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Moneyextra has urged UK consumers to start planning now if they intend to put Christmas shopping on their credit cards. Its wish list for Christmas includes 0 per cent balance transfers, which have now become extremely rare, especially if you don’t want to pay a fee. Look out for low long term interest rates if you have a low balance, or a capped balance transfer rate if you have a high balance.

However, these cards are not for spending, Instead card holders should look around for credit cards that offer 0 per cent on purchases. Examples are Marks and Spencer’s & More credit card, which offers 0 per cent on new purchases for a 12 months, as well as loyalty points worth 0.5 per cent of your spend, which can be spent on shopping at M&S. And the  Sainsbury’s Bank Platinum Visa card offers 0 per cent on new purchases for 10 months.

Cardholders who are unlikely to pay off their balance in full should look for a low interest credit card. According to Moneyextra, best buys include the Halifax Flat Rate card, which charges 5.9 per cent and Barclaycard Simplicity, which charges a flat rate of 6.8 per cent for purchases and balance transfers. Meanwhile, those who settle in full can look for cards that offer cash back, such as the American Express Platinum card, which gives 3 per cent  cash back for the first three months. Morgan Stanley Platinum Plus promises 3 per cent cash back to1 February 2007 on purchases up to £2,000.

‘Your credit card is not just for Christmas, but with an average spend jumping 22 per cent to around £378 on presents, it usually gets little rest in the run up to 25th December.  If you have not checked out the best deals yet, you only have a few weeks to do it.’ says Robin Amlôt, Senior Editor of Moneyextra.