StepChange shares the best ways to get ahead of Christmas spending now

22 October 2026

StepChange Debt Charity has urged consumers to get ahead of any January financial blues with ten tips to keep Christmas affordable and enjoyable, as cost of living pressures persist, and households feel the pinch in their budgets.

With the festive period on the horizon, the charity is encouraging households to reduce the risk of starting the New Year with a debt hangover, as January marks the busiest time of year for the debt advice and solutions charity.

The charity says the best way to avoid a difficult January is to make a realistic plan before the spending begins. Small decisions made now, from checking train fares to setting a total Christmas budget, can help households avoid putting unaffordable costs on credit.

StepChange's 10 ways to get Christmas-ready without getting into debt

1. Work out your full Christmas budget: Don't just budget for presents - add up everything you expect to spend over the full Christmas period, including food and drink, travel, parties, presents, postage, decorations and other festive extras. Once you have a total figure, check it against what you can genuinely afford after your essential household bills.
2. Spread the cost across your paydays: With several paydays before Christmas, use them to spread affordable spending rather than treating your December salary as the entire Christmas budget. For example, if you can afford £300 in total and have three paydays before Christmas, you could aim to set aside £100 from each, provided this does not leave you short for essential costs.
3. Check train tickets now: If you're travelling by rail, check whether your journey is already available to book. Advance fares can be cheaper, and it is worth comparing different departure times, off-peak options, family fares and railcards where they apply. Don't leave travel until the last minute if you already know when you need to go.
4. Make your Christmas list before Black Friday and other sales: Write down what you need before the sales begin and check the usual price of bigger purchases. A discount is only a saving if you were going to buy the item anyway. Avoid adding things to your basket simply because they have been marked down.
5. Set a present limit with friends and family: Christmas can become expensive when everyone feels they need to buy for everyone else. Agree a spending limit, consider Secret Santa, or agree that adults will only buy for children. A quick conversation can take the pressure off everyone.
6. Do a stock take before the big food shop: Check your cupboards, fridge and freezer before you go shopping. Plan meals around food you already have, make a list of what you need and compare prices. Buying more than you need because it is Christmas can quickly turn a festive shop into a much bigger bill.
7. Give yourself a limit for Christmas socialising: Remember the costs that sit outside presents and food: work parties, meals out, taxis, drinks, Christmas markets and other activities. Set a separate amount you can afford for socialising and keep track of it as you go.
8. Don't confuse spending with saving: Be wary of offers that encourage you to spend more than planned. Free delivery is not free if it means adding something you do not need to your basket, and a multi-buy is not a saving if you would not have bought the extra items. Compare the final price, not just the headline discount.
9. Think twice before using Buy Now, Pay Later or other credit: If you need to borrow to pay for Christmas, stop and work out whether the repayments will be affordable alongside your normal bills in January and the months after. StepChange's 2025 polling found that 43% of those borrowing for Christmas expected it would take more than six months to repay the credit they used, with 17% expecting it to take more than a year.
10. Do the January test before you buy and seek help if you need it: Ask yourself: “Will I still be able to afford this repayment when Christmas is over?” If the answer is no, put the purchase down. Your friends and family are unlikely to want you to put yourself under financial pressure to make Christmas more expensive.

StepChange says people who are already worried about their finances should not feel they need to wait until the New Year to seek help. Free, impartial and confidential debt advice is available from StepChange.

The charity’s polling has consistently shown that millions across Britain find it hard to cope with the financial pressures of the period. Last year more than one in four people said they would struggle to afford Christmas. Vikki Brownridge, CEO of StepChange Debt Charity, says getting ahead now could make all the difference:

“Christmas is a time when we want to enjoy ourselves and make things special for the people we care most about, which is completely understandable. But it can also put a lot of pressure on household budgets, and it is key to take steps to get ahead of any January financial blues. When money is already tight, it can be very easy for small extra costs to add up and for people to turn to credit to make Christmas happen.

“The good news is that there are things you can do now to take some of that pressure away. Work out what you can realistically afford across the whole festive period, rather than just thinking about the cost of individual presents. Plan your travel, make a shopping list, look for genuine savings and talk to family and friends about keeping presents affordable.”

“Most importantly, don't let the pressure to have the perfect Christmas leave you struggling in January. And if you're already worried about debt, you don't need to wait to get help – the best time to reach out is now.”

Notes to Editors

1. All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2070 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 17th - 18th November 2025. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 18+)