New online Christmas calculator works out how much fairy lights, LED decorations and inflatables cost to run
As Christmas fast approaches and many households prepare for their very own festive lights ‘switch on’, a new online calculator set to launch next week might encourage people to delay the moment for a day or three. The Christmas Lights Calculator does exactly what it says on the tin and can work out how much your fairy lights, LED decorations, inflatables and seasonal garden display will cost to run per day, week and during the whole month of December.
The free calculator, created by UK Debt Expert, aims to show how much money will be added to your energy bill and can be useful for planning when to do your big switch on - to save the most amount of money without impacting on the fun side of the festive season. Delaying your switch on by one week could be a worthwhile sacrifice to take the stress out of higher electricity bills.
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UK Debt Expert gathered information on the energy usage of popular Christmas lights to learn how much they would cost to run this year, based on current energy costs.
The research found that families who love to decorate the outside of their houses with multiple Christmas lights including stand alone LED fixtures and outdoor Christmas-themed rope lights will see the biggest hikes in bills. Which is to be expected as it's not the standard indoor Christmas tree and one set of fairy lights.
Delaying the switch on until later in December
The calculator creators say that it will show that even waiting two weeks and putting your fairy lights on your tree on December 1 will save households money compared to turning them on now, and if you have any various rope lights outside, you could save even more money by delaying the big switch on.
The current price cap could add around £12 per month to the average household bill, making it even harder to stay warm and festive during the colder months. But showing a little more restraint could pay dividends nearer December 25.
Maxine McCreadie, personal finance advisor at UK Debt Expert, said: “It’s always an exciting time when we start setting up for Christmas, and seeing your house lit up in festive cheer. But before we unload all the decorations from the attic, it’s best to get ahead and understand just how much it will cost to run your Christmas lights.
“A 10 per cent rise in energy bills is significant and many families will be feeling the pressures of buying gifts, socialising and trying to keep up. Our calculator will be a good tool to help you feel prepared for energy consumption and estimate depending on your usage.
“It’s important to stay proactive with financial planning. If you don’t want to cut back on lights, consider waiting a week or two before turning them on; you’ll still enjoy the Christmas spirit with a bit less expense.”
To view the full calculator of different lights, how much they cost and how much could be saved by waiting to turn them on, visit
The UK Debt Expert Christmas Lights Calculator will be available to use next week.