Contrary to what most people in financial trouble believe, most creditors are not waiting for the first missed payment to default and call in your loan. They know that the more pressure they put on you, the less likely they are to receive their payments in the long run. Yes, there are late fees that can begin accruing with the first missed payment, but if you attempt to negotiate with your creditors, they may be willing to lower your interest rate or alter your payment amounts. If you are unable to negotiate these adjustments, there are debt consolidation programs that can help. However, beware of illegitimate programs that hope to take advantage of you, charge large fees in the hundreds or thousands of dollars, and end up hurting your credit score rather than improving it. You may also want to contact an attorney to help you consolidate your debts or even discuss bankruptcy if the situation calls for it.