The countdown to Christmas is on, 100 days from today to be exact.
Why at Financielle do we care so much about prepping ahead for Christmas you might ask?
It’s because it’s a time that makes people financially unwell, really really unwell. Especially women.
People borrow to pay for Christmas
According to YouGov, it’s reported that 19% of UK adults took on debt to fund Christmas 2025, borrowing for gifts, food and bills.
This comes as no surprise to the Financielle team and community.
Christmas is a time that evokes a whole range of emotions, especially for women who want to create a cookie-cutter, perfect experience for their families. The matching pyjamas, the Christmas Eve boxes, Lapland visits and a sofa full of Instagrammable presents come Christmas morning.
But a lot of this comes at a cost that families are paying back well after Christmas is over.
It takes time to pay it back
Of those who borrowed from friends or family, 22% expect it to take more than seven months to repay. That’s a 7 month financial burden and hangover for the sake of one day.
The team from MoneyHelper came up with some top tips to help you stay in control of your spending this Christmas including:
- Start buying presents early
- Make the most of deals
- Check in on subscriptions and bills
- Talk about money with your friends and family
- Make your savings work harder
Sinking funds save lives
We have one tip that can truly transform the way you manage your money.
The power of sinking funds. These are pots of money put aside for planned expenses like birthdays, holidays and Christmas.
A great way to work out the size of the total pot you need is to do a full review of last year’s spending. Some people take a look at the amount they spent on Christmas gifts, others the whole festive experience from M&S picky bits, Christmas drinks, a carol service, Christmas jumpers and the all-important Christmas Day Dinner.
With 100 days left to go, that could mean 3, potentially 4 paydays till the big day arrives.
How to work out your Christmas sinking fund
If you spent £1,000 in total over Christmas last year, that’s a £250 monthly contribution until the end of the year. If £250 is out of your budget, it could be time to examine the list and ‘red pen’ it.
What did you overspend on? What would you be happy to cut back on? What is a non-negotiable?
You can create your very own Christmas sinking fund in the Financielle app for free here.
If £1,000 is the pot you absolutely need to deliver the Christmas you want, it’s time to get creative. How can you bring in cash and quickly? Check out this helpful article on how to make £500 in two weeks.
The content produced by Financielle is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice.
