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With the cost of living crisis continuing to bite, more people are turning to credit to prop up their finances after an increasingly turbulent year.

One bank said credit card inquiries had gone up 43% in the last year as people turn to borrowing to support their day-to-day living.

Fiona Anderson, from Vanquis – which offers credit building credit cards under the Visa brand – said the use of buy now, pay later has increased, with 14% of young people using this as a way to pay for Christmas.

As a general rule, if you don’t need to put something on credit, then don’t. Take your time before making big purchases.

If you do need to, here are a few tips on some of the best ways to use credit.

This does not constitute financial advice – always read the small print.

Cashback for Christmas

If you are the type of person who is able to pay off their card in full every month then a cashback, or reward card, could help you earn benefits with no extra work – something for nothing.

From the Amex Platinum Cashback Everyday (which offers 5% cashback for the first three months and then less thereafter) or the Amex Nectar credit card (which gives you 20,000 bonus points if you spend £2,000 in the first three months), these cards have a host of potential rewards.

But, be careful with these and make sure you pay it off in full every month. These cards often have high-interest rates which means any rewards could be wiped out if you don’t repay in full. Something for nothing can very quickly become nothing for something.

For example, take the Lloyds Bank Mastercard.

If you were to spend £2,000 on it you would get £20 cashback plus an extra 0.25% cashback on your spending – taking the total value of rewards to £25.

But fail to pay the card back in full, and your monthly interest will be around £33 (or around £400 a year if you are slow paying it off), completely wiping out any benefit.

Some cards also impose a minimum spend – so always check the small print.

The best way to spread purchases

Again, if you don’t need to borrow money, don’t. It can lead to problems later down the line.

But, if you have no choice, an 0% credit card can be the cheapest way to borrow, but you have to use them right.

These cards will offer a number of months where no interest is charged on new purchases – and this can save you thousands compared to taking out a standard loan.

Cost of living calendar – reveal a different story every day

It can seem tempting to use these to plug gaps in your income, but try and only use them for planned expenses. Then, calculate how much you need to repay each month to make sure you are fully settled up before the 0% interest period ends.

Some cards even offer additional perks – like Barclaycard which not only has the longest 0% periods but gives you £20 cashback.

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Find and compare deals

MoneySavingExpert does a regular round-up of the best credit cards on offer, and services like Experian mean you can check what you are eligible for without impacting your credit score.

Always check the fine print on cards, and don’t ever use them as an excuse to overspend. The most magical moments at Christmas don’t come from what’s under the tree.

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Girl, 10, and father, who died in caravan park fire in Lincolnshire named

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Girl, 10, and father, who died in caravan park fire in Lincolnshire named

Two people who died following a fire at a caravan site near Skegness have been named by police.

Lincolnshire Police said 48-year-old Lee Baker and his 10-year-old daughter Esme Baker, both from the Nottingham area, were killed in the blaze.

However, formal identification is still yet to take place and “could take some time”, the force said.

Emergency services were alerted to a fire at Golden Beach Holiday Park, in the village of Ingoldmells, at 3.53am on Saturday.

In a statement issued through police, a member of the Baker family said: “Lee and Esme were excited to be spending the first weekend of the holidays together.

“We are all utterly devastated at what’s happened.

“This loss is incomprehensible at the moment, and we ask for people to give us space to process this utterly heartbreaking loss.”

A GoFundMe page set up for the victims’ family described the father and daughter as “two peas in a pod” who were “both happy-go-lucky people who loved life”. It has so far raised more than £3,000.

The police force, together with Lincolnshire Fire & Rescue, are continuing to investigate the cause of the blaze.

Detective Inspector Lee Nixon said: “We believe we might be close to arriving at a working hypothesis.

“We are working hard to validate the facts available to us to be able to provide answers for the family and loved ones of those who were very tragically taken by this fire.

“Yet the evident intensity of the fire has made this task incredibly challenging.”

Dan Moss, from Lincolnshire Fire & Rescue, said: “Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the family at this time.

“Our Fire Investigation Team is working with colleagues from Lincolnshire Police, and a full investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing.

“Once investigations are complete, local fire crews and our community fire safety team will be on hand to talk to people in the area and address any fire safety concerns they may have, at what will be an upsetting time.”

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Man arrested over wildfire that triggered ‘major incident’ in Northern Ireland

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Man arrested over wildfire that triggered 'major incident' in Northern Ireland

A man has been arrested by police investigating a “significant” wildfire that triggered a major incident in Northern Ireland.

More than 100 firefighters and 15 fire appliances were deployed on Saturday to Sandbank Road, Hilltown, to tackle the blaze which is believed to have been caused deliberately, fire chiefs said.

Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) said the fire had a front of approximately two miles “including a large area of forestry close to property”.

It was extinguished at 2.53am on Sunday and the major incident status lifted, the NIFRS said.

“The cause of this fire is believed to have been deliberate,” chief fire and rescue officer Aidan Jennings said.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland said on Sunday that a 25-year-old man had been arrested “on suspicion of arson being reckless as to whether life would be endangered, and non-related driving offences”.

“He remains in custody at this time as enquiries continue into the circumstances surrounding the fire,” the force added.

A wildfire broke out in Northern Ireland. Pic: Sky Watch NI
Image:
The wildfire on Sandbank Road, Hilltown. Pic: Sky Watch NI

A wildfire broke out in Northern Ireland. Pic: Sky Watch NI
Image:
More than 100 firefighters were at the scene of the fire. Pic: Sky Watch NI

Various fires erupted across England this week amid uncharacteristically warm and dry conditions for the time of year.

On Saturday, helicopters were deployed to tackle Scotland’s fourth wildfire this week, with police saying a blaze “which started in the Newton Stewart area has spread northwards and is expected to reach the Loch Doon area of East Ayrshire around 12am on Sunday”.

Police Scotland added: “As a precautionary measure members of the public are asked to avoid the Loch Doon area and anyone who may be camping in the area is advised to leave.”

Dorset wildfires
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Moors Valley Country Park blackened by fires this week

Elsewhere in England, Devon and Cornwall Police said they were assisting the fire service with temporary road closures on the A30 in the Bolventor area as they tackle “a number of fires” on moorland.

In Dorset, Moors Valley Country Park was forced to close after multiple wildfires broke out there on Wednesday.

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Wildfires spread across nature reserve

Separate incidents were then reported at Upton Heath in Poole on Wednesday, and nearby Canford Heath in the early hours of Thursday.

Friday was officially the warmest day of the year so far – with temperatures in the south of England reaching 23C (73.4F) – the highest since 21 September last year, according to the Met Office.

The weather conditions triggered a “severe” wildfire rating for parts of the UK on Tuesday.

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Man shot dead in Stanley, County Durham

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Man shot dead in Stanley, County Durham

Police are investigating after a man was shot dead in County Durham.

Officers were called to an address in Elm Street, Stanley, at about 5.20pm on Saturday after reports of a “disturbance”, Durham Constabulary said.

A man in his 50s was found to have been shot and despite the efforts of paramedics he was pronounced dead at the scene.

His family have been told and are being supported by specially trained officers.

Specialist crime scene investigators are at the scene, and officers are carrying out house-to-house enquiries.

A cordon is in place and is expected to stay there for some time.

Detective Superintendent Neil Fuller said: “This is a truly shocking incident in which a man has been shot and has sadly died.”

He added: “Residents may see an increased police presence in the area. I would like to thank them for their support while we carry out this investigation.

“Our thoughts are with the man’s family at this time.”

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Durham Constabulary has urged anyone who witnessed the incident or has dashcam footage or CCTV to contact the force.

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