If you are one of the millions of Americans who are struggling financially then you are under a great deal of stress. Any time someone is under an serious amount of stress and pressure they should not make any big decisions about their future. This means that even though you are anxious to fix your financial situation, you should not jump into any debt consolidation loans or other major decisions right away. If you are feeling pressured and in a difficult position then you need to take a deep breath and wait until you are more settled before you decide on anything. Talk to some people you trust and some quality professionals and then you can make a final decision. Many people end up making things worse because they get a loan or decide quickly on going bankrupt when they are not well informed and not really ready for such a big decision.