 much you can afford to pay against the debt. Don't be afraid to reach out to creditors to seek their help to pay down your debt. If you're in a bind, unemployed or injured, for example, they might be willing to reduce your interest rate. The time to ask for help is before the situation spirals out of control. I'm Mark Hammer. Coming up on WTOP, how a community garden in Ward 8 is making sure people have fresh produce. It's 312.