By Jen Green

WITH Christmas approaching, Citizens' Advice Bureaux across the region are handing out free festive advice to help keep personal finances under control.

Warning that this can be an expensive time of year, the CAB advises planning ahead and sticking to how much can be realistically afforded, not leaving things to last-minute panic buying and not relying on credit cards.

Other recommendations include; a "no presents" pact for family and close friends, giving token gifts with a fixed limit on spending and trying not to feel pressurised by children into buying expensive, unaffordable items.

The CAB also advises shoppers to pay outright and not be persuaded to take out credit unless they can see it really does work out cheaper.

It particularly recommends avoiding store cards, saying most are poor value and many charge whopping interest rates.

Further recommendations include:

l Don't run up an overdraft without talking to your bank, make arrangements beforehand.

l Check that the monthly instalments are within your budget.

l Hefty winter bills arrive in February so ensure priority bills like mortgage, rent, gas, and electricity and council tax are kept up to date.

l If you do run into debt problems, don't ignore them and hope they'll go away because they won't.

For free and independent advice on managing debt, call in at CAB, in Teme Street, Tuesdays or Thursdays, 10am-3pm (Fridays until 7.30pm) or ring 01584 810860.

Ludlow CAB is at Marston Mill, and is open on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, from 10am-3pm, telephone 01584 876933 during those hours.