Martin Lewis's 1p payment rule for Christmas gifts is perfect

With Christmas just 10 days away, people up and down the country will be squeezing in some last-minute present shopping.

Ahead of hitting the shops, Martin Lewis has explained why spending just 1p on your credit card can protect your festive purchases.

In his weekly Money Saving Expert newsletter, the financial broadcaster shared his "top 10 consumer right know-hows," with one of his pieces of advice being to "pay at least 1p on a credit card" for pricier items over £100.

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"Buy something costing £100.01 to £30,000 and pay for any of it, even a penny, on a credit card, and the card firm is jointly liable with the retailer for the WHOLE amount," he wrote.

"So if you can, put at least some of it on a credit card (paid off IN FULL to avoid interest).

"Then if the retailer goes bust, won't play fair with faulty items, or you buy abroad and can't take the item back, you can go to the card firm."

He also warned customers who have changed their mind about an item they have purchased that retailers aren't legally required to refund or exchange on this basis.

This is also the case for customers who have bought the wrong colour or size of a product.

"If you buy something in store (not online), shops are under no legal obligation to take your goods back unless they're faulty," Lewis wrote.

"So if you buy something in a hurry thinking you can always return it later, beware you may not have that choice."

However, customers do have the legal right to change their minds about online shopping purchases.

"This is designed to protect people when buying things remotely. For most items, you've... up to 14 days to notify them of a return... then up to 14 days after that to send it back," Lewis noted.

"If their websites say you must be quicker, they're wrong.

"There are exceptions here, the main two being no returns of personalised or perishable items."

In terms of buying items from aboard, Lewis warned that "don't have an automatic right to get back the cost of returning items" and "sending it back can be more than you paid in the first place."

He added to always look out for where you're the item is from before you buy, "especially on the likes of Amazon and eBay, where it's less easy to see."

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