New changes are coming to contactless payments that means your card could decline more often

The new rules could make Christmas shopping a lot more stressful

Now we are in the most expensive period of the year, chances are you are whipping your credit or debit card out more often than you'd like.

And now some new changes are coming into place that mean shopping could be about to become even more stressful.

The new rules mean your card will automatically decline if you use contactless to pay for items more than five times in a row, and it doesn't matter how small your transactions are.

This will mean you'll need to use the chip and pin machine to prove you are the card owner.

Your card will also stop working contactlessly if you spend more than £137 - even if you do so in less than five transactions.

Shoppers using their cards in 'unusual' locations are also more likely to have their cards blocked.

It's better news for people who use Google or Apple pay, though, as the new rules don't apply to these, so you can carry on using them like you usually would.

Online shoppers will also face some changes, as text authentication is being phased in to prove it's really you buying things.

The changes have already started to come into place, and by March 2021 all retailers will be required to do this as standard during the checkout process.

Shopping news, deals and money-saving tips

For all the latest shopping news, deals, beauty tips and fashion trends, and the best money-saving tips from our shopping, money-saving and consumer writer Rachel Pugh, who you can follow here.

You can also join our Manchester Money-Saving Facebook group here.

Christo Georgiev, chief executive of UK payment solutions company myPOS, says shoppers should have their PIN handy while buying things - even if they don't cost much.

He warned consumers: "You shouldn’t panic when your card is declined once the limit has been reached, just continue using your card but make sure you can enter your PIN to complete the transaction."