Investec Investec Focus Radio SA

Everything Counts | Episode 37: How to avoid overspending during the festive season

Loading player...
Feeling like your December budget melts faster than an ice cream in the sun?
You’re not alone; even the most disciplined savers lose control when the festive season hits.

In this episode of Everything Counts, Motheo Khoaripe sits down with Investec financial advisor Nirvashni Rajkumar to unpack why we overspend in December, how festive marketing and emotions cloud our judgment, and the practical steps you can take right now to avoid a financial hangover in January.

From understanding the psychology behind “DeZemba,” to making your 13th cheque last, and setting a realistic December budget the whole family can get behind. This conversation is packed with real-world strategies to help you celebrate without regret.

If you want to end the year with clarity, avoid holiday overspending, and start the next one strong, you’re in the right place.

00:00 Introduction
01:30 Why are we prone to overspending during the holiday season?
03:00 How festive marketing drives holiday season spending
04:00 The psychology of holiday spending
06:00 When should we start budgeting for December?
07:00 Planning for holiday season spending isn’t a one-person job
08:15 How your financial advisor can help with your December budget
10:00 How to make your 13th cheque last: Confronting financial vulnerabilities
14:00 Top tips to avoid blowing your December budget
15:00 Setting a realistic December budget
18:00 Teaching children about delayed gratification
19:00 Hacks to getting the most out of your holiday season spending
23:00 How to plan and budget for the year ahead
26:30 How to end the year with financial clarity
27:30 Conclusion
15 Dec 2025 English South Africa Business · Investing

Other recent episodes

What Next? Bridging the trust gap

In this episode of What Next?, Professor Mike Kenny (Cambridge) and Jacinta Koolmatrie examine the breakdown of trust between communities and institutions. They discuss how centralised governance and economic shifts have driven local grievances, and argue that rebuilding trust requires sharing power, working at community pace, and supporting locally led…
2 Apr 52 min

NOW Ep124: A crude awakening for inflation?

Interest rate cuts were meant to define 2026. Now, markets are bracing for hikes. In this episode of No Ordinary Wednesday, Investec’s Chief Economists Annabel Bishop and Phil Shaw examine how the energy shock is forcing central banks to reconsider their path. From London to Pretoria, policymakers face a familiar…
31 Mar 24 min

Macro Monday Ep110: Little sign of a near-term end to the war

With little sign of an early resolution to the war in the Middle East, supply constraints on commodities such as oil, gas, and helium may well endure. Chris Holdsworth Chief Investment Strategist, at Investec Wealth & Investment International notes that fuel prices likely to feed through quickly into consumer inflation,…
30 Mar 8 min

What Next? | Making the transition investable

Clean and green growth has moved from ambition to execution, but the challenge is one of pace. Investment conditions are key: predictable rules, credible pathways, and coordination across value chains, finance and government. This episode of What Next? Leadership Conversations for a Better Future, Helena Norrman, Marina Grossi, and Sang-Hyup…
27 Mar 35 min

Everything Counts | Episode 44: What the new 2026 tax allowances mean for you?

The new tax year is here, and the 2026 Budget Speech introduced important changes that could reshape how South Africans save, invest, and plan for retirement. In this episode of Everything Counts, host Motheo Khoaripe sits down with Vumi Dludlu, Investec financial adviser, and Johan Loubser, head of adviser enablement…
23 Mar 18 min
All episodes