Those shopping splurges are distant memories and now we're back to work, settling in, and the bills are arriving, one by one.

Video: Remedy for holiday debt hangover

Larger screen

It can be a sobering experience for holiday spenders.

You might have a holiday debt hangover. Alexandra Lieberman knows how you feel.

Her holiday spending, combined with old debt, really added up.

"It was everything. It was groceries, going out to dinner, shopping, everything,” she said.

Statistically, January bills tend to be bigger than any other month for many people.

"The bill is much larger than expected, usually two to three times larger than they expected," said Ori Schnapps of JustThrive.com, a free financial planning Web site.

So what's the remedy?

Schnapps and Avi Karnani run JustThrive.com They say first, get personal with your paperwork.

"This is a really good time in the beginning of the year to organize your financial life for the rest of 2009 and you can start off with some good habits. You can get to know all your terms and fees on your different credit cards and your accounts,” said Karnani.

It's more important than ever with the current credit crunch to know when your payments are due, or you could pay dearly with higher interest rates.

"Banks are less forgiving of your mistakes," said Schnapps.

Money may be tight, but try to pay more than your minimum or you may not make a dent in the debt.

"You go out and you buy somebody a gift. That gift is going to cost three or four times as much if you just pay the minimum,” said Karnani.

Figure out when your zero percent interest rates expire and plan accordingly. And plan for more than just credit card payments. Look at all of your upcoming bills and make a budget.

"You won't have as many unexpected purchases and you can basically stay in control of your finances,” said Schnapps.

Alexandra used JustThrive.com to create a plan. She says that sense of control makes a big difference in how she feels about her debt and her financial future.

"Keeping it organized really helps," she said.

You can also help pay down the debt by returning items you received as gifts but know you won't use, or things you purchased but didn't give away.

Stores will typically credit your account if you have a receipt.