As a result of the economic crisis, 51 percent of consumers have taken steps to reduce their debt, according to a National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC) poll.

Twenty percent of consumers also said that the crisis has inspired them to begin tracking their spending and develop a budget, according to the poll. Ten percent said it caused them to review their credit report and 6 percent have begun saving more.

"If there is a silver lining to the recession, it is that it has served to refocus consumers’ attention on their personal finances," said Gail Cunningham, spokesperson for the NFCC. "When times are good, we tend to put our finances on auto-pilot. The recent financial wake-up call has been harsh, but may have been the splash of cold reality many Americans needed to regain control of their finances. Consumers have apparently become uncomfortable carrying debt, realizing how detrimental it can be to their overall financial well-being, and have gotten serious about doing what it takes to pay it off."