With petrol prices increasing as December 25 draws closer, let’s add it to the list of price hikes about this time of year.

And if you thought you’d just stay home and have a few beverages because it’s too expensive to drive anywhere, think again.

The price of alcohol is increasing along with most other things Australians hold dear. It’s money-grabbing at this time of year, when we’ve already seen numerous cases of Australians already doing it tough leading into the Christmas period.

Finances are spread thin as we try and buy the children the best Christmas presents from Santa and the family.

But the cost of essentials, such as fuel for the car or groceries, have also increased so Australians get themselves in a financial tangle.

Charities are struggling to keep up with needs, with many saying the need has increased this year on previous years.

But about 17 million road trips are predicted to occur across the country this holiday season so of course petrol companies have no issue hiking up the prices.

Even some service station owners across NSW are struggling to understand the reasoning behind the increased prices.

There are phone and mobile apps that you can use to ensure you’re getting the best deal from bowsers nearby. 

And chances are, you’d have to pay twice as much in petrol by driving out of your way to find the cheapest servo, or driving around until you found the best deal. Is shopping around really worth the $12 you're likely to save?

Unfortunately, we aren’t always that lucky when we are on the road.

And if like many you recoil at the thought of having to fill up, the fuel marker is probably hovering somewhere near empty and shopping around isn’t a luxury.

Arguably, something as essential as petrol is never too expensive when your jobs, social lives or families depend on it but it’s the deliberate price increases that hurt the most even though we are told there are a lot of mitigating factors that contribute to the prices.

Financial planners have told shoppers to shop within their means and to stick to budgets this Christmas period. 

Hopefully by following this advice, more residents are able to avoid running into debt problems come January.