A total of 72% of Slovaks admit that their financial situation will affect this year’s Christmas gifts. Up to 44% have to significantly save and limit their spending before Christmas. Another 28% feel pressure, but can provide gifts. Only 25% of Slovaks can handle Christmas without major restrictions. This follows from a survey of the job portal Kariera.sk, which was conducted in November of this year on a sample of 1,358 respondents.
- 72% of Slovaks feel the financial impact of Christmas gift shopping.
- 44% of respondents had to significantly save and limit expenses before the holidays.
- The most frequently planned expenses for gifts are up to 250 euros.
- 61% of Slovaks prefer practical gifts, such as clothes or books.
- Financial constraints during the holidays affect most households’ purchases.
Compared to last year, over 47% of respondents try to compare prices more and look for better offers. 12% put off last-minute shopping, but at the same time, the same percentage started their Christmas shopping earlier than usual. Less than a third of respondents have not changed anything and shop as in previous years. About 34% plan to spend 100 to 250 euros on gifts, and 27% want to stay under 100 euros. About a quarter count on an amount of 250 to 500 euros, and only ten percent plan a higher budget of more than 500 euros. About four percent of respondents want to spend more than 1,000 euros on gifts.
The biggest influence on the choice of gifts is one’s own financial situation, which was stated by 41%. Furthermore, 21% make up the number of people for whom gifts are bought, and discounts or promotions play an important role for 13%. 18% plan to shop specifically during Black Friday, more than a third do not believe in these discounts, or do not consider them advantageous. Approximately 13% also make purchasing decisions based on their own values or minimalism or according to current prices and inflation.
91% of respondents will not borrow for gifts under any circumstances and prefer to adapt the holidays to their budget. Specifically, five percent consider a loan in an exceptional case, for example for a larger family gift. Only two percent have already borrowed or bought the money in installments. When choosing gifts, 61% of people prefer practical gifts such as clothes, books or household items. Every fifth Slovak chooses symbolic trinkets that have emotional value. Less than twelve percent want to give experiences and seven percent prefer time together instead of gifts. Hand-made or personalized gifts were reported by two percent.
29% of people feel financial stress in connection with Christmas to a great extent, on the contrary, 16% do not feel it at all and about a quarter do not feel it at all. More than half wish for peaceful and economical holidays without financial stress. Almost 23% would like to spend them in a smaller circle and without gifts. Only less than 15% of respondents plan Christmas without restrictions, even at the cost of higher expenses. Another five percent do not plan to celebrate these holidays at all. 37% said that increased prices for food, energy and services hit people the most when shopping. Almost 19% feel the rising costs of the household and children, and 18% are affected by job insecurity. Seventeen percent of respondents perceive the impact of consolidation packages, and nine percent of respondents perceive the transaction tax.
