If that's the case for you don't despair. It is still possible to consolidate your debts with a personal loan. Rates there are not as low - there are no zero per cent deals - but you can still get a loan for less than the average 16.9 per cent charged on credit cards.

"Green" tariffs are commonplace now - this means prices are based on energy that was produced from renewable sources, such as wind or hydroelectric power. If you want to do your bit the MoneyExpert.com gas and electricity service includes the option to take a "green" tariff, so take a look to see how much it'll cost you.

MoneyExpert's switching index, which monitors consumers' switching of a range of products every three months, shows more than 3.6 million people have moved current account provider in the past year - around 300,000 a month.

The credit crunch certainly lingers on and the effects will still be felt in 2008. Sub-prime debt has become a real anathema for major lenders, and so credit card companies and mortgage providers are likely to remain cautious, making borrowing a trying business.

In addition to cash accounts parents with child trust fund vouchers to invest can also choose riskier share-based accounts or stakeholder accounts with a spread of investments.

If you are a homeowner with a good credit record then Firstplus will lend you £10,000 over four years at 6.3% APR, meaning that your monthly repayment will be £236. Even if you've had credit problems in the past there are options available - Blemain will offer the same deal with an APR of 11.4% meaning that your monthly repayment will work out at £257.

Ok so you might not be able to avoid the expense of Christmas, but you can be rewarded for forking out. There are some good cashback credit card deals on the market at the moment, which reward you for every penny you spend.

A good example of this is the Alliance and Leicester Premier Regular Saver which offers 12% interest so long as you pay in less than £250 a month. The only catch is that you have to give a year's notice to withdraw the cash. If you do set up the account in your name be sure you can trust yourself not spend the cash!

SHIP members are indicated on the MoneyExpert website. All SHIP's members offer a "no negative equity guarantee" which means when a customer dies their estate will never be charged more than the value of the property - therefore protecting other assets of the estate.

The Co-operative Bank's Think Credit Card gives 25p from every £100 spent to Cool Earth, a charitable organisation devoted to buying and saving the rainforest. There are also cards that donate to charities such as the British Heart Foundation, Breakthrough Breast Cancer, and the NSPCC. You're unlikely to find headline making rates with most of these cards but may well be surprised at the how good a deal you can get whilst helping a valuable cause. Compare charity cards here.