People in debt should resist going to the sales this month and concentrate on managing their existing repayments, according to CCCS.

The debt advice charity warned that the worst thing someone with a lot of debt can do is add to it by spending more on credit cards.

James Ketchell, spokesperson for the organisation, claimed that a budget is especially important in January as a way of working out expenditure for the rest of the year.

"The most important thing, really, is to set oneself a timetable for repaying any credit card or store card debt that people have gained over the Christmas period," he said.

However, Mr Ketchell recommended that borrowers who can see no way out of their debt and cannot afford their repayments seek advice from an independent charity or debt advice service.

During 2008, around 10,000 people will become insolvent every month, according to chartered accountancy firm Grant Thornton.

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