Quick answer: add up what you plan to spend on gifts, food, decorations, travel, going out and cards, then divide anything you still need by the weeks left until 25 December. The calculator below does it for you and updates the weekly savings target from today’s date.
Christmas Budget Calculator
The amounts below are examples. Replace them with your own and the totals update as you type.
How to set a Christmas budget in five steps
- Start with what you can afford. Look at what is left each month after bills, and decide how much of that can go to Christmas without using a credit card you cannot clear in January.
- List everyone you buy for. The number of people times your average gift is usually the biggest part of the budget.
- Cost the other categories. Food and drink, decorations, travel to see family, nights out, and cards, wrapping and postage all add up.
- Work out a weekly target. Divide what you still need by the weeks left. Starting in October or November keeps the weekly amount small.
- Track as you buy. Note each purchase against its category so you can see early if one area is running over.
Example Christmas budget
The example figures loaded in the calculator come to:
| Category | Example amount |
|---|---|
| Gifts (8 people × 30) | 240.00 |
| Food and drink | 150.00 |
| Decorations and tree | 40.00 |
| Travel | 60.00 |
| Parties and going out | 50.00 |
| Cards, wrapping and postage | 25.00 |
| Total | 565.00 |
These are illustrations, not typical figures. With eight weeks to go and nothing saved yet, 565 means putting aside about 70.63 a week.
Ways to keep Christmas spending under control
- Suggest a Secret Santa so each adult buys one good present instead of several small ones.
- Set a per-person limit and stick to it.
- Plan the Christmas food shop around a menu, and freeze leftovers.
- Buy wrapping, cards and decorations in the January sales for next year.
- Use cashback or loyalty points you have already earned.
Frequently asked questions
How do I work out a Christmas budget?
List every category you will spend on (gifts, food, decorations, travel, going out, cards and wrapping), put a realistic amount against each, and add them up. Then divide what you still need by the weeks left until Christmas to get a weekly savings target.
How much should I spend on Christmas presents?
There is no right figure. Start from what you can afford without borrowing, decide how many people you are buying for, and divide. The calculator shows how the number of people and the average gift drive the total.
How much do I need to save each week for Christmas?
Take your total budget, subtract anything already saved, and divide by the number of weeks until Christmas. The calculator does this from today’s date.
How can I spend less this Christmas?
Agree a gift limit or a Secret Santa with family and friends, plan meals and buy food in one planned shop, reuse decorations, and send e-cards instead of paper ones.