Spread the cost this Christmas; collect money upfront

Worried about the cost of Christmas? Got some amazing ideas for perfect presents, but they’re outside of your budget reach? Is it your turn to put on the Christmas dinner for your group? Spread the cost - and the love - this Christmas by using Collctiv to collect money upfront.

“I always end up putting things on my credit card at Christmas. I never intend to, but I can’t help it when I see that thing I just know someone will love, I have to buy it for them!” (Anon, Collctiv User)

Does this sound familiar? According to figures from the Bank of England, the average household will spend an extra £800 at Christmas. Items such as presents, food, alcohol and even books see large hikes in amount spent at this time of year. However, research done by the Money Advice Trust shows that only 1 in 4 of us will set a budget for Christmas spending, and less than 18% of us will track our spending over Christmas.

Here at Collctiv, we’d love to help you spread the cost this Christmas, with some ways you can collect money upfront, before making that festive purchase.

Group Gifts for Friends and Family

Have you got a special something in mind for that special someone, but can’t quite afford it? Instead of putting it on a credit card, why not see if some of your friends or family will chip in? Simply create a Collctiv pot and share the link with your group to simply and easily collect money. And then you won’t have to whack out the plastic and have that horrible January squeeze as you try and pay off your credit cards.

Group Festive Meals

Are you the person who gathers everyone together at Christmas? The one who spends hours lovingly wrapping pigs in blankets and quartering the ends of brussel sprouts? The generous host who makes sure no glass ever runs dry? You are the absolute heart of the Christmas experience, whether that’s on the big day itself with your family, or by gathering your group of friends or teammates together for a Christmas celebration.

But you are always left out of pocket. By default, being the Organiser and the Host means you’re the one spending and providing. With over 10 million people borrowing money to cover the cost of Christmas dinner, why not try something different this year. Instead of asking people to bring a bottle of bubbly or a Christmas pudding with them, why not work out a rough cost per head, create a Collctiv pot and share the link with your group. That way, everyone can chip in, and you can prep in peace, knowing your overdraft won’t be taking a hit while you peel the potatoes.

‍Group Christmas Events and Activities

One of the best things about the Christmas period is the way everyone comes together to do a variety of things. Whether that be a trip to the Christmas Markets with your friends after work, a hilarious and fun-filled festive pantomime outing with the family, or one of the several Christmas Dos you may be invited to with your team or colleagues, Christmas is a time for coming together.

If you’re the Organiser in your group - the one charged with booking the restaurant or ordering those panto tickets - use Collctiv to collect the money from everyone in advance of making that purchase. Don’t take the risk of booking tickets or paying a restaurant deposit without definite numbers - Collctiv helps you to easily see who has paid up and is definitely coming.

So this Christmas, use Collctiv to help you spread the cost. Rather than putting it all on plastic, collect money upfront from your festive group and continue spreading the festive cheer without the dreaded debt that often accompanies.

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