With Halloween over and in the lead up to the most expensive time of year, Frances O’Hanlon of FOH Financial Services is advising people to be cautious with their spending in the run up to Christmas.

Frances says, “Everyone has had another tough financial year and people are on tight budgets.  It is important that we use common sense and spend within our means.  You need to know what you have and stick to your budget. People sometimes take on different forms of credit in the run up to Christmas which they then have to pay throughout the following year.”

Christmas is a time of family, children, & friends.  Frances advises “Be mindful of 2012, ask your family to reduce the spend on gifts. There are ways and means to get the expenses down – try Criskindle.”

She says, “You need to be as financially fit as possible in 2012 to weather this storm.  Don’t put extra pressure on yourself with credit or expensive gifts.”