British consumers have been urged not to rely on debt to fund their everyday living expenses.
According to Chris Tapp from Credit Action, it is vital that consumers avoid falling into a habit of paying for food and household bills with credit cards because this kind of approach can easily lead to serious debt management problems.
"People have to be very careful they don’t find themselves overly reliant on credit which is unsustainable in the long run," he said.
Mr Tapp’s comments came in response to figures from Capital Economics that suggest the proportion of household incomes in the UK being spent on food and fuel has increased notably in recent months.
He added that reliance on debt could lead to money problems because British lenders are becoming increasingly reluctant to offer credit deals.
According to Credit Action, the average amount paid out in interest to avoid debt problems each year by a British family is currently close to £3,765.