Men gift debt warning

The average male will spend £161 on their wife or girlfriend, with a quarter spending over £200 on a gift, yet 57 per cent of women are showing more restraint and better debt management by spending less than a £100 on their partner, the Motley Fool claims.

In addition, the longer that someone is with a partner, the more likely they are to splash out more on a present, with couples who have been together for one or two years likely to spend the most.

David Kuo, head of personal finance at the website, urged proper debt management regardless of how long the relationship has lasted, saying: “Christmas can be an expensive time of year, but don’t let love cloud your financial judgment.

“You need to stick rigidly to your budget and remember, if you can’t afford it then don’t buy it – there are always cheaper alternatives if you just shop around.”