DENVER -- You don't have to look at the closing bell numbers to feel the financial crunch out there.

More and more Americans are just trying to figure out how to pay their credit card bills each month.

Delinquencies are on the rise and there's a lot of debate over who is to blame: the banks, consumers, or both.

Now more and more banks are ramping up efforts to make sure they get paid, so they are reaching out to borrowers and offering to help.

How do you know those programs are right for you?

Getting married is always exciting, but new beginnings can also be pricey, just ask 28-year-old "Roger."

"We had a lot of financial obligations on our plate between a new mortgage payment and financing our wedding," Roger said. He also has an additional $7,000 in credit card debt.

He's willing to share his story but not his identity.

Not long ago, Roger had a hard time paying down one of his cards and fell behind on a couple of payments. Then he got an unexpected call from the bank.

"I just assumed it was them hassling me for a payment. But when I answered the phone, much to my surprise, it was them calling with a solution to help me," Roger said.

The bank proposed a deal: make monthly payments of $50 for the next five years and they'll cut his interest rate from almost 25 percent to 7.5 percent.

"I was really surprised that they reached out to me. They are worried about people who have large balances," Roger said.

Consumer advocates say banks and other card issuers are going after money sooner because delinquencies are on the rise, and more are offering special workout programs.

Call 7 contacted a handful of leading issuers who confirmed a range of plans from reducing interest rates to waiving fees, restructuring payments to online financial help -- even debt settlement in some cases.

"It's helpful to the banks because it means they're more likely to get repaid rather than losing the entire loan amount. It's beneficial to the borrower because they can come up with a manageable program," said Nessa Feddis, vice-president and senior counsel of the American Bankers Association.

The American Bankers Association said banks see the value of stepping in early after dealing with the failures of the mortgage crisis. While the programs may help some crawl out of debt, advocates warn they're not for everyone.

"If you're somebody that has just missed a payment, you think you're going be able to keep on your feet, there are clear downsides to getting into one of these workout programs," said Linda Sherry of Consumer Action.

If the card issuer makes you an offer, you need to ask how the deal will be reported on your credit report.

"If they have debt waived it may be reflected as a debt not paid. This would mean that in the future they may find that credit is more expensive or more difficult to get," said Sherry.

Or if one card is reported closed by the bank, other creditors may take action, so you could also face increased interest rates on your other credit accounts.

The newlywed 7NEWS spoke to hasn't checked his credit report since accepting his deal. But so far he's happy with the results and has even doubled payments. The terms have been adhered to on both ends and it actually works.

We contacted Roger's bank to talk about this specific deal, and our calls were not returned.

If you find yourself in financial trouble or heading in that direction, the experts say it's best to contact your bank as soon as possible.