Are you using credit and wondering how to decide if you're seeing credit trouble signs? Here are five credit trouble signs:

You are paying only the minimum balance due on your bills which are open-ended account. Examples of open-ended credit accounts are credit cards, charge accounts and checking overdraft accounts.

You can't pay all monthly bills and/or make monthly payment for closed-ended credit. Examples of closed-ended credit include a one-time loan for a specific period with a given payment and major purchases such as automobiles where credit approval is needed for each loan and a down payment is usually required.

Another credit trouble sign is when savings are used to pay for everyday expenses.

It's a credit trouble sign when you use credit to pay for things you paid for with cash in the past. This often happens when suddenly the family has a reduced income such as a job layoff or medical emergency which is resulting in loss of income or ability to pay bills.

Another credit trouble sign is when you are juggling credit purchases to avoid going over the credit limits.

Your credit record or credit history is a public record of how well you pay off your debt -- on time, with full payments and who makes the payment.

Credit is paying off yesterday, today and tomorrow when renting the use of someone else's money. Laws govern credit application and guidelines for granting credit. Laws also govern information required to be given to a loan applicant. Protection is also provided by law to the consumer for billing errors and stolen credit cards or unauthorized charges.

If you have been denied credit you have the right to request seeing your credit record at the credit bureau without charge. Ask the credit bureau which company your record has been filed with. Here are numbers to call: Equifax 1-800-685-1111, Experian 1-888-397-3742, and Trans Union Corporation 1-800-916-8800.

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