Many people are still working out how to pay for Christmas 2008 with credit card bills or overdrafts to cope with.

The Office of Fair Trading is backing a scheme to help people prepare for Christmas in advance and avoid the new year hangover of big debts.

Save Xmas 2009 is taking a mobile information centre to the Asda supermarket in Chatham on Monday.

The roadshow, which is paid for by the government’s Financial Inclusion Fund, aims to help local people find out about the different options available to them to save for Christmas.

It has been deliberately launched well ahead of the festive season, with the present economic climate in mind.

John Fingleton, Office of Fair Trading chief executive, said: “We have been working closely with Citizens Advice over the last 18 months to help people understand more about the options available when saving for Christmas.

“In the current climate people are increasingly looking for practical financial advice and achievable ways to save. By putting this campaign on the road we aim to ensure this advice not only reaches people but is helpful to them as they save for the future.”

CAB worker Dave Jackson said “Thinking about saving now could make all the difference for struggling families in Christmas 2009.

“The average UK family spent an estimated £570 on Christmas gifts and food in 2008; that’s a staggering 35 per cent of the average monthly take home wage. At the same time the news is filled with casualties of the credit crunch and all the signs suggest that 2009 could be even tougher for people.

“We want to help people ensure Christmas isn’t cancelled in 2009 and careful financial planning is one of the routes to achieving this.”

The roadshow aims to help local people find out about the different savings options from Christmas and hamper clubs to credit unions and banks, explaining how these work and the level of protection and rewards on offer.