SIR – In response to D Rhodes’s letter (T&A, February 2) about a recent survey explaining that one in ten people went into debt, and six per cent will still be repaying this debt next year, does he not realise that for a lot of people this is the only way to survive?

With the rising costs of utility bills and the rising cost of shopping etc, not everybody can afford to save. I have five children myself and can say I did not go into any debt for Christmas. This was due to the fact that my husband and I budgeted all year for this.

Some people are not in the position to budget at all so cannot do any more than they do.

I think D Rhodes would do better having a bit of sympathy for people who are in a less fortunate situation than him.

Mrs Rachael Witney, Knowles Lane, Holme Wood