Church backs cash-only Christmas

 

An Ipswich debt advice centre, run by Christians Against Poverty (CAP), is urging people to cut up their credit cards and have a cash-only Christmas.

 

It follows a campaign by the Church of England to help people cope with their financial demands during the recession.

 

CAP's Liz Webber says free courses in money management will be held in Ipswich in January 2010. "We believe you are not going to get out of debt if you are taking out more and more credit," she said.

 

Liz runs the CAP centre based at the Triangle Church's Living Water shop on Dickens Road in Ipswich.

 

"People can ring up the freephone number," she said. "I go out and visit them in their home and go through their finances with them.

 

"We actually support them until they are debt free which can be up to five years."

As well as offering support, Liz and CAP also encourage more drastic action like cutting up your credit card.

 

"On the CAP money course, I did have one lady who came along and she hadn't done that yet, so we got the shredder out there and then. "She actually felt released I think, having made that decision."

 

CAP also offers a new bank account which people can use to ease some of the pressure of repayments.

 

"Our clients can actually pay their debts and their household bills through the CAP account," said Liz. "So they make one payment in, every week or month, then we make all the negotiations with the creditors and then those payments go out of the CAP account.

 

"It takes that responsibility away from them as a lot of people are stressed at that time."

 

The Church of England's campaign for a cash-only Christmas has seen the posting of 'Wishing you an affordable Christmas' videos on YouTube.

 

Liz agrees with the sentiment. "If you go to the supermarket and you've got your credit card with you, you're more likely to buy the latest DVD you want to get.

"Before you know it your shopping is coming to £60 or £70 when actually you've only budgeted £40 for that week."

 

Stephen Roberts is based at CAP's main office in Bradford and came to Suffolk to speak at several churches in Ipswich about how they can help people with money.

 

"We've been working through churches right across the country now for 13 years, so this isn't new to us," said Stephen. "But the huge difference the recession has made to us is that churches have shown interest in doing this. "People who had decent jobs have suddenly found their income has dropped, and churches across the country have realised this is something they can help their local communities with."

 

CAP's freephone number is 0800 328 0006.