We ask you: are you cutting back on spending this Christmas?

Will you be cutting back on Christmas spending this festive season?

Transcript

00:00 So when it comes to Christmas this year, the industry that I work in is currently suffering a huge slump.

00:07 So lots of people are out of work, so personally myself I'll be not spending a lot of money this Christmas,

00:12 just to make sure that I've got enough to tide me through until my industry picks up again.

00:16 I mean, I don't usually spend that much on Christmas, I usually just stay with my friends and family.

00:21 But the minimum I could spend is like, just under a hundred, it depends on what.

00:27 Usually, my max is probably sixty.

00:30 We're definitely cutting back this time, yeah. It's a fine balance, isn't it, I think.

00:35 Everyone's looking at the bills and stuff like that, so it's a bit of a reality check, isn't it, nowadays?

00:40 I'm trying to, because I know, especially around this time of year, everything's twice the price, if not more.

00:47 Am I cutting back? I'm trying to. Like I said, I'm trying to.

00:53 I'm not cutting back. I'm not going mad, because you kind of look at it now and think,

01:00 I'm really not going to waste money. I'm going down the lines of maybe giving them cash, in the hope that...

01:07 I mean, my youngest granddaughter, she sent me pictures of what she wanted from River Island.

01:13 I went, any one of these nan, no one full well, I'm getting them all.

01:19 I think they have to, I'm going to have to. Yeah.

01:23 Especially the industry that I've been working in has completely died out.

01:27 What is that industry?

01:28 I work in film and TV as well. So yeah, there's been no work in TV at all.

01:35 So I've had to find other work for the time being.

01:38 So that's hit me. I mean, that's slightly relative, but it's made it even harder, because, you know, things are more expensive.

01:44 I'm trying not to be stressed about Christmas, because that just takes away the joy.

01:50 And what I've been doing is, as I've seen gifts that I think my nearest and dearest would like,

01:58 just buying them without sort of having one big glut of spending when it gets really stressful and you're trailing around the shop.

02:06 So I've been buying little bits here and there just to spread it, so it's not horrible.

02:12 I suppose just trying to be sensible.

02:14 And because normally what happens is I buy presents and then I'm like, I'll just get a few extra little bits.

02:19 So probably trying to be a bit more organised with what I'm buying for who.

02:25 Yeah. And we have looked at buying some pre-love stuff, to be honest.

02:31 Haven't done that yet, though, because I haven't found what I want.

02:33 But I have looked at that, whereas I maybe wouldn't have looked at that in previous years.

02:38 So just some of your thoughts there on the matter. But what is the data telling us?

02:44 Well, market research suggests that a lot of us are turning to bargain hunting and taking out credit to cover Christmas expenses this year,

02:52 and that roughly 51 per cent of households are expected to stick to a stricter budget.

02:57 And from what we've heard from you, it sounds like many of you could well be doing the same.

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