South Africans expected to spend on these items this festive season

The festive season in South Africa is a time when most people come alive and spend most of their money. This is due to several reasons: some have received bonuses at work, some want to reward themselves for surviving the year, and some have saved money throughout the year for this period.

According to Wonga’s eighth annual Summer Spending Survey, this festive season is about to be a big one, with spending expected to reach R289 billion, with 70% spending more than they normally would in a month.

Tina Manyanya, spokesperson at short-term lender Wonga, said the high total festive spend looks promising, but the story is more complex.

Average spending per person

The survey had more than 10 000 respondents from across the country, with individuals planning to spend an average of R6 299 this festive season. This is lower than last year’s average of R6 832 per person, but it remains significantly higher than the R5 707 recorded in 2023.

“Average spend per person is down R511 from last year’s peak season, and just over 40% of South Africans saying they plan to spend less this year. It talks to a wider drop in consumer confidence, either driven by a higher cost of living and less disposable cash, or to them taking a more cautious outlook on their finances,” said Manyanya.

“This is backed up by the feedback that more people are turning to stokvels and Buy Now Pay Later services, which suggests that households are still trying to stretch limited budgets rather than spend freely.”

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Spending categories

Manyanya added that according to the data collected, people are to prioritise spending on food and drinks, with one person planning to spend R2 261, followed by gifts by R1 135 and local travel and transport by R1 166.

The majority of those buying gifts this year will be getting them for their family (48%), while a quarter (15%) will also be splurging on gifts for themselves. About 1% will also buy treats for their pets, while 8% won’t buy gifts at all.

Half of the respondents said that they would like money as a gift this year, followed by vouchers (13%) or clothing (12%). Some 9% also reported that they would appreciate grocery vouchers as gifts, pointing to their finances being squeezed as the cost of living increases.

Travel trends

The survey revealed that 73% of respondents said they will be staying home this festive period, and 41% of those cited they can’t afford to travel over the festive period. The 26% who will be getting on the road are predominantly going to the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal.

“Most people travelling are doing so to visit family, not for tourism, which confirms that connection is the biggest driver of festive mobility,” said Manyanya.

This year, visits to Limpopo are up slightly from 13% last year to 14% in 2025, while Gauteng lags slightly at 13%, and surprisingly, the Western Cape comes in at 13% as well. “While the figure for the Western Cape isn’t higher than last year’s 13%, it is interesting to note that the Western Cape – a tourism mecca – isn’t attracting that many local tourists,” she notes.

The majority of respondents travelling will do so by car (50%), taxi (18%), or bus (18%). International travel increased marginally from 3% to 3.1%, likely due to the continued volatility of the Rand (despite recent recoveries) and the rising cost of living.

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In-store shopping remains the favourite

Most respondents said they prefer shopping in-store rather than online. This trend is similar to last year’s, driven by minimum spend requirements on online shopping platforms, high shipping and delivery fees, and complex return policies.

“Some people are simply trying to avoid impulse buying or the feeling of being overwhelmed by the endless options offered online,” said Manyanya. “It is good news also for the businesses that are adjacent to brick-and-mortar shops, like restaurants, as they benefit from the higher footfall to retail outlets over the season.”

68% of respondents said they will be spending most time with friends and family. 24% will be observing religious traditions or donating/ volunteering to a charity (12%). Respondents (45%) said they will be having a braai, and nearly half (39%) are going to the beach, to a restaurant or to a party, club or bar.

More people are saving even as more become reliant on credit

This year’s statistics show that 23% of respondents have planned ahead and saved throughout the year to cover their festive costs, up from 26% in 2024.

“This is still below the record 42% recorded in 2019, showing that people have not yet returned to pre-pandemic levels of confidence. Meanwhile, 21% intend to draw from stokvel savings to fund their festive spending, while similar figures will turn to credit providers (22%, up from 20% in 2024),” she added.

“South Africans are resilient but cautious. While spending is still happening, it’s increasingly strategic; people are saving where they can, spending only when necessary, and using flexible forms of credit to get through the festive season.

“The challenge for the 2025/2026 festive season is not just whether people spend, but whether they can maintain financial stability while they do so.”

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