It's stressful enough when you can't pay your credit card bills and other unsecured creditors, but not being able to make your house payment can be terrifying. What should you do when circumstances force you to stop paying on your mortgage? Read on.

• Make paying the mortgage a top priority. When the credit card companies are practically beating down your door for their money and the mortgage company is only calling once a week, it might seem easy to give the credit card companies their money and deal with the mortgage company later. This is almost always a bad idea. If you have to choose between paying your credit cards or your mortgage, the choice is obvious. Prioritize where your money will go and meet your basic necessities first and foremost . This includes food, electricity, water, and shelter, not Visa and Mastercard.

• Keep in contact with your mortgage bank. These are phone calls you don't want to ignore. When you start having trouble, call them right away. They have many ways to help you stay in your house while you get caught up--now more than ever. Ask about a repayment plan, loan modification, and other programs they have for distressed homeowners.

• If you've lost your source of income and just can't keep the house, discuss the possibility of a short sale with your lender. You'll sell the house for less than you owe and call it even with your mortgage lender. This is much preferred to letting your home be foreclosed.

Don't bury your head in the sand. Be proactive and avoid foreclosure.