Spending Habits
Half of Brits paid earlier than usual in December struggle to meet their bills by mid-January
As 2014 draws to a close, more than a third (35%) of us will be facing January with a financial hangover, having over-spent at Christmas by an average of £207.
The £865 million UK price tag of 'sale shopping fails'
Brits hell bent on bagging a sale bargain ended up wasting a huge £865 million over the last year on botched sales purchases they later regretted, finds MoneySuperMarket.
A quarter of UK adults plan to reduce spending in 2015
A quarter (25%) of UK adults plan to reduce their spending in 2015 as they expect next year to be harder on their personal finances, according to research released by the Money Advice Service.
Over 23 million people will finish their shopping on Christmas Eve
Around 23.6 million people (49.9%) have left some of their festive shopping until the last minute and will be hitting the shops on Christmas Eve, according to research from Sainsbury’s Bank Credit Cards.
Many happy returns - £223m worth of Christmas gifts will be returned this year
£223m worth of unwanted Christmas gifts are set to be returned this year and Gocompare.com is urging people to check retailer’s returns policies before heading to the shops, as 45% of Brits who have tried to return gifts in the past said they had been unsuccessful.
Consumer confidence records new survey highs in 2014
In the lead up to the festive season, consumer confidence has increased to reach its highest score since the start of the index, climbing three points to 154, according to Lloyds Bank Spending Power Report.
Generous pensioners plan to spend £4.2 billion entertaining this Christmas
Many people will be rockin’ around the Christmas tree with the 5.8 million pensioners (53 per cent) who will host friends and families at home on Christmas Day this year, according to new research from Prudential.
1 in 5 Brits plan to book a holiday in January
One in five Brits say that they plan to banish the post-Christmas and January blues by booking a holiday in January.
Festive finance - Five ways to be financially savvy this Christmas
Christmas is a time of good cheer and festivities, but for some the sheer cost of this time of year can be a stark reminder of the need to keep a handle on your finances.
Don't ruin your Christmas - avoid fakes
With Christmas spending in the UK set to reach £22billion this year criminals will be on the prowl to take their share of the profits, cashing in on consumers looking out for good deals to ease the financial strain.
£37: the cost of filling a Christmas stocking
On Christmas morning kids will wake up to stockings stuffed, on average, with £37 worth of goodies including chocolate coins, sweets, toiletries and new pens and pencils.
Generous Britain (GB): Brits lead the way in Christmas gifting
A global study by online marketplace eBay has revealed we buy more Christmas gifts for more people than any other nation in Europe surveyed.
Happier families more positive for their financial future
The latest Lloyds Bank Family Finances report reveals feelings towards the economy are growing evermore positive across all household types.
Black Friday marks the kick off for the Christmas spending frenzy
Black Friday is set to be one of the busiest shopping days of the year, as retailers adopt the American tradition of offering discounts to entice shoppers in the run up to the festive season, research from Halifax reveals.
Brits share their top tips for a low-cost Christmas
Vouchers, discount codes and loyalty points top the list of the nation’s top tips for saving money at Christmas, with just over half (52%) of UK adults using them to cut the cost of celebrating the festive season, according to a new survey.