Christmas spenders urged to use "common sense"
Mon 24 Dec 2007 10am
A
debt expert has urged people to avoid financial difficulty in the new year by adopting a sensible approach to their spending this Christmas.
Spokesperson for the Consumer Credit Counselling Service James Ketchell advised Britons to resist the urge to make too many purchases using
credit cards and make sure that any borrowing can be repaid after the festive period.
Commenting on the temptation of
credit cards, Mr Ketchell said: "The amounts you put on [a card] for Christmas spending might be done in good faith and for good reasons, but they do have to be measured by common sense too."
Director of Credit Action Chris Tapp also expressed a desire to see UK consumers become more restrained with their seasonal spending.
He said: "We'd love to see more people saving and really thinking through the cost of Christmas and making sure that it's not going to leave them with a financial hangover."
According to recent research from Cornhill Direct, one third of British people go into
debt over Christmas each year.
