The holidays are here, the busiest time of the year for retailers. In spite of all the economic problems facing the world, it seems as if it had no effect at all on individuals and their Christmas shopping lists. I base that opinion on the throngs of people I’ve seen crowding the malls and stores in my area; men and women and children-families-busy shopping for gifts and all the other goodies associated with Christmas. And with only six shopping days to go until the magical day of cheer dawns with the arrival of Santa, is it any wonder that the last-minute rush is on?

There’s nothing wrong with shopping and splurging this time of the year as long as your finances are equal to the task. But there can be a major problem when people spend more than their budget allows, which can be especially painful when using credit cards. It’s way too easy to create an almost insurmountable credit card debt before you even realize a problem exists. It’s a play-now-pay-later situation that sneaks up on you when playtime is over and it’s time to pay the piper. Having a large credit card debt can be frightening, and in a worst-case scenario the consequences can be devastating. I know a few people who’ve found themselves in such dire straits but were fortunately able to overcome their dilemma by making use of credit card debt consolidation.

There are many good companies offering this service, and bill consolidation was a great help to my friends. After having lived through the experience, I can only hope that they not only learned the definition of frugality but that they also put the act of it into practice and never have to face such circumstances ever again.

Have a very Merry Christmas, and an even merrier time paying your bills on time!