The festive lights are coming down, the wrapping paper is getting recycled, but if you were lucky, you may just have a little Christmas money burning a hole in their pocket. While it’s tempting to spend it on something frivolous, or boring (such as paying off the credit card), the post-Christmas period is actually the perfect time to invest strategically. The right purchases now can set you up for growth, consistency, and higher-quality content throughout 2026.

If you’re serious about growing your channel, brand, or media presence this year, here are seven smart investments every content creator should consider spending their Crimbo cash on.

1. A quality microphone

No matter what platform you’re on, audio quality is one of the most important factors in how people perceive your content. Viewers will tolerate slightly imperfect visuals, but poor sound is an instant turn-off.

Investing in a solid USB or XLR microphone can dramatically improve your perceived professionalism. Clear, crisp audio builds trust with your audience and keeps them watching longer. For many creators, this single upgrade has a bigger impact than buying a new camera.

Top picks

  • Rode NT‑USB Mini – Compact USB mic delivering studio‑quality sound with plug‑and‑play ease.
  • DJI Mic Mini – A lightweight wireless mic with solid sound quality and great battery life.
  • HyperX QuadCast 2 USB Microphone – Excellent all-around USB mic with built-in controls, ideal for desktop recording or streaming.

2. Lighting equipment

Good lighting is one of the most cost-effective ways to level up your content. A basic softbox kit or adjustable LED panel can transform your videos, making them look cleaner, more engaging, and more appealing.

Lighting helps your content feel intentional rather than improvised, which is especially important if you’re aiming to attract sponsors or clients in 2026.

Top picks

3. More storage

As your channel grows, so does your content library. Video footage is memory hungry and footage, project files, thumbnails, media libraries, add up fast. And let’s not forget about backing up! Losing content due to a crashed drive can be devastating.

Spending Christmas money on secure storage, whether a fast external SSD or a robust cloud backup solution, isn’t glamorous, but it is essential. It protects your work and improves your workflow.

Top picks

4. Editing software and creative plugins

If you’re still using free or entry level restricted tools, upgrading your software can unlock creative possibilities you didn’t even know you were missing. Faster workflows, better colour grading, advanced audio tools, and motion graphics can significantly improve production quality.

Specific plugins for transitions, effects, or sound design can also help you develop a unique style that sets your content apart in a crowded creator economy.

Top picks

5. Education: Courses, Coaching, or Skill Platforms

The most successful creators don’t just invest in gear, but also in knowledge. Whether it’s a course on storytelling, editing techniques, SEO, or social media growth, learning from experts can save you years of trial and error.

Even a single well-chosen course can reshape how you approach content in 2026, helping you work smarter instead of harder. So work out where your weak areas are and level up on those areas by signing up to a tailor made course.

  • YouTube & AI Tools for Creators – Learn how to take full advantage of the power of AI, its workflows, and optimisation strategies.
  • Top Content Creation Mastery Courses – Many platforms offer deep dives on video production, scripting, SEO and analytics—perfect for systematic learning and long‑term growth.
  • Blogging & Content Tools Courses – Even if your focus is video, courses covering SEO, writing, analytics and growth strategy can make a major difference getting you ranking and noticed.

6. Productivity & workflow tools

Consistency is the backbone of growth when creating content. And organising your time effectivly and efficiently is key to this. Tools that help you plan, schedule, and manage your content can be game-changers. Project management apps, scheduling tools, or AI-powered assistants can free up time and reduce creative burnout.

When your workflow is streamlined, you can focus more energy on creativity and less on admin.

  • Asana – The all‑in‑one workspace to manage ideas, scripts, posting calendars, workflows and collabs.
  • Content Scheduling & Automation Tools (like Zapier or Buffer) – Automate cross‑platform posting, plan weeks of content at once, and save tons of time. (While these often offer free tiers, upgrading can unlock all important advanced features.)
  • TubeBuddy or VidIQ – Browser extensions with keyword research, SEO tags, trend insights, bulk upload tools and A/B testing for thumbnails and titles.

7. Royalty-Free music: A RouteNote Licensing subscription

Come on, you didn’t think we were gonna miss an opportunity to suggest our platform as a worthy recipiant of that (not so) hard earned cash. But seriously, music is arguably one of the most important investments you can make to improve your content. It shapes the emotional impact of your content, boosts retention, and elevates production value instantly. And by opting for RouteNote you also get free channel whitelisting so no more copyright claims, demonetisation, takedowns, or muted videos.

That’s why a RouteNote Licensing subscription is a smart post-Christmas purchase. With an annual subscription of $49.99 (or $4.99 if paid monthly), you get unlimited access to a high-quality, royalty-free music catalogue designed specifically for content creators and media use.

Instead of risking copyright claims or settling for generic sounds, RouteNote Licensing lets you legally and confidently soundtrack your content across platforms. It’s one of the most affordable ways to make your videos sound professional and protect your channel’s future growth in 2026.