Optus Mobile Review ALDI Mobile Review Amaysim Mobile Review Belong Mobile Review Circles.Life Review Vodafone Mobile Review Woolworths Mobile Review Felix Mobile Review Best iPhone Plans Best Family Mobile Plans Best Budget Smartphones Best Prepaid Plans Best SIM-Only Plans Best Plans For Kids And Teens Best Cheap Mobile Plans Telstra vs Optus Mobile Optus NBN Review Belong NBN Review Vodafone NBN Review Superloop NBN Review Aussie BB NBN Review iiNet NBN Review MyRepublic NBN Review TPG NBN Review Best NBN Satellite Plans Best NBN Alternatives Best NBN Providers Best Home Wireless Plans What is a Good NBN Speed? Test NBN Speed How to speed up your internet Optus vs Telstra Broadband ExpressVPN Review CyberGhost VPN Review NordVPN Review PureVPN Review Norton Secure VPN Review IPVanish VPN Review Windscribe VPN Review Hotspot Shield VPN Review Best cheap VPN services Best VPN for streaming Best VPNs for gaming What is a VPN? VPNs for ad-blocking Because amongst the tinsel, mince pies and cheery man in a red suit lies the other side of Christmas festivities - the cost.

$463.03 on Christmas gifts $219.46 on Christmas necessities (like decorations and food)

What’s also interesting is that 24% of respondents said they anticipate they’ll need to borrow money to cover the cost of Christmas via products like credit cards and Buy Now Pay Later services - with the average amount being $570.

Budget: if you’re not one of the 48% of Aussies who budget for their Christmas spend, become one. Savings.com.au says it’s important to make a budget and stick to it, to avoid carving out a debt for yourself. Buy only what you need: when it comes to Christmas Day lunch, there always seems to be enough food to feed a football team. Write a list and only buy what you need - it’ll help save money, and also save food from going to waste. Research: if you’ve found the perfect gift, the last thing you want is to purchase it, only to find it cheaper elsewhere. Take a moment to see if you can find the item cheaper at another store or site before you add to cart. Give the gift of handmade: you’ve heard it before, but handmade gifts can not only reduce your overall cost, but make more meaningful gifts than generic store bought items. Whether it’s chutneys and jams, a handmade wreath or a gingerbread house,  you don’t have to be a craft wizard to whip up some nice homemade gifts. Debit over credit: While almost a quarter of Aussies think they’ll need to borrow money to cover the cost of Christmas, Savings.com.au says if you can avoid racking up a debt, then do opt for debit over credit. And remember if you do choose to you Buy Now Pay Later services or credit cards, to stay on top of your payments to avoid being stung with late payment fees or interest charges. 2021 Christmas Spending and Debt Report - 26