As we head into Christmas week and one of the busiest sales periods in the High Street, Payplan warns consumers to keep tight control on their spending.

The urge to break the budget at Christmas is higher than any other period of the year, according to the national free debt solutions adviser. But if you do, Payplan says it could ruin the festive season and you could be paying for it well into 2011.

“Christmas week and the January period are peak times for our qualified team of counsellors,” said John Fairhurst, Payplan MD.

“Overspending on Christmas parties, present buying, and all the festive food and drink, can seem like a good idea at the time – but the harsh reality is, long after all the turkey and tinsel have gone, there will be a large hole in the bank balance and some potentially serious debt to contend with.”

Payplan urges consumers not to get caught up in the Christmas hysteria and burden themselves with credit card debt or other money worries. Instead, follow a few simple rules:

-       plan your shopping trip before you leave the house – have a detailed list of what you want to buy and where

-       research your purchases first – online, in the catalogues, by phone, ask friends or family – ensure you’re buying items at the best possible price

-       when you get onto the High Street, don’t be tempted by special offers or additional purchases – stick to your list

-       set a budget and stick to it – only take out a set amount of cash or the one credit card you need to use and ensure you know the balance on it

-       if money is tight be more creative about present buying – a homemade or personal gift you’ve spent time and effort on, will be a much better gesture than the latest ‘must have’ item on the shelf

-       be honest with friends and family – if times are financially difficult, don’t be afraid to explain so - if they care about you they won’t care about a fancy present or a slap-up Christmas dinner

Debt free living means stress-free living and Payplan’s message to all consumers this Christmas is to enjoy the festive holiday without worrying unnecessarily about money issues.

If you think you are already heading towards debt call or email a Payplan counsellor now, before the problem escalates further. Free debt advice, exploring ways to eliminate credit card debt and free debt consolidation, are all issues Payplan can help with.

Contact Payplan on: 0800 280 2816 or visit: http://www.payplan.com or you could try some of the other leading impartial advisors including the Citizens Advice Bureau: http://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/getadvice.htm  - to find your local CAB branch; or the National Debtline: http://www.nationaldebtline.co.uk/ - 0808 808 4000.

“This Christmas is undoubtedly going to be one of the worst in recent times for debt,” added John Fairhurst. “Nobody wants to see anyone with money problems and at Christmas these problems seem even worse somehow. Our biggest concern is that people who find themselves in this situation, pretend nothing is wrong.

“It is imperative to speak to a free debt advice company immediately and get to grips with the issue. We are not here to judge or criticise, we will help resolve the situation, give consumers a helping hand, some support, and the opportunity to enjoy the New Year without the shadow of uncontrollable debt hanging over them.”

Note to editors

Payplan was established in 1993 and is one of the UK’s leading providers of free debt solutions. Its award-winning service helps over 100,000 people in financial difficulties every year. In November 2010 it announced a working collaboration with the Consumer Financial Education Body (CFEB), the consumer arm of the Financial Services Authority.