MANILA, Philippines - If you've been swiping away your credit card during the holidays, chances are you're not looking forward to looking at your next bank statement.

Come January, most people who overspent during Christmas are unable to pay their credit card bills, causing them to start the year in bad financial shape, according to personal finance columnist Salve Duplito.

Dealing with post-holiday debt may be a difficult battle, but it can be overcome. For Duplito, it's all about living within your means and saving as much money as possible.

"Focus on your inner discipline. Don't spend more than the money you earn," she said in an interview at ANC's Shop Talk.

Here are Duplito's 5 ways to resist the urge to splurge as you struggle to pay your holiday debt:

Put your credit card in the freezer

Bury the shiny piece of plastic there, even if you have to be literal about it. Feeling the pain of paying with cash will prevent you from doing any impulsive buying and from spending beyond your means.

But if you don't want to go that far, just let a person you trust -- a family member or a friend -- keep your credit card for a few months. Just make sure that he or she won't be using it on your behalf.

Three months is the ideal time for a credit card spending moratorium, just enough to pay off 30% to 50% of a person's average total debt racked up during the holidays.

It's better to go beyond this period, but there's the risk of feeling "shopping deprived" and may cause you to go on a spending binge. To avoid this, give yourself a little treat -- like a chocolate bar or a cup of coffee -- once in a while.

Find other ways to make money

Additional income will help you recover from debt, whether it be from a second job or a new business.

Take on side jobs to raise money for your credit card bills and savings. Sell some of the things you no longer use, or create things that people will be interested to buy, such as food.

Love yourself

Look in the mirror each morning and try to appreciate the image that you see. Tell yourself: "I can be happy and beautiful without buying stuff."

People usually buy things to make them feel good about themselves, whether it be make-up, shoes or cars. We do shopping when we're down -- we like the feeling of owning some of the finer things in life.

If you can convince yourself that you don't need all these things -- even if these are on an 80% discount -- you'll be able to control your spending habits.

Make a 'gratitude list'

Aside from loving yourself, think of other things to be thankful for as you struggle to control your shopping urges. It may be your family, friends, your house, car, dog or your extensive magnet collection.

Having a mental list of your blessings will put things in the right context, and will encourage you to spend less and save money.

Watch where your money goes

Track your spending like a hawk -- regularly.

There are different ways to go around this -- from "old school" methods such as writing lists and keeping money in envelopes to more modern ways like using spreadsheets and other software.

Make sure that you know where your money goes and how much of it is left so you won't be surprised when the next bill comes.