Consumers should pay close attention to their budgets in order to reduce the risk of falling into debt.
That is the advice of James Falla, director of debt counselling service Thomas Charles & Co, who urged people: "Simply live within your budget."
He suggested that consumers could keep track of their budgets by listing regular monthly living expenses and household income, using either an Excel spreadsheet or a blank sheet of paper.
Mr Falla commented: "You can then look at your monthly expenses and do a bit of saving; you can budget better so you can afford to pay your debts.
"The next step is to look at your budget and see if you can do some sensible management, tighten your belt and see if you're spending anything that you can cut down on."
He also advised people to "start saving for a rainy day", saying that this could help to avoid getting into debt.
