Despite the rising cost of living making it tough for many to boost their savings and spend confidently on important calendar milestones, 2024 still saw many splash out on special occasions, especially Christmas. Over one in five Brits admitted to overspending during the recent festive period.
Are Brits still looking forward to 2025’s upcoming special occasions – and budgeting for these big events? A new survey of 2,000 UK adults by NerdWallet UK reveals how much the nation plans to spend on calendar events and special occasions in 2025, from Valentine’s Day to Christmas.
Brits plan to spend the most on summer holidays (£577), Christmas (£469) and birthdays (£238) this year
| Rank | 2025 Calendar Events | Average amount Brits are planning to spend per occasion in 2025 (£) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Summer holiday | £577 |
| 2 | Christmas | £469 |
| 3 | Birthdays | £238 |
| 4 | Sporting events | £179 |
| 5 | Concerts, gigs or festivals | £172 |
| 6 | Black Friday | £168 |
| 7 | Easter holiday | £147 |
| 8 | Religious holidays and cultural festivals (e.g., Eid, Diwali, Hannukah, Chinese New Year) | £131 |
| 9 | Anniversaries | £124 |
| 10 | Father’s Day | £92 |
| 11 | Mother’s Day | £90 |
| 12 | Valentine’s Day | £83 |
Nerdwallet UK’s survey has highlighted that summer holidays are the most expensive event on the calendar for many. Results from the survey show Brits are planning to spend the most on summer holidays in 2025 (£577), with residents in Edinburgh (£735), Cambridge (£712), and Wolverhampton (£670) budgeting the most for holiday travel. Across the generations, Brits aged 55 to 64 expect to spend the most on summer holidays in 2025, averaging £708, followed closely by retirees at £679.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Christmas (£469) will be the second largest expense of the year for many, with residents in Coventry (£590), Cardiff (£572) and Swansea (£560) planning to save up the most for Christmas 2025.
Moreover, it’s not just summer holidays and Christmas that many are planning to spend significant amounts on in 2025. Birthdays (£238), sporting events (£179), and concerts, gigs, or festivals (£172) also rank among the top five. For each of these occasions, Londoners are among the top three biggest spenders, planning to spend £293 for birthdays, £260 for sporting events, and £232 for concerts, gigs, or festivals this year.
The price of love: Belfast (£195), London (£147), and Brighton and Hove (£124) residents plan to spend the most on Valentine’s Day this year
The study revealed that nearly half of Brits (45%) are planning to spend on Valentine’s Day this year, with an average budget of £83. Belfast, London, and Brighton and Hove residents are planning to spend the most this Valentine’s Day, with budgets of £195, £147, and £124 respectively. Men are also planning to splash out the most, budgeting £104 on average, compared to £63 for women.
Across different age groups, 18 to 24-year-olds have the highest average Valentine’s Day budget at £168, followed by those aged 25 to 34 years old at £144. This budget gradually decreases across age groups, with Brits aged 55 to 64 years old allocating £24, and £19 for individuals aged 65 and over.
Residents in Worcester (47%), Wrexham (45%), and Gloucester (42%) are also the most likely to spend £0 on Valentine’s Day this year.
Top UK cities preparing to spend the most over the Easter Holidays
With the Christmas holidays over, many Brits will be looking forward to the Easter break in April. According to the survey, the 63% of Brits that are planning to spend on Easter this year are prepping an average of £147 for the occasion. Those in Belfast, Brighton and Hove, and Edinburgh are planning to spend the most on the Easter holidays, with budgets of £319, £241, and £216 respectively.
On the opposite end of the scale, Wrexham (£30), Norwich (£36), and Newcastle (£71) are planning to spend the least. Notably, men are planning to spend more cash this Easter with a budget of £171, compared to £127 for women.
Some Brits are not wanting to take part at all; around a third of those in Wrexham (34%), Wolverhampton (33%), and Worcester (32%) are the most likely to spend nothing around the Easter Holiday break.
How to Plan and Budget for Special Occasion Spending this year
Personal finance expert Amy Knight from NerdWallet UK comments:
Align expectations and budget for a thoughtful, affordable Valentine’s Day
“Valentine’s Day comes around quickly after New Year, causing financial and emotional strain if couples don’t align their expectations. Of all age groups, our survey found that 18 to 24-year-olds plan to spend the most on Valentine’s Day this year (£168). Younger people can be more susceptible to the perceived pressures of social media, potentially influencing spending decisions as well as how we feel about ourselves and our financial situation.
“Talk to your partner about your individual and shared financial goals for the year ahead to help decide how much to budget for Valentine’s celebrations. Rather than exchanging gifts or ‘wining and dining’ somewhere fancy, your partner might be happy with a movie night at home, so that you can put the money you’ve saved towards your house deposit, a wedding or honeymoon, or paying your mortgage off sooner.”
Save for memorable birthdays and school holiday treats with roundups
“With our survey outlining that Brits plan to spend an average of £238 on Birthdays in 2025, building up savings to cover birthday presents and parties can ease the strain for parents who want to give their children a memorable celebration. Switching on current account roundups could also help you build up a fund for treats in the school holidays – the sooner you start, the sooner your savings can begin to grow.”
Save for experiences by cutting small daily expenses
“Experiences such as holidays, sporting events and live music will be a priority for many people this year, which may require savers to make trade-offs. For example, if you spend £5 daily on lunch, switching to homemade lunches could save around £100 per month. Even just cutting back to bringing lunch 3 days a week could save £60 a month, or £360 over six months – enough to see some popular artists in concert.
“If several concerts are on your wishlist this year, you may need to prioritise your favourite artists and say ‘no’ to other acts to stay within your financial limits.
“Sign up for email announcements to access tickets as early as possible, as dynamic pricing means the cost could increase as demand builds close to the event. Remember to be cautious about purchasing from anywhere other than an official site as ticket scams are rife on social media, and consider using a credit card for added protection through Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act.”
Start preparing for Christmas 2025 from January payday
“Whether or not you made a budget for Christmas 2024, reflect on what you spent over Christmas 2024 and consider whether you would like to spend more or less this year. Setting a savings goal now gives you a whole year to get financially prepared, and could enable you to start 2026 debt-free.
“If you’re new to saving or lack confidence in your ability to save money, start small and ‘pay yourself first’. This means moving some money into your savings as soon as possible after you get paid, treating your Christmas savings like a bill: You will have already contributed to your savings before spending on other ‘wants’.
“Roundups are a popular feature offered by digital savings providers like Moneybox as well as banks such as Natwest and Lloyds. Don’t assume that a few pence here or there won’t make a difference – every little helps. Boost your savings by switching on roundups so that every purchase contributes a little more to the Christmas 2025 pot.”
Methodology
This online survey of 2,000 UK Adults (nationally representative on the basis of age, gender, city and employment status) was commissioned by Porter Novelli on behalf of NerdWallet and conducted by market research company OnePoll, in accordance with the Market Research Society’s code of conduct. Data was collected between 2nd and 8th January 2025. All participants are double-opted in to take part in research and are paid an amount depending on the length and complexity of the survey. This survey was overseen and edited by the OnePoll research team. OnePoll are MRS Company Partners, corporate membership of ESOMAR and Members of the British Polling Council.
Image source: Getty Images
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