JANUARY can appear a little depressing, with cold, dark nights and the Christmas and New Year break a distant memory.

The advertising of holidays during this period of course provides temptation and plays on our emotions with images of sunshine.

Creating an emotional experience associated with a product is the marketer’s greatest weapon, it makes products desirable and motivates consumers to stretch their money a little further, the availability of credit often seals the deal.

However this approach can also lead to mounting debt and a feeling of regret over purchases made.

So if you’re inclined to New Year resolutions then reducing your debt is a good place to start. The obvious points around interest free credit card deals, lower utility bills through switching and getting the best mortgage are well documented.

A more radical approach may be to ‘recycle’ your unwanted items.

If you haven’t used something for a year, do you really need it? Car boot sales, local free ad magazines and of course eBay can all be effective outlets to release some cash.

For large items then Warrington’s location on the motorway network makes it accessible to several million potential buyers within one hour drive.

So why not flog it?

n Lawrence Bellamy is associate dean at the University of Chester's Padgate campus and writes a regular column for business.