In a poll of 2,000 British consumers, 59% admitted that not having to hand over physical cash had led them to spend more than they’d intended, and 72% said digital payment methods such as Apple Pay and contactless credit cards have encouraged them to make more impulse purchases.

The findings from credit checking service, ClearScore, revealed that two out of five shoppers had lost track of their spending because of the ease of digital payment methods.

The use of contactless payment methods has soared in 2016, with shoppers spending more via contactless cards in the first half of the year than in all of 2015, according to The UK Cards Association.

There were 1.1 billion contactless transactions in the first half of the year, compared to 1.05 billion for the whole of 2015.

Justin Basini, chief exective of ClearScore, said: “Without the feeling of handing over cash – the clink of coins and the rustle of bank notes – money becomes even more abstract. We can easily lose track of how much we’re spending. It means it’s even more important than ever to stay on top of your financial information by checking your bank balance and debt levels regularly and nurturing your credit score.”