Using credit and debit cards while abroad could see many Britons develop debt management difficulties, new figures suggest.

According to research by price comparison website uSwitch, holidaymakers will incur £355 million in card charges over the course of this year – a figure which could help with personal loan repayments when they return home.

Director of financial services Nick White said: "Your existing debit and credit cards may not always offer the best deals for overseas cash withdrawals and purchases, so some forward planning could avoid these charges altogether."

He advised tourists to take "several methods of payment when you travel abroad" such as local currency in addition to credit cards.

Last week, a study by the Consumer Credit Counselling Service indicated that the number of consunmers looking for guidance on debt management and personal loan borrowing rose by a third over the first three months of 2007.

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