People 'should plan Christmas spending in advance'

People should start preparing as early as they can to meet the costs of Christmas 2010, an expert has suggested.

According to Andrew Hagger, who acts as a spokesperson for the financial comparison website Moneynet.co.uk, consumers should look to begin putting money aside for next year's festive season as soon as they feel able to.

In a development that may interest those who looking to avoid credit card debt, he commented: "It's getting used to putting something away each month, rather than relying on credit cards."

Mr Hagger went on to say that regular saving accounts could offer one money management solution in this regard.

His comments follow research from Money.co.uk, which recently revealed that a number of people are leaving their Christmas spending until the last minute this year.

As many as 14 per cent of consumers will use credit cards to meet their Christmas costs, according to the site.