On the 7th day of Christmas, Trading Standards helped me with ... 7 Proofs of Purchase

Hang on to your receipts. Traders are entitled to ask for some proof of purchase if you return faulty goods, and it can make life a lot easier if you can prove when and where you bought them and how much you paid.

Gift receipts

Remember that it is usually the purchaser of goods – and not the person who receives them as a gift – who has consumer rights if they turn out to be faulty. However, shops may agree to sign over these rights to the person receiving the gift – ask the shop if they will give a 'gift receipt'.

Gift cards

Beware, most gift cards or vouchers have expiry dates, and when they have expired a trader does not have to accept them. Therefore, anyone who receives a gift card/voucher must ensure they spend them within the time limit specified in their terms and conditions.

In these challenging economic times, if a retailer goes into administration you may not be able to get any or all of the value back for unspent gift cards. Think carefully about spending your gift cards within good time.

For more information on your rights, contact our partner service Citizen Advice Consumer Service on 0808 223 1133.