The Finance & Leasing Association (FLA) has recently offered new top tips for Christmas credit card spending this year.

The credit industry group said that customers should "keep a clear head" when using plastic to meet festive costs and should always "shop around" for the best deals.

Borrowers were also advised to pay off as much of their card balances as possible in the New Year.

Fiona Hoyle, a spokeswoman for the FLA, said: "Christmas can be a tough time, make sure money isn't one of your worries.

"Take stock after Christmas - if you're not going to be able to repay your debts, talk to your lender as soon as possible. They can't help if they don't know there's a problem."

The latest consumer credit figures released by the FLA, showed that overall credit card spending fell by 8% over the year to September 2009, when compared with the previous 12 months.

However, store instalment credit registered annual growth of 1% over the same period.

Reward credit cards offering incentives linked to purchases and 0% credit cards can both provide a financial boost to consumers planning to spend big, during the festive season.