If the ghost of Christmas past is still haunting you personal finances in the shape of a bumper credit card bill, Barclaycard has some advice.

The company has prepared a checklist for customers facing financial trouble as a result of heavy expenditure last month.

The checklist is as follows:

Face up to the fact you have a debt problem and do not hide from your creditors;

Work out your income;

List all your outgoings;

List all your creditors and put them in order of importance. Rent or mortgage payments should come first;

By deducting outgoings from income, you will know how much is left to pay creditors;

Decide how much you can afford to pay each creditor and write to each one informing them of your proposal;

Ask them to confirm in writing that they are happy with your proposals;

Do not take further credit.