Wonga: South Africans set for R289bn festive splurge

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According to data collected from just over 10,000 respondents from across the country, individuals plan to spend an average of R6,299 this festive season. While this is lower than last year’s average of R6,832 per person, it remains significantly higher than the R5,707 recorded in 2023.

Tina Manyanya, spokesperson at Wonga, shares, “On the surface, the high total festive spend looks promising, but the story is more complex. 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.

“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,” she continues.

The big-ticket items

This festive season, South Africans are continuing to prioritise spending on food and drinks (an average of R2,261 per person); gifts (R1,135); and local travel and transport (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. Some 1% will also be buying treats for their pets, while 8% won’t be buying gifts at all.

Half of South Africans (49%) said that they would most 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

South Africans will be staying home this year: nearly three quarters (73%) of respondents say they won’t be travelling over the festive period, and almost half of these (41%) say that this is because they can’t afford it. The 26% who will be getting on the road are predominantly going to the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal.

“Most people travelling (52%) are doing so to visit family, not for tourism, which confirms that connection is the biggest driver of festive mobility,” reveals 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 South Africans who are travelling will be doing 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.

In-store shopping

There’s good news for shopping malls: 70% of respondents prefer shopping in-store rather than online.

This trend is in line with last year's, likely for the same reasons: minimum spend requirements on online shopping platforms, pricey shipping or delivery fees, and complicated return policies.

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

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Celebrating our own way

South Africans love to connect over this period, with almost 68% reporting they will be celebrating with friends and family. 24% will be observing religious traditions or donating/volunteering to a charity (12%).

The country will also be seeing its usual KeDezember vibes, with half of respondents (45%) having a braai, and nearly half (39%) going to the beach, to a restaurant or to a party, club or bar.

More people are saving

This year’s statistics show that 23% of South Africans 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 consumers 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).

There’s good news for the economy in general, with 41% of respondents reporting feeling better off than this time last year, compared to 30% feeling worse off (with the rest feeling the same).

This may be linked to 40% of South Africans expecting a Christmas bonus over this period, adding to their available disposable cash.

The approach to 2026

“South Africans are resilient but cautious,” concludes Manyanya. “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.”