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Shopping safely and securely at Christmas
4 minutes read
Colourful, twinkling illuminations adorning the streets of towns and villages, festive markets laden with gifts and the taste of spiced vin chaud… Christmas is not far away! At this magical time of year, it is important though to keep your financial wellbeing in mind to ensure a secure and happy start to the New Year.
In this article, our team share some of their top tips for a financially stress-free festive season and a prosperous New Year.
Protecting yourself against fraud – essential top tips
When shopping online there are several things you should do to protect yourself against fraud. First, it’s crucial to check the reputation of the website before you buy by looking at recent reviews for example. Ensure that you use a secure https:// connection – and do not save your payment details on the website if it is a one-off purchase. Cyber crime is increasingly sophisticated, therefore you need to be on your guard! Be careful if you receive a validation request, even if it appears genuine. It is best to log directly onto the website to shop online. Similarly, do not open suspicious emails, their attachments… and never click on their links.
Two-factor authorisation is extremely useful for maintaining security online. It’s an essential requirement for banks – including Britline – and other online providers.
The recent decision by Microsoft to cease updating Windows 10 software highlights the need for regularly updating your computer and other devices. Keep your operating system up to date.
These are only a few tips…. read our helpful guide The 10 tips to protect you against fraud for further information, to keep you safe online all year round.
Christmas budgeting tips… that work
Some of the best things about Christmas are choosing presents for people we love, as well as deciding on the food and drink we want to buy for the festive season. Christmas of course can be an expensive time, especially if finances are tight. Last year, French people spent on average around 500€ on food and gifts – so it makes sense to plan how to spend your money(1).
Christmas budgeting does not need to be the proverbial ‘oxymoron’ though – here are a few practical tips that can work:
- Before you start shopping, take time to set realistic gift budgets for everyone on your list. Digital tools and apps can help you keep track of your Christmas and New Year spending as you go, so you don't lose sight of the total.
- If you're tempted by something that wasn't on your list, try the 48-hour rule - wait two days before buying to see if you still want it.
- While you're caught up in December spending, don't forget to plan for January expenses like bills and everyday costs that will still be there when the decorations come down...
New Year, fresh start
The New Year is the perfect opportunity to set financial goals for the year ahead, including:
- Reviewing your savings goals. If you have money spare, make sure that you take advantage of tax-free savings accounts such as Livret A - this is just one example. Consider automatic transfers from your current to savings accounts to make it easier.
- Plan an emergency ‘buffer’ in case of unexpected expenses, such as a new washing machine, dishwasher or home repairs.
- Pensions. Review your pension arrangements to ensure you're on track for retirement, whether that's through workplace schemes, private pensions, or international pension planning if you've worked in multiple countries.
CA Britline: the French bank that speaks your language
CA Britline is part of Crédit Agricole, one of France’s largest and most trusted banks. We are an online bank with a dedicated team of 100% English speaking advisors.
Our friendly and bicultural team of English-speaking advisors have been helping customers (non-residents, British and Irish expats) with all their plans in France since 1999. Most of the team have lived both in the UK and France, so they can understand what life is like both sides of the Channel.
We are not only a bank, but a trusted service – helping thousands of English speakers with our bilingual, bicultural team every year. We are a bank with a human face, providing banking services by phone as well as digitally. Although we have no branches, customers can speak directly to an advisor as well as accessing services 24/7.
It’s also worth noting that you do not need to own a French property to open your Britline account! You can open your account at any stage of your project; so, if you have only started looking it’s not too early to open an account.
We look forward to hearing from you.
First published: 09th December 2025
Image used is provided by Adobe Stock.
(1) Source - The Connexion France "how much do people in France spend on Christmas on average".