Consider consolidating these borrowings on a card with a 0 per cent introductory rate.

Customers do not benefit from a 0% introductory rate but pay much less than the typical 15.9% charged by other providers after the introductory period - usually about 3-10 months.

To get your name known it may be worth offering to work for free or at a reduced introductory rate, to encourage word of mouth in a fiercely competitive business.

Those mortgages, often sold to people with bad credit histories and low incomes, have a low introductory rate that increases rapidly during the life of the loan.

C = introductory rate for limited period.