Christmas budget calculator UK 2026
Plan what Christmas will cost and how much to put aside before it comes. List everyone you're buying for with a budget each, add food, cards and postage, travel, decorations and nights out, then see your total and how much to save each week, fortnight or month until you need the money. All the starting amounts are examples: replace them with your own. Nothing you type leaves your browser.
1. Gifts
| Who | How many | Budget each (£) | Remove |
|---|
Use "how many" for groups at the same budget, such as 4 nieces and nephews at £10 each.
2. Other Christmas costs
3. Your saving plan
Usually your next payday. Today counts if you can put money aside today.
When you'll do most of the shopping. Saving days on this date count.
Fill in to see if that's enough, and how much to trim if not.
How the calculator works
- Gifts: each row is how many people × the budget for each. The total for each row and all gifts is added up.
- Other costs: everything that isn't a present. Leave a box empty or at 0 if it doesn't apply.
- Left to save: the total minus anything you've already put aside.
- Saving days: your first saving date, then every week, 2 weeks, 4 weeks or month after it, up to and including your "need it by" date. Monthly dates keep the same day of the month (or the last day, in a shorter month).
- Per saving day: what's left to save divided by the number of saving days, rounded up to the next penny so you don't fall a few pence short.
- Can you afford it? If you enter what you can put aside each time, we multiply it by the saving days, add what you've saved, and compare it with the total. If you're short, the trim percentage is how much smaller the gift list would need to be to fit.
Worked example
These are made-up example amounts to show how the sums work, not typical or recommended spending.
| Gifts | How many × each | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Partner | 1 × £60 | £60 |
| Children | 2 × £80 | £160 |
| Parents | 2 × £30 | £60 |
| Nieces and nephews | 4 × £10 | £40 |
| Secret Santa at work | 1 × £10 | £10 |
| Gifts total (10 people) | £330 | |
Add food and drink £120, cards, wrapping and postage £25, travel £40, decorations £20 and going out £30: that's £235 more, so Christmas costs £565. With £100 already put aside, there's £465 left to save.
Saving monthly on payday, 30 October, until the money is needed on 18 December, there are 2 saving days (30 October and 30 November), so it's £232.50 a month. If only £150 a month is realistic, that's £400 by 18 December, £165 short. Trimming the gift list by 50% (to £165) or the other costs by £165 closes the gap.
Saving weekly instead, every Friday from 23 October to 18 December, gives 9 saving days, so it's £51.67 a week. Starting sooner or saving more often spreads the same total more thinly.
Results from the calculator on this page.
Posting cards and presents: Royal Mail's last posting dates for Christmas 2026
If you're sending cards or presents within the UK, Royal Mail has published these last recommended posting dates for Christmas 2026:
| Post by | Royal Mail service (UK addresses) |
|---|---|
| Friday 18 December | 2nd Class, 2nd Class Signed For |
| Saturday 19 December | Royal Mail Tracked 48 |
| Monday 21 December | 1st Class, 1st Class Signed For, Royal Mail Tracked 24 |
| Wednesday 23 December | Special Delivery Guaranteed |
Source: Royal Mail, last posting dates for Christmas 2026, checked on 19 October 2026. Royal Mail says the dates are correct at the time of publishing and subject to change, and advises posting as early as possible; international dates and Parcelforce services are on the same page. Postage costs go in the "cards, wrapping and postage" box above.
Christmas and New Year bank holidays
| Bank holiday | Date |
|---|---|
| Christmas Day | Friday 25 December 2026 |
| Boxing Day (substitute day) | Monday 28 December 2026 |
| New Year's Day | Friday 1 January 2027 |
| 2nd January (substitute day, Scotland only) | Monday 4 January 2027 |
Source: UK bank holidays (GOV.UK), checked on 19 October 2026. Paid in December? Some employers pay earlier before Christmas, so check your payday when you set your saving dates.
Tips for keeping Christmas on budget
- Set the total first, then split it between people, rather than adding up gifts and hoping it fits.
- Put the money somewhere separate on payday, so it isn't spent on other things before December.
- Agree limits with family and friends, or suggest a Secret Santa for bigger groups.
