The economic hangover from the Christmas holidays has become a classic part of the calendar. After weeks of shopping, gifts, dinners, and getaways, Many households find their current account balances at rock bottom. just as the year begins and routines return.
According to various recent analyses, the pull of Black Friday, Christmas shopping and sales It leaves a mark on most pockets. Four out of ten Spaniards admit they have trouble making ends meet. after assuming these extraordinary expenses, a situation that worsens in certain age groups and in some autonomous communities.
40% of Spaniards barely make it to the end of the month after the holidays
Studies conducted by Wallapop on consumer habits in Spain indicate that 40% of the population admits to economic difficulties when the end-of-year shopping season ends. That is, almost half of those surveyed acknowledge that The combination of Black Friday, Christmas, and sales seriously strains your budget monthly.
This percentage reflects the impact that what are known as extraordinary expenses for DecemberThese expenses include not only gifts and dinners, but also small treats, trips, and purchases that accumulate almost without you noticing. Many consumers assume that during these weeks "you spend more" and They lower their guard in controlling the money.which is immediately noticeable upon entering January.
The data also highlight that the so-called January slope It's no longer limited to the first few days of the year. The pressure continues for several weeks, both because of the regular direct debit payments (mortgage or rent(supply, insurance) as well as deferred or financed purchases carried over from the Christmas period.
How much is spent on Black Friday and Christmas
The latest edition of the report The Change Network 2025The study, promoted by Wallapop in conjunction with the ISDI business school, focuses on the numbers. According to this work, The average expenditure per person in Spain during the end-of-year campaign reaches 588 eurosIt's not just a subjective feeling of spending more: the numbers confirm that the expenditure is considerable.
According to the study, that amount is divided between 185 euros earmarked for Black Friday y 403 euros associated with Christmas shoppingIn other words, most of the money goes towards gifts, meals, and celebrations in December, while the sales at the end of November act as a buffer. starting gun of consumption and they bring forward a portion of the spending that was previously concentrated at Christmas.
The succession of linked sales campaigns—first Black Friday, then Christmas, and almost without pause, the start of the sales—generates a kind of consumption inertiaMany shoppers feel that "if they don't take advantage now" of the deals, they're missing out, which leads to impulsive purchases or to bring forward acquisitions that were not urgent.
This pattern is especially noticeable in e-commerce. Aggressive promotions, the ease of mobile purchases, and quick financing encourage consumers to spend more than they planned, which It makes it difficult to maintain control of the budget in a month as delicate as December.
Sales: more online sales and higher average order values
As the holidays end, far from slowing down, consumption picks up again with the winter sales. According to the Webloyalty 2026 Sales Report, Online sales in this period will grow by 15% compared to the previous yearThis shows that e-commerce continues to gain traction at the start of the year.
Furthermore, this report predicts that The average digital ticket price will increase by 8%.until it settled around 297,45 euros per consumerIn other words, not only will there be more online shopping, but Each order will be, on average, more expensive than in the previous year, prolonging the pressure on family budgets.
This context paints a picture striking paradoxWhile a significant portion of the population admits to struggling to make ends meet, consumption figures continue to rise. Experts point to several factors behind this situation, from the social pressure to maintain a certain level of spending on specific dates, even the effect of advertising campaigns and the ease of financing purchases with just a few clicks.
For many families, the sales are seen as an opportunity to buy things they didn't buy at Christmas at a lower price, but in practice they often mean... a new boost to spending when the domestic economy has not yet recovered of the previous month.
Who suffers the most during January?
Reports based on Wallapop data agree in identifying the young people between 18 and 24 years as the collective that Those who suffer the economic difficulties after ChristmasThis age group is clearly above the national average in terms of having trouble making ends meet.
Among the causes, analysts point to the job insecuritylower wages and less ability to save for those taking their first steps in the job market or still balancing studies and employment. With less room to save money month after month, any increase in spending, such as in December, easily throws off his accounts.
They also highlight the difficulties faced by people in 45 to 64 yearsThis age group tends to concentrate greater economic burdensRent or mortgage payments, dependent children, education expenses, insurance, previous loans, or even financial support for family members. In many cases, these obligations leave very little room for maneuver to absorb the peak spending during the holidays.
The combination of high financial commitments and an environment of rising cost of living —with food, energy, and housing becoming more expensive in recent years— means that, for these households, any deviation from the budget in December translates into a particularly tight January.
Differences by autonomous communities
The territorial snapshot of the post-holiday slump reveals an uneven landscape. Wallapop's studies place... The Canary Islands as the region with the highest percentage of population struggling to make ends meet after the Christmas season, with a 48% of people who recognize difficulties.
Behind them are Catalonia, with 46%, and Galicia, with 45%, also clearly above the state average. In these territories, the combination of wages, labor market structure, cost of living, and consumption habits means that the impact of year-end spending is especially intense.
At the opposite end are Basque Country, with 23% of respondents who report difficulty making ends meet, and Castile and León, with 26%Although these communities also feel the economic strain of the Christmas period, the percentage of households in a precarious situation is clearly lower than in the most affected regions.
Regional differences are partly explained by factors such as the average wage level, job stability, dependence on tourism, or the price structure in housing and services. Different ways of organizing household spending and anticipating end-of-year consumption peaks also play a role.
