The Skinner family's budget for Christmas

SO how much does a large family like the Skinners spend during the festive period? Linda gave us the breakdown.

Mortgage: £370 a month

Gas and electricity: £134 a month

General food budget: About £80 a week.

Christmas food budget: Up to £200.

Christmas presents: Around £650 in total.

Christmas decorations: A new set of decorations from the local pound shop this year cost £15.

Clothes: Around £50 a month on average (but things tend to get passed around a lot).

Luxuries: Current Sky+ package costs £35 a month. A Playstation was given to the family by a friend. And the family saved up for a Wii this summer.

Holidays: No holiday this year. The family usually go in a static caravan somewhere by the coast or visit relatives in other parts of the country.

Nights out: Richard will go to the cinema with his friends about once every two months, while Linda occasionally goes out for a drink with girlfriends.