It is now becoming clear that the global economic situation is going to take some time to recover and the impact will be felt far and wide. We will be forced to rethink how we all manage both our personal and business finances in order to manage our exposure and access to credit. As we lead up to the festive season and winter sales, the lack of access to finance and the potential for low cost bargains may cause many consumers to turn to their plastic - the credit card could enjoy a period of intense growth as everyone looks to preserve liquidity.