Last-minute Christmas shopping could leave you in debt until the 2030s

With Super Saturday landing on 20 December, millions of people will be making a final dash for presents, food and festive extras.

But while shop tills are ringing, alarm bells should be too.

New insight from our team shows that last-minute Christmas spending could leave some households repaying festive debt for up to eight years, pushing repayments well into the next decade.

Why last-minute spending can be so risky

With bills still high and wages not stretching as far as they used to, many people are relying on credit cards and Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) just to get Christmas over the line.

What we’re seeing is worrying:

• 60% of the people we support carry credit card debt, with an average balance of £5,000 - up from £4,000 last year
• Requests for help with BNPL debt are up 52% year on year, hitting a record high in November

That pressure is about to collide with the busiest shopping day of the year. Super Saturday is when impulse buys, time pressure and emotional spending all peak - and when it’s easiest to spend now and worry later.

How long could Christmas debt really last?

To help people see the true cost of festive borrowing, we’ve launched a free Christmas Debt Calculator.

It shows how long Christmas spending could take to clear if you only make minimum repayments – and how much interest you could end up paying.

For example:

• Put £1,000 of Christmas spending on a credit card at 29.9% APR
• Stick to minimum payments
• You could still be repaying that debt until 2034
• And hand over £700 to £1,000 in interest on top

That’s a Christmas that keeps costing long after the decorations come down.

Why January is often the hardest month

Every year, we see the same pattern.

In January and February, enquiries surge as the first post-Christmas credit card statements arrive. Those “debt hangovers” - small repayments that linger for years - are now one of the biggest money worries we hear about.

As Sebrina McCullough, our external relations director, explains:

“Super Saturday is the moment when people panic-buy. You’re stressed, you’re rushing, and you’re trying to create a perfect Christmas – and credit can feel like the quickest solution.

But what looks manageable today can easily turn into years of repayments once the interest kicks in.”

Simple ways to protect yourself from long-term Christmas debt

If you’re still shopping, a few small pauses now can make a huge difference to your January - and beyond.

1. Ask: “Can I clear this in January?”

Before you buy, stop for a few seconds and ask whether you could realistically pay it off in next month’s budget.

If the honest answer is no, it may not be worth adding to your basket – no matter how festive it feels.

2. Check what you already owe

Many people underestimate their borrowing, especially if they’re juggling credit cards, overdrafts and BNPL.

Checking your balances before shopping can stop accidental overspending and unpleasant surprises later.

3. Keep track of BNPL – it adds up fast

BNPL payments are often spread across different apps and due dates, which makes them easy to lose track of.

BNPL isn’t free money. If you’re juggling several repayments with different providers, it’s incredibly easy to double-spend without noticing.

4. Make a simple January plan

Try our free budgeting tool to help you protect the essentials – rent, energy, food and travel.

Once those are covered, you’ll know what you can safely afford to put towards repayments.

5. Don’t wait for the new year panic

If you’re already worried, speak to us. We can help you make sense of your finances and recommend the best way forward for you.

6. Use tools that show the full picture

Our free Christmas Debt Calculator takes less than 30 seconds and shows:

• how long festive borrowing could last
• the total interest you might pay
• how small changes to repayments can make a big difference

Seeing the numbers clearly can stop long-term debt forming during the busiest shopping weekend of the year.