ONE IN TEN PEOPLE PLAN TO TAKE A SECOND JOB TO PAY FOR CHRISTMAS

ONE IN TEN PEOPLE PLAN TO TAKE A SECOND JOB TO PAY FOR CHRISTMAS
• One in five Londoners (20 per cent) will be looking for a second job this Christmas
• Two million people plan to forego Christmas Day in favour of working to earn extra cash
• Nearly one million people will approach a payday lender to fund the festive period
Nearly one in ten Britons (4.5 million people) are hoping to find a second job in order to help cover the cost of Christmas, according to new research out today. The largest percentage of those looking for extra work can be found in London, where nearly 1.2 million people will be looking to find a second job over the festive period.
The findings, which formed part of the Disposable Income Index, for ISA provider Scottish Friendly, also showed that nearly half a million people (442,000) over the age of 55 will be looking for a second job, while two million people plan to forego Christmas Day in favour of working to earn extra cash.
In total 21.2 million people (42 per cent) will be hoping to raise additional funds to help pay for Christmas, with around 39 per cent of people, around 8.3 million, planning to sell off some personal possessions either at car boot sales or online through websites such as eBay.
In addition, 3.5 million people will either borrow from a bank or from their friends and family to fund the festive season, while more worryingly, nearly one million people will approach a pay day lender to find the funds they need.
Calum Bennie, savings expert at Scottish Friendly, commented: “Christmas can be a tough time of year as finances get squeezed. Finding that little bit of extra money is never easy, but on the positive side it’s encouraging that people are more willing to work for the extra cash or sell possessions rather than to go into debt.
“That said, there are still too many people looking to fund the festive period through short term or ‘payday’ loans. Anyone considering this route should think very carefully about whether this is the best course of action. While these loans might give you immediate financial relief, the high interest rates can often financially cripple people.
“In future people should look to long term planning and building savings in reserve for this time of year. Even putting £10 aside each month would help alleviate costs and the burden of having to work during a time that most people would like to spend relaxing with friends and family.