🎄🏖️ Holidays and fellesferie: how not to blow your budget
☀️ July: fellesferie — flights, accommodation, children's camps
July is all about travel and "time outdoors." Major expenses: travel and accommodation, car rental/fuel, children's camps, active tours, and eating out. The secret is to decide in advance what will stay at home (streaming/subscriptions, paid sections) and redirect that to your holiday budget.
December (jul) and July (fellesferie) are almost always more expensive than a "normal" month, which makes them the perfect time to treat yourself! Gifts, flights, restaurants and children's camps all add to the excitement and make these months the most wonderful time of the year! Here's a great method: we compare the "base vs. season" bill, break down the expenses by week, and calculate the savings from simple techniques. If you were looking for "Christmas budget Norway," you've come to the right place!
🎁 December: jul — where the bill swells
The main drivers are gifts and family gatherings (flights/trips), festive dinners, decorations and "little things to lift the spirits". A psychological trick is to set a "seasonal ceiling" in advance and spread the spending over several weeks.
| Week | Major expenses | Amount, NOK | % of cap | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | — | |||
| 2 | — | |||
| 3 | — | |||
| 4 | — | |||
| 5 | — | |||
| Total | 0 NOK | — | — | |
Tip: keep each week below 30–35% of seasonal budget to avoid cash gaps.
December — expenses
July — expenses
Expense breakdown
Numbers are demo only. Enter your own to fix the “season ceiling”.
All calculations in the inserts are approximate and are for planning purposes only. Prices for flights, accommodation and activities are subject to change; booking rules and refund conditions vary. This material is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Substitute your actual values and check the total before making any purchases.
FAQ
Add up your seasonal expenses (gifts, travel, dinners, decorations) and add a small reserve — for example, 10–20%. This amount will be your "ceiling". Then move the categories around so that you don't exceed the limit.
The main thing is to avoid peak dates and book in advance. If your dates are flexible, choose midweek and early departures — this way, the average price is lower and there is less risk of postponement. Set a "price threshold" for yourself, above which you will postpone your trip or change your route.
The Secret Santa format works well, as do general price ranges and shortlists of gifts in advance. Divide gifts into "family/friends/colleagues" and set limits for each. Order gifts with long logistics in November.
If the company is large, a potluck (everyone brings a dish) significantly reduces the bill and adds variety. A restaurant is a good option for a small company or a "final" dinner; include tips and drinks in the budget.
Look at municipal options and early bookings. Some camps offer weekly "blocks": pick the most interesting ones and fill the rest of the time with free activities (parks, trails, beaches).
It depends on your route. If you plan to take short trips around the city, car sharing and public transport are often cheaper. For circular routes with luggage, it is more profitable to rent a car for a short period and think about parking.
Plan your calendar: make large purchases in the first 1-2 weeks, spread out active days (restaurants, tours), leaving one "expensive" day per week. Make sure that the weekly peak does not exceed 30-35% of your seasonal budget.
"Soft" items: restaurants, active tours, souvenirs. Gifts and travel are more difficult to cut back on; instead of cutting back, look for alternatives in advance (Secret Santa, alternative dates/routes).
