More American families are buried under debt that outpaces their paychecks, which is bad for household budgets but there are free ways out.

• The Fed found a growing share of families now carry debt payments eating more than 40% of their income.
• That leaves less cash for groceries, utilities, emergencies, and savings.
• Credit cards are a big driver — new spending and new accounts are growing faster than people can pay balances down.
• The first move is calling your card company, which often has payment plans that protect your credit score.
• Nonprofit credit counselors can negotiate better terms for free; for-profit debt relief firms that charge upfront fees are the ones to avoid.

Outlook: With card balances still climbing, more families will likely need help managing debt in the months ahead.