By Rachel Wait

The average Briton is now in debt for two Christmases, meaning they are still paying off Christmas 2010 and are now in debt from Christmas 2011 too, according to a survey by MyVoucherCodes.co.uk.

The results show that many people's financial situation is not improving, with 62% of Brits having ended up in debt from Christmas 2010 and 68% in debt from Christmas 2011. What's more, more than half said they were still paying off debts from both Christmases.

If you have racked up a lot of debt on a credit card, your best bet is to transfer that debt onto a 0% balance transfer credit card. These cards won't charge you interest for a set period.

For example, the Barclaycard Platinum Extended BT credit card offers an interest-free period for a mammoth 24 months. That gives you two years to start tackling your debt without worrying about the interest stacking up.

However, you will need to pay a 3.2% transfer fee and you'll also need an excellent credit rating to be accepted. You must also ensure you pay off the balance in full before the interest-free period expires.

Alternatively, some credit cards offer a low interest rate for life. For example, the Sainsbury's Low Rate Credit Card offers an interest rate of 6.95% and the Barclaycard Platinum Simplicity card offers a rate of 7.9% for the lifetime of the debt. What's more, there's no balance transfer fee.

Going forward, the survey also shows more of us are planning to budget harder for Christmas 2012, with 78% planning to have a price cap per present and 61% hoping to buy for fewer people.

More than half also plan to use a Secret Santa system, just over a quarter hope to buy presents after Christmas in the sales and 16% will use a list.