Festive season spending's being hampered for women, who are effectively now working for free

The 5.2-percent gender pay gap means as of November 25th through to the New Year, women technically aren't being paid.

Still MindingTheGap spokeswoman Dr Jo Cribb says many families are already preparing for Christmas with a tighter budget.

But she says it's worse for pacific women, who will have technically lost over over 76-dollars a week.