there are basic bills such as utility costs, groceries, and other essential items; but this is okay because our homeowner also has a great job to be able to support his family.

Unfortunately, those in this nation and others, are seeing perfect families such as our imaginary homeowner and family man, who appeared to have everything well under control, lose it all. Why? Perhaps that great job he had was with one of the thousands of companies who have down-sized and he is no longer working. Or maybe with the rising cost of everything, he felt he had no choice but to go deeper into debt just to keep his family going and it eventually caught up with him. Maybe one of his children or his spouse was diagnosed with an illness not covered under their current health plan, and the only thing he could do to get their care was to go into debt.

Whether debt is avoidable or controllable however, ceases to matter much once you find yourself owing more than you have. We each possess the desire to have more or want more than is needed throughout our lifetimes. The key to holding on to what we already have is knowing our current financial situation, and then searching for ways to improve it without having to resort to oftentimes drastic measures. Finding the factor of our finances is not always easy to do; our situations can change in the blink of an eye, but we can and should use the tools available to prepare ahead of time.

These tools can run the gamut from hiring a financial advisor or planner to take a close look at your money situation and help you plan for the present and the future, to simpler things such as opening a savings account and making sure to put extra money into it, even if it's only a few dollars each week. Most people don't realize just how many options are available; because they don't begin to look for them until their situations are already at the critical level.

Since the world, and our very way of life, revolves around money, we should be just as involved with what goes on with our finances as we are with every other aspect of our lives. Don't wait for something to happen before you notice the problem; if you plan for the crisis beforehand it will help alleviate the troubles later. Arm yourself, not only with knowledge, but by having a plan to control, and take control of your debt.