Could you do with improving your Christmas budgeting?

Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat - but can you work out discounts, percentages and VAT?

If so, it could help you save some pennies (or more) by taking advantage of the Black Friday deals this week. If not, you could be at risk of spending more than you intended in the run up to Christmas.

If you struggle with the maths behind some of the money transactions at this time of year - eg. percentage discounts, interest rates on credit cards or loans, budgeting your Christmas spend - then you're not alone. 17 million adults in England have the numeracy level schools expect of primary school children.

But you can improve your own maths level - at home, for free and at your own pace. Try registering for the National Numeracy Challenge to assess your current level and take advantage of all the free resources to help you improve.

Once you've assessed your level, it'll give you a target to work towards. Maybe brushing up your numeracy could be a good new year's resolution? Let us know how you get on!