Christmas Money Worries
Millions of people are struggling to find the cash for their Christmas shopping this year according to a new report. For all the millions that are set to be spent on the high street, as many as a third of people questioned have had such severe financial problems in the past that they have been unable to buy any Christmas presents at all for their loved ones.
One in ten people admit to turning up on Christmas Day empty handed according to the research of 3,000 people by Life Assistance Firm CPP, leading to concerns that there are likely to be more IOUs than full stockings this year. Many have had to resort to making their own homemade presents but just under half of people have had to own up and tell friends and family that their presents will arrive late.
The situation is having a serious impact on people's health with many people stressed to the limit about their festive finances. Three quarters of people are already dreading Christmas because of the financial constraints it puts on them and for two thirds of people this stress spirals into their working lives too.
Money troubles aren’t the only thing about Christmas putting a tremendous amount of strain on people; following close behind is making the decisions about what to buy people and battling with the crowds in the shopping rush. Half of people surveyed think that one of the major problems is actually deciding who to spend the big day with: 1 in 10 people would prefer to spend it with friends rather than family and 6 out of 10 would prefer to go away to escape the hassle all together.
Nick Jones, Communications Manager at CPP, says people should also be aware of the fact that identity and card fraudsters will be looking for rich picking this Christmas. “While the Christmas period can be stressful in terms of filling stockings, don’t take your eye off the ball when it comes to the security of your bank account and personal details. Debit, credit and online spending are all estimated to increase this Christmas and people should make sure that they protect and safeguard their personal information during the festive season. Filling stockings is a priority, but do it safely.â€
Top 10 most stressful things about Christmas
1. Spending too much money
2. Deciding what people might like as presents
3. Shopping for presents and dealing with the crowds of people
4. Worrying about spending time with the family and preventing arguments
5. Long shopping queues
6. Putting on weight
7. Cooking for all the family
8. Eating and drinking too much
9. Juggling family commitments
10. Deciding where to spend Christmas