How much should I save each week for Christmas?

Take your total Christmas budget for gifts, food and travel, then divide by the number of weeks until Christmas. Saving that small amount each week means you arrive at December with the money ready, instead of reaching for credit.

When should I start saving for Christmas?

The earlier the better, because more weeks means a smaller weekly amount. Starting at the beginning of the year makes Christmas almost painless to fund; starting in November means a much larger weekly saving.

How do I avoid Christmas debt?

Set a realistic budget, save toward it steadily through the year, and keep the money separate so it is not spent. This calculator shows the weekly amount, which is the key to spreading the cost rather than borrowing for it.

Christmas Savings Calculator

This New Zealand calculator works out how much to save weekly from now to cover Christmas without debt. By setting a budget for gifts, food and travel and dividing it across the weeks until Christmas, the cost becomes a small, painless weekly amount instead of a December credit card shock. You enter your budget and the weeks to go, and the tool shows exactly what to put away each week, fortnight or month.

Gifts budget

Food and drink

Travel and other

Weeks until Christmas

to save each week from now

Per fortnight$0

Per month$0

Total Christmas budget$0

Keep the money in a separate account so it is not spent. Start early; the more weeks you have, the smaller the weekly amount. Estimate only.

How it works

The calculator adds your gifts, food and travel budgets into a total Christmas cost, then divides it by the weeks until Christmas to show the weekly amount to save, with the fortnightly and monthly equivalents. Saving steadily from now means you reach December with the money ready, so you can enjoy Christmas without the January debt hangover that catches so many households out.

Worked example

A budget of $800 gifts, $400 food and $300 travel is $1,500. With 30 weeks until Christmas, that is just $50 a week, or about $100 a fortnight, a small amount that quietly covers the whole festive season.

Related calculators

Savings Goal Calculator: any savings goal.
Sinking Fund Calculator: known yearly costs.
Budget Calculator: your budget.
Goal Timeline Calculator: time to a goal.

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