Tools

Christmas budget planner

A cap for each person, the food, the travel and the extras nobody budgets for — turned into one number to save each week, and an honest look at 1 February.

Presents — a cap for each person

Decide the number before you see the thing. Add or remove rows as you need.

Food & drink

Travel

Kids' events & school

Decorations & extras

The secret extras

Wrapping, cards, postage, the work do, a round of drinks. Nobody budgets these — everybody pays them.

Already put aside

Already on a credit card (optional)

For the 1 February preview

Your monthly take-home and what a normal month costs. Nothing is stored or sent anywhere.

Monthly take-home

Monthly essentials

Rent or mortgage, bills, food, travel, minimum payments.

8 weeks to 20 December

Put aside each week from today

£0

for a Christmas that costs £0

This is a guide, not financial advice. The weekly figure assumes you pay for everything in cash by 20 December; the 1 February preview assumes you clear your whole January card statement. It doesn't allow for interest, and it isn't a budget for the rest of the year — for that, use the budget planner.

Read the plan behind the numbers: Christmas without the January hangover — the 8-week money plan.