Aussies planned to spend $1,079 on average over the holiday season ⁽¹⁾.

Average Christmas spending on gifts ⁽¹⁾

• NSW – $548
• WA – $435
• QLD – $408
• SA – $405
• VIC – $401

Avoid the Christmas debt hangover

Join the Christmas budgeters ⁽¹⁾

• 57% set a budget
• 4 in 5 stuck to it

How people pay for Christmas presents ⁽²⁾

• 60% – savings
• 20% – credit card
• 10% – borrowed money from family and friends, used their bonus or tax refund
• 10% – lay-by

Most people pay off Christmas credit card debt ⁽⁴⁾

• 80% – pay it off in 3 months
• 11% – pay it off in 3-6 months
• 7% – pay it off in 6 + months

Cashed up kids ⁽³⁾

• 9 out of 10 children received some cash as Christmas presents

How much did they get?

• 22% got $50-100
• 20% got $100-$200
• 22% got $200 +

How wisely did girls spend it?

• 45% – banked it
• 40% – clothes
• 29% – saved for big item
• 22% – music
• 20% – going out

How wisely did boys spend it?

• 45% – console games
• 43% – banked it
• 31% – saved for big item
• 24% – computer games
• 22% – other games

Sources:

1. Commonwealth Bank, Survey of Australian consumers Christmas spending – December 2014
2. ASIC’s MoneySmart poll, 1,985 votes – December 2014
3. Roy Morgan, Aussie kids cashed up after Christmas – January 2015
4. creditcardfinder.com.au, Christmas Debt Survey – December 2014