Summer Santas have got it all wrapped up ahead of Christmas

WITH 37 shopping days to go, you may think you’ve got more than enough time to buy presents for family and friends.

But new research suggests you may be lagging behind many folk who began stocking up for Christmas over the summer.

Nearly one in four (23%) people had started their festive shopping by September or even earlier, a survey from VoucherCodes.co.uk has found.

And, to avoid the nightmare of running out of cash during the festive season, many shoppers have been thinking ahead.

More than two in five (42%) people have been putting a bit of cash away every month throughout the year. And many (23%) are so well prepared that they expect to have their shopping all wrapped up by the first week of December.

There are always some who like to leave it until the last minute, with nearly one in 10 confessing they will be making a last-minute dash to the shops on Christmas Eve.

It’s clear that cost pressures are on many people’s minds – and with much discussion in recent weeks about rising prices, it may well pay for shoppers to plan ahead.

Technology is also playing a big role in shoppers’ quests to scout out the best deals.

Nearly half (49%) of those surveyed will be shopping online this Christmas, with nearly a third (29%) planning to make festive purchases on their smartphones.

Those planning on hitting the high street are also doing their homework online first, with nearly one in five (19%) using mobile technology to find deals.

The research suggests women are savvier than men when it comes to comparing prices on the high street with those online, with 21% of female Christmas shoppers admitting to searching for deals online while in-store, compared to just 16% of men.

There are also signs that rising prices may make this year particularly tricky for Christmas bargain hunters.

Economists have warned the weak pound could feed through to further price increases at the tills in the coming months.

It’s never too early to budget for Christmas