'Just as there is comfort in eating, so there is comfort spending - buying things to make yourself feel better,' observes Simon Gelsthorpe.

'The majority of compulsive spending is comfort spending - and in order to cure it, it's necessary to confront the cause of your discomfort, the emotional pain which shopping only temporarily eases.'

However, at the end of what has been a tough year, there may well be a little bit of 'comfort spending' to give oneself a treat to finish the year ... but only if the retailer discounts enough.