Consumer installment credit in the United States stands at $729 billion. That’s about $3,000 for every man, woman and child in the country.

The high level of debt is listed as one of the reasons for the currently flat economy. Consumers simply can’t afford to buy anymore. And the debt also is leading to a high level of bankruptcies.

At Consumer Credit Counseling in Portland, counselors help people who can’t pay their bills find ways to avoid bankruptcy. It’s a busy place.

According to G. Rick Dobson Jr., executive director, his company’s caseload has grown from 700 a year ago to 1,500 now.

“We educate our clients to develop a workable budget,” Dobson said. “We determine disposable income and negotiate credit arrangements with creditors.

“But we’re reasonable about it,” Dobson said. “People should be able to get out from under their debt in three or four years. If they can’t, bankruptcy might be the best idea.” But, he said, bankruptcy should be avoided if possible.

Dobson said that the biggest reasons for debt problems, in order of importance, were the loss of a job or other source of income, the overextension of credit, divorce and separation, the lack of budgeting skills, chemical or alcohol abuse and other illnessess or injuries.

A quick survey of bankruptcies filed at the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Bangor indicates that many of the bankrupt individuals are unemployed.

“We have a habit of spending every penny we make,” Dobson said. “Most of us are in trouble if we lose income.”

Many of the bankrupt families were overextended with credit. A recent bankruptcy case found a couple with an annual income of $11,000 with five credit cards and a total credit-card debt of $5,682. The same couple owed $3,687 in installment credit to retail outlets such as Zayre, Sears and Service Merchandise. That’s a total of $9,369 in installment debt. That’s about 85 percent of their annual income.

The currently high level of consumer debt and the likelihood of an expensive winter with large oil and gasoline bills could be a dangerous combination for many Maine families, especially if a family member should lose a job.

Malcolm Jones, president of Bangor Savings Bank, said that his bank was being “very cautious of credit applications.

“There are many people out there who have gone beyond what we consider reasonable (for credit),” Jones said. Bangor Savings Bank’s rejection rate is higher than in the past, he said.

“There’s not a single cause for that,” Jones said. “Some of it is created by the fact that people have been turned down elsewhere.”

John Darling, who operates Bangor Ford and Darling’s Honda in Bangor, says that part of the reason for slow car sales is that some people simply can’t get credit to buy the cars.

The $729 billion of consumer credit in the United States does not include mortgage debt. It includes installment loans, credit card balances, automobile payments and other retail credit, including unpaid oil bills.

As the debt level increases, credit bureaus that provide credit histories to lending institutions find more disgruntled consumers who have been turned down for loans.

Mary Eggert of TRW Credit Data-Maine says that someone turned down for credit within the last 60-day period because of a credit report is eliglible for a free copy of the report. At her company, anyone can get a copy of their report for $2.

Many people who get in trouble paying their debts think they’re fine until suddenly the numbers don’t add up and there’s just not enough money for all the bills.

The Consumer Credit Institute, the consumer education arm of the American Financial Services Association, has provided a list of some warning signs to help consumers determine if their credit situation is getting out of control.

Some of the danger signals include:

Making only minimum payments on large credit-card bills.

Juggling bill payments each month.

Using the credit line on a checking account or credit card to pay for regular expenses like food or rent.

Going over the credit limit on credit cards.

Working overtime just to keep up with bills.

Being denied credit because a credit bureau report shows either negative information or an overextension of credit.

Getting a credit card revoked by the issuer.