As many as 16 million Britons find budget management so hard to do that their incomings and outgoings fail to match, a new survey has shown.
The Bright Grey study indicated that by the end of each month 16 million people are in the position of having spent up to the limit of their means - or, worse still, have spent more than they earned and are thus in debt.
With the average consumer spending £1,315 a month, 23 per cent said they are only just managing to break even, with 4.9 per cent persistently exceeding incomings with outgoings.
Proposition director at the firm Roger Edwards said the situation is a "worryingly fragile" one for those in this position, not least as 2012 will be a "tough year" for consumers.
He added: "At a time when money is so tight, consumers should really think about their outgoings, how they can support themselves and their families in the best way and protect themselves against any future financial difficulties; as times may get worse."
This advice may be a good cue for some to start using a budget planner, to bring the days of being penniless by payday to an end.
These can help people work out exactly where and how they are spending their money, so they can identify ways in which cash can be saved.
This could be through spending less on food by shopping at a cheaper store, using vouchers more, cancelling standing orders for goods and services no longer used and cutting back on frivolous spending.
And at this time of the year, it might be used in conjunction with new year resolutions that could help save money, such as giving up smoking or drinking less.
The alternative - of continuing past spending habits - could lead to more debt as the squeeze on incomes continues to take its toll.
Recent figures from the Debt Advice Trust indicted that as the economic crisis and the real terms drop in wealth has continued, the level of arrears has risen.
It received 1.54 million calls last year from people struggling with severe debt, compared with 1.4 million in 2010.
