'Shop around for best cards'

It is now "more important than ever" to shop around when choosing a credit card, according to one independent financial advisor.

Cathy Neal, the senior researcher of Which?, has recommended that consumers keep a close eye on how their card stacks up against others.

She said: "We’re still feeling the fallout of the credit crisis, and I think we’re still going to be feeling the repercussions into 2008.

"So it’s more important than ever that people shop around regularly; even if you’ve got the best credit card today, keep checking it every two months to make sure that it still is one of the best."

Ms Neal said credit cards should be reviewed by holders to see whether any new charges had cropped up and that it still suits their spending plans.

Figures from Moneyfacts reveals there have been 125 increases on rates and fees on different credit cards in the past two months.