We're generous but they aren't
When it comes to people we are not that close to, be they work colleagues or distant relatives, 60% of North Easterners strongly begrudge the average of £42.70 that they feel obliged to spend. East Anglians spend a similar amount, only 28% resent it.
People in the South East are more at ease with spending on near strangers (only 32% object), perhaps because they only spend an average of £22.90 on them.
Nearly half of us (46%) say that we buy presents for people who never give anything back.
Get a free 30-day Experian Credit Report trial.
Generous Geordies and frugal Cockneys
The survey shows that the average amount spent on presents last year was £397, but there were strong regional variations.
In the generous North East, more than half (53%) spent more than £500, averaging £542 each, while Londoners were the most frugal, averaging £354, with only 16% spending more than £500.
People with children greatly outspent the child-free, averaging £494 compared to £343. There was also a strong divide between those in the professions and upper management, who averaged £336, and the unskilled and unemployed, who outspent them at £356, and skilled manual workers, at £405.
Compare credit cards at Virgin Media Money.
Jim Hodgkins, managing director of CreditExpert, says, "Christmas should be a joyful time but for all too many of us, the cost leads to great stress. People should only spend what they can really afford and these figures indicate that some of the least well-off feel pressured to be generous.
"People should be realistic and know what they can afford. Using an online credit monitoring service such as CreditExpert.co.uk can show them exactly where they stand financially and they are alerted when there are major changes to their credit report, which acts as a guard against identity fraud."
* Figures based on Ipsos MORI interviews with 1,704 adults aged 16 or over between 27 September and 3 October.
When did you last check your credit report? Get a free 30-day trial here.
