THE temptation to blow the budget when the Christmas holidays come around is strong, especially in the last-minute rush to stock up on everything you are going to need.
But for some people, this could create worries that take all the enjoyment out of celebrating with family and friends.
One in 12 (eight per cent) of people said they no longer enjoy Christmas because of the financial strain it brings, according to a survey from Gocompare.com Money. A further one in eight (12 per cent) said they always end up over-spending at this time of year.
Matt Sanders, a spokesman for Gocompare, said: "People clearly feel under pressure to splash out on gifts to please loved ones and friends, meaning it's all too easy to be irrational about our Christmas spending, forking out far more than we can sensibly afford."
This is why it is vital for consumers to get their spending back on track for the New Year.
Gocompare's survey of more than 2,000 people asked shoppers to share their top money-saving tips to help give others some ideas.
Top of the list came using loyalty card points to pay for shopping, cited by more than a third (36 per cent) of people. Other tips included agreeing a price limit with family or friends for how much to spend on a gift or planning traditional family days out over the Christmas and New Year break, such as a bracing festive walk, rather than expensive treats.
Sanders said: "There are some simple steps you can take to trim back your Christmas spending to help make sure you don't start the New Year with a financial hangover.
"For instance, cashing in unused loyalty points and using money-off coupons and apps are effective ways of reducing the cost of a range of goods and services and can help your Christmas budget stretch that bit further."
Putting together a shopping list can also help to avoid duplicating last-minute purchases and cut the likelihood of over-spending.
For those who think they may have to put some of the cost of Christmas on a credit card, Sanders said: "Look for cards with generous interest-free periods on new purchases, which will give you time to pay off your Christmas spending without adding interest to the outstanding debt.
"To help ensure that you repay the balance of your card before the introductory term ends, try setting up a repayment plan and remember to check your cards terms and conditions."
To help ease the strain on budgets in 2017, one achievable New Year's resolution would be to set savings goals.
Clare Francis, savings and investments director at Barclays, said: "It's worrying how many people end up in debt as a result of Christmas and who then spend much of the next year trying to pay it off.
"To reduce the risk of this happening, try and put a bit of money away each month from January, so by the time next Christmas arrives, you've saved up a pot of money to cover the cost, rather than having to pay for it on credit."
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