Brits spending more on summer fun

As temperatures soar, Britons are spending more on their garden, less on clothes, and more on food than in the winter months.

New figures show that last week UK residents increased the amount they spend on food and drink for home consumption by seven per cent.

But while barbecues rule in the summer sun, Brits also seem less inclined to head to the kitchen in the hot weather, with three per cent more money going on eating out, figures from Halifax credit cards reveal.

And as homes were abandoned for outside spaces, Britons also lavished more money on their gardens, with the percentage of card spending going on garden improvements up five per cent.

"We Brits like to make the most of every minute of sunshine we get and a week of unprecedented temperatures seems to have sent us all dashing out to make the most of it," said Ian Larkin, head of Halifax Credit Cards.

However, not everyone benefited from record temperatures.

The proportion of credit card spending going on holidays and travel fell five per cent, items bought for the inside of homes dropped 15 per cent, while the amount spent on clothes fell seven per cent.

But Brits could be missing a trick while bashing the plastic to make the most of the heat.

"It is worth checking that your credit card offers a competitive rate before you splash out," advised Mr Larkin.

Click here to find the cheapest UK credit cards with MyFinances' online comparison tables. XXX