Experts advise consumers to act fast in time for Christmas

We all know what an expensive time of year Christmas can be. With everything from the Christmas turkey to a pile of gifts and cards to purchase the costs can really add up, and this is why so many people end up charging the cost of Christmas on their credit cards.

However, this is a time of year when people tend to be too busy planning Christmas dinner and writing Christmas gift lists to concern themselves with just how much Christmas could actually be costing them – and this could end up being a costly oversight.

Spreading the cost of Christmas on a credit card is a great idea, and saves the worry of having to find a lump sum to cover all the costs. However, it is important to think about just how much extra you will end up paying in interest – and taking action to try and avoid this. Experts at Moneysupermarket have advised consumers to take action as early as possible to secure the right credit card in time for Christmas, which could save them a small fortune.

By applying for a credit card that offers 0% interest on purchases now, consumers with a good credit rating could enjoy the benefits of being able to spread the cost of Christmas without having to worry about paying extortionate interest charges for the privilege. You can choose from a range of cards that offer not only 0% interest for a specified period, but also a range of rewards such as loyalty points or cash back, which means that you could not only save money on the cost of Christmas but you could actually make money from using your card to make your Christmas purchases.

Consumers that usually pay their balance in full each month and therefore do not have to pay interest are also advised to look at cards that offer rewards so that they can benefit from using their credit cards to make purchases over the festive season.

Personal Finance Analyst from Moneyfacts, Alan Britchford, stated: "If you are not someone who pays credit card interest, why not take the opportunity to make some money from your card provider; after all it's nice to be able to turn the tables every now and again."

Alisdair Milton
5th November 2006

More Information:

• Credit Card Benefits
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• The Value Of Having Branded UK Credit Card Loyalty Programs
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• Applying For Credit Cards When You Have Bad Credit
  For those with a poor credit score, getting a credit card is harder. However, there are solutions and we will discuss and offer these in the article.
  

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