It's a careful Christmas as shoppers guard their cash

83 per cent of Brits are worried about paying for Christmas this year

42 per cent have got into debt due to paying for Christmas

15 per cent will be selling items such as gold or jewellery to fund their Christmas expenditure

One in four are more likely to buy pre-used items from eBay or charity shops to give as gifts this year

84 per cent are planning to spend less on Christmas this year

Christmas 2010 is set to lack festive cheer for many in Yorkshire according to a new survey, which has found that 83 per cent of Brits are worried about paying for presents and festivities.

84 per cent are planning to spend less and 26 per cent have considered abandoning Christmas altogether.

The survey, for money saving website DiscountVouchers.co.uk, questioned over 1,000 people across the UK, with one third saying they plan to spend up to 25 per cent less on Christmas this year, and one in four planning to spend 50 per cent less than last year.

57 per cent said they intend to buy fewer/cheaper presents for their partner and 49 per cent plan to buy fewer presents for their children.

More people are cutting back on the amount of festive food they have and 30 per cent said they won’t go to as many parties.

54 per cent said they will wear old party outfits, rather than buy new clothes and 12 per cent said they won't be buying a Christmas tree.

Simon Terry of DiscountVouchers.co.uk says: “The amount of money being spent on Christmas has increased steadily over the years, but with VAT rising in January and worries about spending cuts and job security, this year people are genuinely concerned about financing the presents and activities of the festive season.

“The spiralling cost of Christmas means that 42 per cent of respondents said they have got into debt in the past paying for all the presents, parties and entertaining.

“Despite it being the season of good will, just eight per cent said they get a Christmas bonus from work to help with the cost of the festivities.

“To finance this year’s Christmas spending 15 per cent will be selling items such as gold or jewellery to get cash, while a third will be using credit cards and three per cent will use short-term loans.

“For those who shop with credit cards or loans, 35 per cent are concerned about the interest rate but say it’s the only way they can pay for everything at Christmas.

“To help money go further this year, one in four said they are more likely to buy pre-used items from eBay or from charity shops to give as Christmas presents.

“The growing concerns about Christmas expenditure mean that this year it will be all about shopping wisely and making the money you have go further.

“ It is possible to save money on most brands using discount vouchers and shopping around for the best prices, so no one should accept the RRP as non-negotiable.”

DiscountVouchers.co.uk is one of the UK’s leading money saving websites, offering hundreds of discounts and exclusive offers from brands such as Tesco, Marks & Spencer, Sainsbury’s, Travelodge, First Choice, Lastminute.com and Boden.

To sign up for offers or take advantage of the latest savings visit www.discountvouchers.co.uk