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Champagne Lifestyle on an Orange Juice Budget

Unfortunately, life isn't always as fun as playing online bingo and in the first of our monthly 'Spring Clean your Life' specials, Littlewoods Bingo investigates the increasing problems brought on by debt and lends a friendly bingo hand to help those in need address and solve their money issues.

Your bingo-licious Christmas may have been over two months ago but it seems most of us are still paying for the privilege. According to research conducted by Switch, the average person in the UK spent £868 on Christmas 2007. £345.65 went on presents, £178.57 on food and drink and the rest on things like cards and decorations.

But it's not just Christmas that leaves us short. Over 5 million of us regularly spend more than our monthly earnings and then rely on overdraft facilities and credit cards to get us through to the next payday. And, although we can moan and groan about energy increases and full time nursery costs, it is the luxury items, the faraway holidays and big screen plasma TVs that send us over the edge in regards to our spending.

We splurge nearly a third of our monthly income on non-essential items, a 65% increase over the past decade. We gorge at restaurants instead of eating at home, jet off to far away lands to escape the stresses of everyday life and spruce up our pad with lavish wallpaper, furniture and furnishings. As Ann Robinson once said, "It's clear that our salaries can't keep up with our 'Hello' lifestyles."

And that's the bottom line of it; keeping up with the Jones' has never been more evident. In our apparent classless society, people desperately want to appear successful, wealthy, flushed - call it what you will - and it is this desire that acts as the reason for our obsession with spending so guiltlessly.

The fact that the average person in our Buy Now Pay Later culture possesses 4.1 pieces of plastic, purposely designed to mask the fact money is being exchanged, speaks volumes. And the reason we're happy to keep doing it - because everyone else is. According to the stats, 1 in 10 spend over their monthly income and with so many in a similar boat the crisis appears less critical and more inconsequential. But it is a crisis and this "everyone's in debt nowadays" blasé attitude has much to answer for.

Money saving expert Martin Lewis suggests you ask yourself the question, "On my salary, what is the best lifestyle I can possibly have?" And here at Littlewoods Bingo, we agree. Don't compare yourself to your neighbours, friends or bingo buddies, just live by the means you have available to you.

While it's ok to take some solace in the fact you are not alone in your problems, don't use it as an excuse not to tackle the issue. The first step is to not ignore the problem. Debt denial is a common practice with one in three people admitting lying about their financial situation to family, friends, even to advisors. But this 'head in the sand' tactic won't do you any favours. The cold hard truth is debt does not just magically go away.

Once you've confronted it, typically the hardest step to complete, the next stage is to start prioritising your bills. It's naturally going to be overwhelming but just take it one bill at a time. Rank the importance of the bill. You may think that digital TV subscription is important but when you hold it against the mortgage and your utility bills, it really does pale into insignificance. After all there's no point in having it if your electric is cut off! And if there no electricity, that means no online bingo!

If the bank, or any other of your creditors, are on your tail, put step one into action again and confront it. Banks are much more accommodating when a customer admits there's a problem. Leave it be and they'll continue to hound you for the repayments.

You can also help yourself by reducing your daily spending. I know what you're thinking - that's easier said than done! Start with little things like bringing your own lunch to work instead of buying a sandwich from M&S or bring in a flask of coffee in the morning and cut out those expensive visits to the American style coffee houses. Now there's a great couple of bingo tips for you to put into practice.

You can even raise some extra cash yourself by selling some of your unwanted treasures. With the weather getting a bit brighter, there's bound to be a car boot sale nearby. Or if you don't want to risk the rain, get yourself on eBay. And if you need any further help, contact the Citizen's Advice Bureau.

It may sound too much like hard work and you will undoubtedly miss those creature comforts you have got so used to but remember life will be better without the nagging weight of debt on your shoulders. And on a positive note, when you do get the chance to enjoy one of life's little luxuries you'll appreciate it all the more.

We're well aware of the problems facing our bingo players and that's why Thursday's are Penny Bingo days and Monday's are Buy One Get One Free - or BOGOF! No matter your budgeting restrictions, you can still have a dose of online bingo play.

Littlewoods Bingo just wants all our games to be enjoyed in the way they were intended - without the black cloud of debt hanging over you. And that's why we are the trusted name in gaming.