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The 90-Day Holiday Budget Planner: Gift Caps & Hosting Cost Calculator (PDF + Excel/Google Sheets)
24-page US & UK workbook + 10-tab Excel/Google Sheets: a cap for every name on your list, hosting cost per head, weekly tracker, spending log, 8 family money scripts and a January close-out. Example + blank files.
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Frequently Asked Questions (Holiday Budget & Gift Cap Calculator)
How much do people in the US spend on the holidays?
The National Retail Federation's 2025 holiday survey (8,247 US adults, Oct 1–7 2025) found shoppers planned to spend an average of $890.49 each, including $627.93 on gifts. The rest goes on food, decorations, cards and other seasonal items, the costs most budgets forget.
How many people go into debt over Christmas?
In LendingTree's December 2025 survey of 2,032 US consumers, 37% of holiday shoppers said they took on holiday debt, averaging $1,223, and 63% of them expected it to take three months or more to pay off. Planning the total before you shop is the simplest way to avoid joining them.
How do I set a gift budget per person?
Start with the cash you will really have by your last shopping day, take off hosting, the forgotten costs and a buffer, and what remains is your gift pot. Divide the pot by your first-instinct gift total: that percentage is your cap. If you prefer, keep your closest people at full price and scale everyone else down.
How much does it cost to host Christmas dinner in the UK?
A Censuswide survey of 2,000 UK adults, reported by The i Paper in December 2025, put the average festive gathering at about £223.55 per guest once food, drink, decorations and extras are counted. Your own figure is usually far lower if you price the menu per head and accept bring-a-dish offers.
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