Christmas 2025: The money moves to start making now

With less than 100 days until Christmas, here are five simple tips to keep your festive spending under control.

Spring has barely begun, but the Christmas countdown is already on - at least, it is for those looking to get a head start on their festive preparations.

"It can feel like Christmas is ages away, but we all know that it sneaks up on us and all of a sudden it's only weeks away," says Sarah Megginson, personal finance expert at Finder.

"And it gets really expensive, especially if you've got multiple children to buy for, or nieces and nephews and other family members. So now is a good time to be thinking about it."

Heading into last year's festive season, ASIC's Moneysmart found that the average adult planned to spend $783 on Christmas, while separate research conducted by Finder put the figure at $1357.

Either way, given the amount of money many Australians are likely to spend, a bit of forward planning could go a long way to smoothing out Christmas costs.

So with that in mind, here are eight tips to help you get financially prepared.

1. Lock in a Christmas budget

While it might be tempting to start hunting for gifts straight away, one of the first orders of business on any Christmas to-do list could be planning out a budget.

That may include a gift list of everyone you want to buy for, as well as any other expenses you're anticipating such as food, drink and travel.

"Without setting a budget, it's easy to blow out the credit card and start the new year with a big debt hangover," says financial advisor and founder of On Your Own Two Feet, Helen Baker.

"Start by estimating how much you're happy to spend for each person - let's say, $40. Then make a list of everyone you want to buy for - say, ten people.

"Times your spend by the number of people to determine your budget ($400). If that number is too high, consider whether you need to buy for everyone on that list, or cut your allocated spend back."

2. Start putting money aside

Once that budget is set in stone, it's time to work out how to fund it.

While some people may already have the savings at hand to cover festive costs, others may benefit from stashing aside money each week.

"That might look like putting $20 cash per week in an envelope so that you're cashed up when it's closer to December," Megginson says.

"Or it might be buying a $10 or $20 gift voucher every time you do grocery shopping so that you have a few hundred dollars' worth of gift cards to help pay for your Christmas grocery shop."

For those who might be tempted to spend the money they put away, Megginson suggests adopting a different strategy.

"One idea here is to work out if there are things that you can buy and set aside. For instance, soft drink or wine or non-perishable ingredients for your Christmas Day meal."

3. Share the load

Planning on hosting family or friends for Christmas this year but dreading getting stuck with all the work? Baker recommends reaching out early and splitting the workload.

"Ahead of time, divide up responsibilities for the meal, so that each person or household brings a specified plate or course. People are also more likely to help clean up if they have dishes and utensils they want back."

The same idea can apply to gift giving. Instead of buying a gift for each family member or friend, Baker suggests opting for more budget-friendly options.

"Share the load around gifts too. For instance, pool funds with your siblings to buy your parents one large present, that works out less per person than individual ones.

"Alternatively, do a Secret Santa with a set budget - each person buys a single gift and enjoys the savings from not having to buy for everyone.

"It's also fairer on anyone who is struggling financially and can't spend as much as others."

4. Shop strategically in the sales

Rather than rushing around the shops in a fluster in the days leading up to December 25, Baker says that a bit of forward planning - and some savvy sales shopping - can reduce stress and save money.

"Not only is it stressful to hit the crowded shops in the final hours before Christmas, it's also usually more expensive.

"Leaving your shopping to the last minute means you miss out on November's Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales, you don't have time to compare prices and you can spend more than you planned simply to get something for each person."

Megginson urges anyone planning to do their Christmas shopping during Black Friday or Cyber Money to go in with a game plan though.

"We know that the Black Friday sales do have genuinely good deals, so it can be a really good time to buy. But because of the big discounts around, it can also be easy to overspend quickly.

"The key is to be prepared and to have a clear idea of who you're buying for and what you're buying."

5. Gift outside the box

Not every Christmas present needs to come gift wrapped from a store. Instead, Megginson suggests that gifting expertise could be an option that's not only just as appreciated, but not as expensive for those on a tight budget.

"I would look at the things that you can offer your friends and your loved ones as an act of service instead of buying material gifts.

"If you're good in the garden, you might offer a gardening afternoon. Or if you're handy, you could turn handyman for a couple of hours. It might not sound exciting, but a lot of people would actually prefer that to a gift that they don't really need."

Beyond offering up time or labour, Baker recommends opting for meaningful gifts over material ones.

"Give something that is genuinely meaningful instead of stuff. That could be handmaking their favourite Christmas cake, rumballs or gingerbread, making artwork or framing a photo you took.

"Alternatively, give a charitable donation in their name to a cause dear to them - and claim a tax deduction - on donations over $2 - for your efforts."

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