Many Aussies get head start with Christmas shopping

Christmas ShoppingOne in two Australians have already started their Christmas shopping, according to new research from finder.com.au.

According to the comparison site, 47 per cent of Australians have already started buying presents, while the rest are planning to bag their gifts closer to December.

About 4.3 million Australians are waiting for December to tick over, research results show, with almost a quarter, 23 per cent, planning to start their Christmas shopping on Friday, December 1.

Bessie Hassan, money expert at finder.com.au, said there is nothing like the start of the festive month for the panic of Christmas shopping to set in. 

“There are plenty of sales in November for shoppers to take advantage of from the Black Friday deals on November 24 to Cyber Monday a few days afterwards,” Hassan said.

“Not only does it give you more time to plan our your Christmas gifts, but it also means you’ll be spending less with stores on sale.”

Hassan said by the first week of December, the Christmas crowds will out in full force.

The study also shows one in ten (10 per cent) plan on leaving their shopping until the last minute and buy their gifts the week before Christmas Eve.

“Men are more likely to leave their Christmas shopping to the last minute, while women start their shopping earlier,” Hassan said.

The research reveals 18 per cent of men wait until the week before Christmas to start shopping, compared to seven per cent of women.

Hassan says for many households, Christmas is a huge expense which requires careful planning.

“Hitting the shops earlier means shoppers are less likely to be caught in a last minute rush and overspend on something they could have got cheaper if they had more time to compare,” she said.

“By starting early, you also guarantee your order will arrive by Christmas if you are ordering from overseas.”

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