For some, Christmas has evolved into a month-long blow-out of fancy parties, dining out and far too many gifts. The pressure to put on a good show and overspend on new outfits, dinner with all the trimmings and wish-lists as wide as Santa’s waist is immense. No wonder so many of us go hopelessly over-budget and inevitably see the magic … Read More

The market research firm, YouGov, revealed that in the lead-up to last Christmas, anticipated spending was down to the lowest level since it began tracking festive finances back in 2012*. However, at £751 the combined cost of gifts, cards, food and decorations still isn’t ‘cheap’ – but it continues a downward trend in spending that began in 2014. The reason? … Read More