If you stuck to the financial resolutions you made last year, you probably didn't go overboard with your holiday spending this season, right? If you did overspend your budget - or worse, if you spent without a holiday budget, now is when the pain starts.

But don't hide from your credit card debt. Skipping payments or paying late will only hurt your credit rating, and that can affect your future in big ways. So, open those bills and face those balances head on. Here are a few suggestions to help you pay down your holiday debt:

Get real - Start by figuring out how much you owe across all of your credit cards. Once you know how much you really owe, you can make a realistic plan for how you'll pay it off. Facing up to your total debt may be the kick you need to put the plastic away and stick to a household budget year-round.

Go home - Under the right circumstances, a home equity loan, a lump sum installment loan, can be a smart move to help you pay off debt. You may get a lower interest rate, and the interest on a home equity loan is usually tax deductible.

But, you're also putting up your home as collateral, so if something happens and you can't repay the home equity loan, you could lose your house.

A home equity line of credit is different than a home equity loan because you can draw against it, similar to a credit card. Again, in the right situation, it may help you get your debt under control. But first understand how it works, and make sure you have the discipline to use it wisely. Talk to a trusted lender to help you decide if using your home's equity to pay off debt is a smart move for you.

Make cuts - Take a long, hard look at your monthly spending habits, especially compared to your monthly income. You're sure to find a few things to do without - even temporarily - so you'll have more money to pay bills. Would you rather eat at home more or take a second job to get out of debt?

Stop the bleeding - Regardless of the approach you take to pay off your debt, stop adding to your balances. Put your credit cards on ice and live on a cash-only diet for a while to help you get back in financial shape. It's better to live lean for a few months than to ruin your credit rating altogether.

Start a stash - Open a savings account just for holiday spending and put enough money aside every month so you'll have cash to pay for all the gifts, decorations and other goodies that make the season bright. Then use the cash you've saved and leave the credit cards at home for the holidays.

Most importantly, resolve to learn from the ghost of holiday spending past and stick to a manageable holiday budget next season. It's the best gift you can give yourself.

Scott Kelly is president of Johnson Bank - Racine, a subsidiary of Johnson Financial Group. Johnson Financial Group is a $4.9 billion financial services company providing retail and commercial banking, trust, investment, and insurance services.