AS steadfast Sterling-lovers, we may have turned a blind eye to the launch of the single currency on Tuesday.

But with 12 of the European Union's 15 member states discarding their national currencies to adopt new euro notes and coins, UK consumers may also find themselves being affected by the change.

Not only will people have to grapple with a new currency when they holiday in the euro zone, but the coins and notes could find their way on to our high street.

The first Britons affected by the changeover are those who have been seeing in the New Year abroad, whether it be Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal or Spain.

You will need to re-jig your sums so, for those still don't know, here is the essence of the euro.

Worth around 62p and made up of 100 cents, there are eight new coin denominations with bronze 1, 2 and 5 cent pieces, and gold-coloured 10, 20 and 50 cent coins.

One euro coin - gold coloured with a silver centre - is worth the same as two silver coins with a gold centre.

The design on one side is standard, but the reverse indicates the country the coin was minted in. All the coins will be accepted throughout the euro-zone.

BankNOTES come in e5, e10, e20, e50, e100, e200 and e500 denominations, with pictures of bridges, gateways and windows on them.

There is no way of telling where the notes originated.

It is not just people travelling to Europe who will feel the impact of the new currency, as euros make their way on to UK high streets.

Many large retailers, including Marks & Spencer, Debenhams, and Virgin Megastore have agreed to accept euros, while the Body Shop and McDonald's will accept them at airport stores.

Sainsbury's has already adapted its trolleys to take both £1 and e1 coins, while British Telecom is looking into adapting its phones to take both currencies.

People should also think about converting any old national currency left over from previous trips to Europe, before it ceases to be legal tender on Thursday, February 28.

Barclays estimates Britons collectively have around £540m in notes and coins from the euro countries lying around at home, an average of £35 a household.

From March, old national currencies will no longer be accepted in shops in their country of origin, and people may no longer be able to exchange them in UK banks.

National central banks will continue to change old currency notes for longer, though deadlines vary according to the different countries.

In the UK, the Post Office, which does not charge commission on converting currency, will accept old money until June, after research revealed only one in 10 Britons was aware of the deadline.

Customers will be able to change foreign notes into Sterling, euro notes or euro travellers cheques, but there will be a £200 limit on transactions into euros in a bid to prevent money laundering.

Frequent travellers to Europe can say goodbye to changing currency forever by opening a euro current account.

The majority of the big banks in the UK, including HSBC, Barclays and Lloyds TSB, are offering these accounts, some of which come with cashpoint cards and cheque books.

With a slight increase in demand for euro accounts before January 1, major banks say accounts are particularly popular with people who own second homes abroad, travel to Europe frequently or are living there for a short time.

It is predicted that the advent of the euro will have little impact on mortgages in this country.

Andy Stuart, editor in chief of Your Mortgage and Mortgage Edge, said the introduction of the euro would have a minimal impact on UK consumers who currently hold a mortgage.

"UK mortgage rates have always been traditionally lower than euro mortgage rates and the cost of purchase over here is also lower," he said.

"There are currently a handful of providers that offer euro mortgages in the UK, but you can only have one if you're actually paid in euros, and at the moment the demand for that is tiny."

However, he said that if increasing numbers of people were paid in euros, there was likely to be a rise in the number of providers offering euro mortgages.

Ray Boulger, senior technical manager at financial advisers Charcol, predicted that the launch of the euro would have little impact on UK savings and investment products.

"After the media coverage on January 1, I don't think it will make any difference," he said.