Key spending trends so far...

What with Oasis reforming and this year's Glastonbury Festival being the last one before a break for a fallow year, you lot have been keen to snap up tickets to see live music.

Spending at the UK's biggest ticket merchants increased by over 300% on the previous month in November 2024, in preparation for some pretty big 2025 gigs.

A whopping £3.4 million was also spent on taxis alone in July in the North-West. Around the same time Oasis returned to their home city of Manchester to play a series of sell-out shows in Heaton Park.

Move over Wimbledon, padel tennis is having its moment. As the fastest growing sport in the UK, padel has really surged in popularity with our customers spending 500% more on the hobby now than they did in January 2024. Courts can cost between £20 and £80 to play for an hour and pricing varies hugely depending on the time of day and where you're based in the UK. 

Hot on the heels of padel is pilates. Known for it's toning and stress-reliveing benefits, it's a fitness craze that's swept the nation with studios popping up across the country. Most popular with our female customers aged between 35 and 44, spending on pilates classes has already more than doubled since 2024. With a class costing anything between £16.50 and £45.

Our insights show that you've been cutting back on necessities but holidays abroad and staycations are still a priority.

Travel spend increased by 20% in the first few months of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024. With some of the UK's most popular online hotel booking sites experiencing a 33% hike in bookings across the same period.

You lot love to bag a bargain – with an increase in people choosing to shop second-hand and spend less on clothes and accessories.

first direct customers spent 9% more at second-hand clothing and electronic retailers in 2025 than they did in the same period in 2024. 

You're savvy shoppers, with the average transaction value being around £14, compared to £25 at other high-street retailers.

This tracks with the trend of sustainable shopping being on the rise over the past few years, with a spike in spending most notable in our customers aged between 45 and 54. 

Check back in for our new year update where we’ll reflect on the past few months and see what spending trends we’re seeing as we move into next year.

If you want to take a deeper dive into your own spending habits, check out Insights when you log into your first direct App.

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