Shoppers in Monaghan are the worst when it comes to making last-minute Christmas purchases.
A new PayPal survey has found that 50% of Monaghan shoppers wait until after December 20th to get their Christmas gifts.
This was followed by Offaly (29%), Kerry (28%) and Carlow (27%).
The poll of more than 1,000 consumers revealed that 71% of people actively establish a budget for Christmas.
However, 74% of these budget-setters often overspend during the holiday season.
More than half (57%) of people get stressed when it comes to planning their Christmas budgets and 37% would like better control over their holiday expenses.
Online shopping
When it comes to online shopping, respondents cited the main benefits included saving time (48%) and helping them to avoid crowds (44%).
The prospect of better offers (36%), more competitive prices (33%) and greater variety (31%) were also top when it comes to shopping online.
On timing, 57% of consumers expect to have their Christmas shopping finished by December 12th.
The study also revealed people's concerns when buying Christmas presents.
These included delivery or arrival times (62%), overspending (61%) being scammed (57%), shopping on unfamiliar websites (49%) and filling in financial details when making purchases (46%).
However, despite the concern around excessive expense, 77% of people have justified spending over their budget.
'Festive maths'
Looking beyond Christmas, 60% of respondents said they usually shop in the January sales, with just over one-third picking up presents for the following year.
The expected average spend in the coming January sales is €248.
PayPal Senior Vice President Maeve Dorman said people need to do the maths beforehand.
"It’s clear that people in Ireland are conscious of the cost associated with Christmas, with many justifying the expense and others overspending," she said.
"This is where 'festive maths' comes in. It means planning and sticking to a budget, while being smart with spending.
"Festive maths enables people to take better control of their finances and enjoy the holiday season," she added.
