Early versions of what we now know as the credit cards appeared as early as the 1800s, but the option of carrying a balance on a credit card (revolving credit) did not show up until close to the end of the 1950s.

Purchasers appreciated the convenience of not having to carry large amounts of cash, and merchants could be relatively sure that they would be paid for their merchandise.

Credit cards, however, have created financial problems for many people. The main problem, simply stated, is that by pushing the time of actually paying for a purchase into the future, some people seem to lack the discipline to manage their finances properly, and ensure that they can honor the financial obligation that credit cards present.

There are some obvious signs that using credit cards may be inappropriate for certain personality types. If any of these apply to you, you may be well advised to cut your credit card or cards and pay-as-you-go.

The first of these is that you find yourself buying things that you had no intention of buying. Some evidence of this impulse buying problem would be, for example, if you have clothes hanging in your closet that still have the tags on them and have never been worn, or you have unopened small appliances and electronics sitting around.

Another issue for which to be alert is that you have no clear idea of what you have coming in by way of income versus your inescapable obligations such as living expenses, food, transportation and any of the other things that occupy the category of essentials.

Third, if you completely avoid opening the credit card bills that come in the mail or are delivered to you electronically on your computer and neglect your financial responsibility out of a psychological desire to neglect facing reality, you have a serious issue.

Finally, if your credit card statements frequently include late fees or finance charges that exceed the amount of the goods or services purchased, you have to face the fact that you lack the personal discipline to use credit cards responsibly.

This does not necessarily make you a bad person. It just means that you lack the tools and skills that are necessary for using credit cards.

If you find yourself in this position, and it appears that you have accumulated an unmanageable debt load, credit card debt help is available from a variety of sources.

One such source that may surprise some people, is credit card companies. One major benefit of seeking credit card debt help from them is that you do not have to worry about being ripped off by unscrupulous credit counseling agencies. Credit card companies, especially if you owe them money, have a vested interest in doing whatever they can to enable you to repay them. They can supply valuable insight into how you got into your predicament in the first place, teach you systematic methods to alleviate the problem and counsel you in ways to avoid the same problem in the future.