Hard-pressed parents assume that their children have no idea how much it will cost them to make a happy Christmas – but research out today reveals that children as young as five know how much Christmas will cost their family this year … including all the trimmings.
The survey by credit card company Capital One, shows that 85 per cent of kids aged between 5 and 11 know that a standard turkey (2.5kg) costs ‘up to £20’, 79 per cent correctly identify that a Christmas pudding costs ‘under £5’ and 64 per cent know that that a Christmas Tree costs ‘up to £30’.
Despite the average cost of family spending expected to fall this Christmas to around £692 from £1,278*, 1.3 million (32 per cent of all UK kids) accurately predict that Christmas costs a family more than £600, the equivalent to the cost of a family holiday.
The research also reveals that it’s not just the trimmings they’re knowledgeable about; children aged 5-11 were shown to be particularly astute and tech savvy when it comes to presents and gadgets – with 42 per cent knowing how much a Nintendo Wii costs (£109 RRP), as well as 38 per cent accurately confirming that an iPhone costs over £200.
Whilst clearly being surprisingly financially aware, thankfully there hasn’t been a complete loss of child innocence with 67 per cent still believing that Father Christmas ‘spends the most money on Christmas’ and 8 per cent believing that Christmas costs as much as ‘a flight into space.’
Judi James, behavioural expert says: “It’s clearly a cliché to assume that kids have no real understanding of the cost of Christmas because some of the valuations in the survey would give adults a reasonable run for their money. This proves that – unlike previous generations – kids do seem to have acquired a very astute financial view of the festive period, being aware not just of the egocentric gain in terms of food and presents but also the amount needed to obtain them. This suggests good parenting in terms of messages of putting a price on pleasure, meaning we might just be breeding a generation of Alan Sugar-style entrepreneurs.”
Credit Made Clearer features a series of short animated films offering consumers practical financial educational advice. Members of the public can access quick myth-busting films about the world of credit and managing money via facebook.com/capitaloneuk
Michael Woodburn, Chief Marketing Officer for Capital One, says: “We all assume that Christmas is an exercise in financial management for adults. However, maybe if we involved kids more, there could be benefits all round. Financial education for our younger generation is extremely important. Our Credit Made Clearer videos encourage responsible spending, offering tips on a range of financial issues from the use of credit to how to shop safely online.”
‘Credit Made Clearer’ festive shopping tips from Capital One:
* Ensure you stick to a budget and know your credit card limit before making Christmas purchases
* When shopping online, look for the padlock symbol in the browser window to ensure your data is kept away from prying eyes
* Register your cards with MasterCard SecureCode or Verified by Visa to add an extra layer of protection when shopping online
* Be aware of withdrawing cash to buy gifts – you may be charged daily interest and a cash withdrawal fee even if you pay your balance in full each month
* Always leave some available credit on your credit card for any interest to be applied