Simple ways to manage your money over Christmas
Last updated: 3 December 2025 | Estimated read time: 2 Minutes
The holidays are all about joy, family, and celebration – but let’s be honest, they can also put a serious dent in your wallet. Between gifts, food, travel, and bills, it’s easy for costs to spiral. The good news? A little planning can go a long way. Here are some practical, easy-to-action ideas to help keep your end-of-year expenses under control – so you can focus on what really matters.
Gifts
- Offer the gift of time – like a night of babysitting for friends or family, or a coffee date.
- Get crafty and make it personal – think homemade jam, gingerbread biscuits, a Christmas cake, or a tree decoration.
- Secret Santa is a fun way to give and so much cheaper than a present for every person.
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Food
- Buy home brands where possible.
- Shop at night when fresh produce is likely to go on sale.
- Shop online so you’re more likely to stick to your list – and only buy what you need.
- Do a midweek shop when most supermarkets have weekly specials.
Housing
- Think about refinancing your home loan for a better rate, especially if you’re on a variable-rate loan.
- If you’re finding things are stretched, talk to your current lender about loan term extension, a repayment break or interest-only payments.
Transport
- Use a fuel price app to lock in the lowest-cost fuel in your area for up to seven days.
- If it’s convenient and cheaper use public transport.
Utility bills
- Only run full loads in the washing machine and dishwasher.
- Close doors and windows if you’re using a cooling system.
- Use a thermostat to automatically turn the cooling on and off.
- If you’re going to get a new appliance, choose electric over gas and one with higher energy-efficiency.
Personal finances
- Use a budgeting and savings app to help you track your finances.
- Switch any monthly memberships and subscriptions to an annual plan or pause/cancel them.
- Follow the 70-20-10 rule – 70% of monthly income goes to must-haves – think rent, bills, insurance, 20% into wants – takeaways, nights out, and 10% to put into your savings or pay off debts.
Looking for more tips and tricks to help you manage your money? Or maybe you want to apply for a home loan, car loan or personal loan? Either way, we can help.
Contributor | Sarah Pikardt, Chief Marketing Officer
Sarah joined Pepper Money in 2011 and was appointed Chief Marketing Officer in 2025. She leads the marketing function and strategic development of the brand in Australia and New Zealand, with a focus on improving customer experience. Read more.
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