The latest figures show consumer debt continues to creep up with interest payments to match. But you don't need to get caught out. 

The magazine found that some RBS customers could face costs of £90, while customers at Lloyds, HSBC and TSB could face £80

Credit card firms continue to try to direct customers towards interest-free deals, meaning that some of the more versatile cards are often overlooked

Preventive measures are being put in place to protect the 'vulnerable', says Neasa MacErlean. But how effective they are will depend on local councils

LendInvest is one of the fastest growing peer-to-peer property specialists and has lent more than £500m

Donald MacInnes was rejected because some of the numbers on the photocopy of his passport were not legible

Failing to keep tabs on your current account balance could mean you exceed your agreed overdraft limit and face hefty bank charges in the first few weeks of 2016

Norwich & Peterborough building society's research showed that 60 per cent of people don't realise they will incur additional charges

People in "persistent levels" of debt are loved by the plastic lenders as interest piles up regularly and profits soar

Struggling people frozen out by mainstream lenders can turn to better options – even if their credit rating isn't the best, says Andrew Hagger

ClearScore.com will allow you to check exactly what information is registered against your name at the credit-reference agencies

It could mean that there are around 2,000 fewer bankruptcies every year

An interest-free loan far outweighs the value of any of the bank's incentives

It may be a great talking point when you get your football club plastic out in front of your mates, but these deals aren't the best option for all fans

More and more of the 'AB' classes are joining the vulnerable in playing the odds, as Neasa MacErlean reports

Take the test to see if you are among the 4 per cent of Britons that actually know

The first of them, Zopa, has now lent nearly £750m

If you're in the red and can't find a way out, it's time to get some help. Neasa MacErlean hears that relationships will suffer unless you are open with your partner, but there are organisations that will put you on the right track and get you talking

Three stories reveal financial desperation that was born of other, serious concerns, from being a victim of sexual assault, to losing a family member