The paradox of consumption and the role of second-hand platforms
One of the most striking aspects pointed out by Wallapop is the contradiction between the declared economic difficulties and the maintenance of high levels of consumptionAlthough many households say they struggle to make ends meet, purchases continue to rise during key campaigns such as Black Friday, Christmas and sales.
The company points to a Growing social pressure to keep buyingeven when finances are tight. This phenomenon is compounded by installment payment plans, quick loans, and... financing lines associated with cards and businesses, which allow temporarily park the problem but they could further complicate the situation in the medium term.
The behavior on secondhand platforms themselves reflects this reality. Wallapop has detected that, after the Christmas season, The number of posts on their platform increases by around 8%. in the first weeks of January compared to the same period of the previous year. This suggests that Many people resort to selling items they no longer use. to obtain extra liquidity or simply to sell off recent purchases and gifts.
This boom in the secondhand market is interpreted as a pragmatic response to the economic tension at the beginning of the year. It allows recover part of the invested money and, at the same time, offers other consumers the option of accessing lower-priced products, something especially relevant in an environment of inflation and a general increase in the cost of living.
Why does the same story repeat itself every year?
Beyond the data, financial planning experts point out that The post-holiday financial crunch is, to a large extent, a problem of money management. And it's not just one-off overspending. The pattern repeats itself: December brings many extra payments, January starts with income similar to any other month, and the margin is reduced to a minimum.
Traditionally, extraordinary payments They were created precisely to help absorb these spending spikes at Christmas and summer. However, when payment is received in 12 monthly payments instead of 14The responsibility for setting aside part of your salary for these holidays falls entirely on each individual. Without a clear strategy, it's easy to end up relying on credit cards or other forms of credit.
Financial advisors insist that the key lies in plan several months in advanceA common formula is what are called "savings accounts"Set aside a specific amount each month to cover Christmas expenses and, if desired, summer expenses as well. This way, instead of facing an impossible January financial strain, you spread the burden throughout the year.
When this provision doesn't exist, the usual recourse is credit. And that's where the risk begins: If you're paying back a loan, it's harder to save for the next spending peak.The result can be a spiral in which financing is used again each year to balance the books, with interest accumulating and further reducing the ability to save.
Easy credit and the risk of over-indebtedness
Quick access to credit—whether through cards, retail financing lines, or other short-term products— It makes it easier to cover the holes left by Christmas spending.But it can also become a trap if used frequently.
Experts warn that Occasionally resorting to credit can be reasonable in the event of a specific emergency, but if it becomes the usual way of making ends meet, it's a clear warning signAt that point, they advise reviewing your lifestyle, keeping detailed records of expenses, and creating a realistic budget that allows you to gradually reduce your dependence on external financing.
Another risk is that the interests Short-term loans are usually expensiveSo, in the long run, the cost of holiday shopping can skyrocket. What seemed like a good deal in December can end up being expensive if paid in installments with a high interest rate and without a clear repayment plan.
Given this situation, many advisors recommend prioritize financial stability over immediate consumptionAdjust holiday spending levels to match income reality, avoid going into debt for gifts or celebrations, and if you have active loans, consider refinancing them under better conditions.
How to cope with January when the numbers don't add up
For those who have already started the year with difficulties, specialists suggest starting by analyze where exactly the problems come fromIf the strain is mainly due to excessive spending in December, there is usually room to correct the situation throughout the following year with more careful planning.
Comparing it to a water tank helps to understand it: If more goes out than comes in, the level goes down.The same applies to a household budget: if expenses consistently exceed income, cash flow problems will inevitably arise sooner or later. Detecting this imbalance early allows for informed decisions, whether cutting expenses or looking for ways to increase revenue.
In the area of ​​spending, one of the most effective tools is Review the account and card transactions in detailDigital payments make it easy to see, down to the penny, where your money goes each month and to identify items that are unnecessary or that can be adjusted without excessively affecting your daily life.
Many methods of household financial organization agree that there is no single recipe valid for everyone, but there is a key question: How much do you really want to spend on leisure, gifts, and travel?From that figure, that amount can be integrated into the monthly budget from January onwards, instead of concentrating all the effort in December and trusting that "we'll see" how it gets paid.
On the income side, some people choose to look for occasional extra jobs, sell items they no longer use, or renegotiate working conditions When possible. Although it is not always easy, any steady increase in revenue helps to provide more flexibility in the budget and reduce dependence on external funding.
Personal finance experts emphasize that the combination of Inflation, rising housing costs, and increased costs for certain utilities It has reduced the financial cushion of many families. Therefore, disciplined money management and anticipating spending peaks are increasingly important to prevent the post-holiday financial strain from becoming a year-round problem.
This whole scenario paints a clear picture: the chain of Black Friday, Christmas and salesThis, coupled with wages that in many cases are rising more slowly than the cost of living, is leaving a significant portion of the Spanish population with difficulties in making ends meetThe differences across territories, the greater vulnerability of young people and adults with family responsibilities, and the paradox of consumption that does not slow down despite economic problems show the extent to which managing the household budget has become a central challenge for thousands of homes.
