21.   Increased taxes, high personal debt, falling house prices and rising interest rates have held consumption down.

22.   Many Americans blamed their heavy personal debts on slow income growth or on the aggressive peddling of credit cards by banks and stores.

23.   Mounting personal debts will remain a drag on demand for manufactured goods, especially expensive durables, in coming months, analysts said.

24.   Mrs. Dwork, who declined to be interviewed Monday, gave no details of the amount or the nature of the personal debts in her statement to mourners.

25.   Note your personal debts and include copies of recent state and federal income tax returns.

26.   Only time, a deliberate effort and a personal debt repayment plan will improve your credit.

27.   Our President deserves the chance to do his job and serve our nation unburdened by the prospect of a huge personal debt.

28.   Pessimists argue many consumers are maxed out with personal debt.

29.   Personal debt also is at very high levels, analysts said, crimping growth.

30.   Personal debt is at an all-time high, and so is credit card debt and bankruptcies.