Debt is easy to get into and can be very hard to get out of — especially credit card debt. Some debt comes from a single event and the related expenses. Sometimes debt builds over time.

Debt that builds up over time might surprise you. You charge a trip, some dinners out, some clothes — all things that don’t seem like a big deal.

But little things can add up.

While credit cards allow the financing of a long term purchase, it’s best to charge no more than you can pay off each month. Once you realize that you have more on your card than you can pay off each month, cut back on spending and start paying it off.

If you have multiple credit cards, make the minimum required payment on cards with low interest rates, then pay the rest of what you can afford to pay each month on the credit card with the highest rate.

While there is some emotional relief in paying off a small balance and having fewer cards, paying on the highest rate card most aggressively will get your debt paid off more quickly. If you’re charging a big item, like a trip, have a plan to pay that charge off over a few months.

While it’s not common, some credit card companies will negotiate for a lesser amount or forgive interest on a card. While this lowers your obligation, it reflects negatively on your credit report.

An extreme option is to claim bankruptcy. The impact on your credit reports for a bankruptcy is severe and long term, being reflected on your report much longer than late payments.

Although none of us want to live a spartan life with no fun it in, digging out of debt is stressful.

To avoid having multiple charges build up debt, monitor your spending. Having a plan for what you spend on each type of expense gives you some guidelines to avoid overspending.

There are different methods of spending control that work for different people. As old-fashioned as it might seem, working on a cash basis with all the cash designated for your spending categories is one such method.

Similar to using cash, you can use a debit card instead of a credit card for purchases. Be aware that debit cards, if they are compromised, don’t have the same protections for false charges as credit cards.

A common debt is from a medical problem that’s not covered by health insurance. The lack of insurance coverage might be because a person didn’t feel they could afford insurance premiums.

Debt might be from a high deductible, a procedure their insurance doesn’t cover or a delay in the insurance company paying the charges. Having needed medical treatment is preferable to ongoing illness or injury.

Many medical providers will work out a payment program or discount charges based on financial circumstances. There are efforts to exclude medical debts from credit reports.

Linda Leitz is a business columnist and certified financial planner. Reacher her at linda@peaceofmindfin.com.