Debt just seems to creep up on us. Nobody sets out with the intention of running up vast amounts of debt - that would be insane (or criminal)! But nearly all of us have some debt. According to recent figures issued by Credit Action, the total amount of unsecured debt in the UK is £213 billion. When you factor in what we owe on our houses, it brings the total up to a whopping £1.3 trillion of personal debt in the UK. So what impact does this debt have on us?

In the past, being in debt was severely frowned upon. My gran, a great Shakespeare lover, would trot out the immortal line "neither a borrower nor a lender be", if I even mentioned borrowing money, whilst reminding me that in her day I could have gone to prison for not paying my debts. I only wanted a penny for some sweets!!

My, how things have changed... Debt is now a way of life. Nobody I know can afford to buy a house from their savings or purchase a car for cash. Debt seems to have woven its way into the very fabric of our culture. The question is - are we too reliant on it?

If we take time to think about how we use credit then getting into debt should not be an issue. The key is to monitor your spending, either on a weekly or monthly basis. But who reading this article knows exactly how much they spend a week on food, bills, etc? I'm no psychic but I can guess that very few readers would be able to answer that question.

Perhaps, ironically, the only people who could answer it are those who have a debt problem and have started to sort it by drawing up a Statement of Affairs (SOA). This helps you detail how you spend and if you know exactly where your money goes then you can take steps to modify your spending patterns. I can guarantee that those people who buy things on impulse have no idea about their spending patterns nor would they be able to tell you how much they owe.

But the question is - do you have debt or do you have a debt problem? To find the answer, check if these statements are true for you:

• I use credit to finance my monthly household expenses.
• I cannot pay the minimum monthly repayments for my debts.

If either one of these applies - you have a debt problem. If both apply - you have a serious debt problem.

Unless you are going to stick your head in the sand while your debts escalate and your options disappear, there are two things you can do right now to get you on the road to recovery. First, organise your finances by working out what your expenditure and income is. You'll find loads of helpful and non-judgemental advice on our website and debt forum .