How much to spend at Christmas?
You can tell its Christmas here, not by the snow, of which there is a distinct lack, or the cold, of which there is no lack. No – the sign that Christmas is only a few days away is the number of news reports about how much we are spending, (or not) and how fast we are spending it.
It seems that “average” kiwi is spending about $500 on Christmas this year. Of course – there’s absolutely no information on how they averaged it – but $500 doesn’t sound like a lot.
Worryingly – we are having a rather “frugal” Christmas this year – basically because we are saving up to get the area around our swimming pool extended, and we didn’t have quite enough to do it this year. And yet we have still spent just over $500 each, and that doesn’t include about $150 on extra Alcohol and food. And of course – the amount is low because we made the most of the awful exchange rate, and bought the books at Amazon.co.uk – which saved a few hundred dollars.
Mind you – we have spent considerably less than usual, and mostly of that’s down to the fact that we really don’t “Go Christmas Shopping” anymore. None of us are what you could call Shopaholics, and the mere thought of having to shop along with hoards of others just tends to turn us all a bit queasy.
The biggest thing though is our recent aversion to “stuff”. Having got rid of so much of it before emigrating – we all just have a hard time accumulating more of it. Instead, we use Christmas as an excuse to spoil each other with books – something that we don’t buy anywhere nears as many of during year now that live in a world without “3 for 2″ offers, and discount books.
So on the upside, I still have about $1000 left of my Christmas savings (I save $200 a month towards it) – which will mean I should be able to afford the concreting in time for next summer. In the meantime, I have a few days of cooking scrummy treats for the family, and not panicking about where to park.
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Related posts:
- Christmas Comes but ones a year – guess when the next one is?
- So how did Christmas go?
- A Merry Kiwi Christmas.
Comments
2 Comments on How much to spend at Christmas?
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Hubby on
Mon, 21st Dec 2009 5:28 pm
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Avalon on
Tue, 22nd Dec 2009 8:07 am
bugsy nabs comment #600!
One interesting comment I saw on the news the other day, picture this;
UK shoppers queuing outside a stores in a big indoor shopping centre at 0830 in the morning – waiting for them to open.
the shutters start coming up, and people scrabble under them to enter the shop.
Quotes from people there;
“We’re here to get a bargain”
“We’re looking for a last minute saving”
“Well it’s what you need to do to get a bargain”
The thoughts that occurred to me;
So recession isn’t stopping you spending extra money then?
&
all those retailers who are being exploited by us selfish consumerist types waiting for them to be so far against the wall they practically have to give the stuff away just to get us through the doors.
- What goes around, comes around. And now the shops that wouldn’t acknowledge our presence last year, are hoping we’ll save their lives.
Be nice to your customers all year round.
“Be nice to your customers all year round”.
Hmm – even now there are companies who treat thier customers like crap. Apparently they didnt get the memo that theres a recession 
I also think this applies to companies who are taking advantage of thier staff right now (no company in particular of course )
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