If your debt is overwhelming, there are emergency strategies available to help you regain control fast. Dragon Claws/Getty Images

When money is already tight, as it is for many Americans right now, all it takes is a single unexpected expense to destabilize your finances. Whether it's a car repair, a medical bill or even an unusually high utility payment, the extra pressure can push your budget from stretched to unmanageable. When that happens, any unpaid debt you have is typically the first thing to fall out of balance.

And, over the past year, a lot of borrowers have been dealing with that kind of financial whiplash. After all, credit card rates are now topping 22% on average and climbing household expenses, pushed upward by inflation , are putting even more stress on people's

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