- Write the list down and tick gifts off as you buy them, so you don't buy twice or overspend on one person.
- Remember January: your next payday may feel a long way off if you're paid early in December. Your monthly bills still need paying.
Prefer paper?
Our printed Christmas Planner and Card List Book is coming soon on Amazon: gift lists, a budget page, food shopping and Christmas Day timings, plus a card address list with a 10-year sent and received tracker. We'll add the link here when it's out.
In the meantime, press "Print my Christmas budget" above for a paper copy of your plan.
Frequently asked questions
How do I work out a Christmas budget?
Start with everyone you buy for and set a gift budget for each person, then add the costs that aren't presents: the food and drink shop, cards, wrapping and postage, travel to see family, decorations and nights out. Take off anything you've already put aside, then divide what's left by the number of paydays, weeks or months before you need the money. That's how much to put aside each time.
How much should I spend on each person?
There's no right amount: it depends on what you can afford without borrowing. A useful way round is to decide the total you can manage first, using the 'what I can put aside' box, then share it out between people. The calculator shows how far your gift list needs trimming to fit.
How much do I need to save each month or week before Christmas?
Take your total Christmas cost, subtract what you've already saved, and divide by the number of saving days left before you need the money. The calculator counts them for you: your first saving date, then every week, fortnight, 4 weeks or month after it, up to and including your 'need it by' date. If your need-by date is before your next payday, put in today as the first saving date.
What Christmas costs do people forget?
Common ones are cards, stamps and wrapping paper, batteries, postage for presents to family who live away, travel and parking, extra food and drink when you host, Secret Santa at work or school, nights out, and the Boxing Day and January sales. It's worth adding a small 'other' amount for things you can't predict.
What are Royal Mail's last posting dates for Christmas 2026?
For UK addresses, Royal Mail's published last recommended posting dates for Christmas 2026 are Friday 18 December for 2nd Class and 2nd Class Signed For, Saturday 19 December for Royal Mail Tracked 48, Monday 21 December for 1st Class, 1st Class Signed For and Royal Mail Tracked 24, and Wednesday 23 December for Special Delivery Guaranteed. Royal Mail says these are subject to change and advises posting as early as possible, so check its website before you post.
When are the Christmas bank holidays in 2026?
Christmas Day is Friday 25 December 2026. Boxing Day falls on a Saturday, so the bank holiday is the substitute day, Monday 28 December. New Year's Day is Friday 1 January 2027, and in Scotland there's also a bank holiday on Monday 4 January 2027 (the substitute day for 2 January).
What if my Christmas budget is more than I can save?
Enter what you can realistically put aside each time and the calculator shows how much you'd be short. You could then lower the gift budgets, agree a spending limit or Secret Santa with family, cut the food or going-out amounts, or start saving sooner. If you're worried about money or debt, free and impartial help is available from MoneyHelper, which is backed by the government.
Can I print my Christmas budget?
Yes. Press 'Print my Christmas budget' to print just the summary, with your gift list, other costs, total and saving plan. You can also save it as a PDF from your browser's print screen. Nothing is saved on this site, so print it or keep the page open if you want to come back to it.
Is anything I type saved or sent anywhere?
No. The calculator runs entirely in your browser. The names and amounts you type aren't stored, sent to us or shared with anyone, and they're cleared when you close or reload the page.
More for the household budget
- Bills monthly cost calculator: turn weekly, quarterly and yearly bills into one monthly figure.
- Household bills and budget guide: list every bill, convert it to monthly and stay ahead of renewals.
- Take-home pay calculator: what you actually get paid each month after tax, NI and pension.
- Tax-Free Childcare calculator: the government's 20% top-up on what you pay for childcare.
- UK Household Bills & Budget Planner (£7, Excel and Google Sheets): keep the whole year's budget in one spreadsheet.
Sources
Royal Mail: Get ready for Christmas 2026, last posting dates, checked 19 October 2026
GOV.UK: UK bank holidays, checked 19 October 2026
This calculator doesn't use any average or typical spending figures: every amount is yours to set. General guidance only, not financial advice.