BANK ACCOUNTS, CREDIT CARDS

Christmas shopping to start this Saturday

The Christmas shopping period is due to officially start this weekend, with research revealing Brits’ shopping habits over the festive season.

Almost a third of Brits will start their Christmas shopping this Saturday, as a survey by M&S Money shows that 29% of people like to do their festive shop a month in advance of the big day.

The survey also showed who our favourite shopping partners are. Women fared better than men – 40% of men said their wife is their preferred shopping partner, while just 23% of women said the same of their husband.

Male family members were also unpopular shopping partners, with just 1% of people choosing their dad or brother.

While 29% of people like to get their Christmas shopping done with a month to spare, the survey also found that 11% wait until two weeks before and 5% leave just a week to spare.

“Christmas shopping is a real event in many people's festive calendar. They really plan ahead - making a list, selecting a shopping partner and setting aside a specific time to hit the shops,” said Amanda Newman, Premium Club Manager at M&S Money.

Paying for Christmas

Although our bank accounts can take a real bashing when we go Christmas shopping, there are a number of credit cards that can help you earn while you spend.

Cash back credit cards such as the American Express Platinum Cashback Credit Card and Capital One’s World MasterCard offer increased cash back on purchases for the first three months.

M&S credit card customers can join the M&S Premium Club for £15 a month, and get triple loyalty points when they use their card at M&S stores.

Mrs Newman added: “You really want to enjoy the experience and we hope our Premium Club rewards help more shoppers do just that - with benefits like hot drink vouchers at our cafes.”

Tags: christmas spending, CREDIT CARDS, holiday money, shopping habits