1 DECEMBER, ALREADY?!
Well, it's that time of the year...
The Christmas trees are going up, Santa's at the shops....and so are we!
We've got retailers rubbing their hands with glee as Christmas approaches (fast!!!), with Aussies set to blow more than $30 billion over the silly season.
All up, retail sales are expected to jump 35% during December, up 5.5% from last year.
Apple products, and gaming consoles, are topping wish lists - with electronics shops expecting a 56% boost!
All the Christmas parties and Summer BBQ's also mean we'll fork out a small fortune on food and drinks.
So - what exactly do we spend most on?
Here's a breakdown of Aussie spending in December - compared with the rest of the year.
(Source - IBISWorld/ABS)
LIQUOR - spikes 59% in December.
SUPERMARKET/GROCERY - up 17%.
DEPARTMENT STORES (think Big W, Target..) - 94% hike!!
ELECTRONICS - spiking 56%
CLOTHING - up 66%
FOOTWEAR/ACCESSORIES - up 77%.
RESTAURANTS - spike 25%