CHICAGO (CBS) — If you plan to do some holiday shopping, get your budget ready now. That’s the advice from consumer experts, who say holiday spending will hit an all-time high this year.
CBS News Chicago looks at shopping trends and how to keep the holidays from hurting your bank account.
It’s the season of giving, but if you’re not careful with finances, you could be getting a hefty bill at the end of the holiday season. Experts said shopping as early as the start of November can help you budget.
“We have seen a trend over the last couple of years of consumers starting their shopping a little earlier for the winter holidays,” said Katherine Cullen, vice president for industry and consumer insights at the National Retail Federation.
Cullen said holiday spending this year is expected to hit an all-time high—with shoppers spending an average of $902 per person; about $641 going towards gifts, and the rest towards food, cards, and décor.
There is some good news for shoppers this year.
“We do know that, in many ways, inflation has gotten better than it was last year, particularly when it comes to goods, which is great news for consumers,” Cullen said.
A recent survey by NerdWallet found 28% of shoppers who used credit cards to buy gifts last year are still paying off that debt.
How can you make sure you don’t overspend?
“The best thing to do is to really make a plan before you start spending. Ideally, we want to use our savings and not debt to fund those purchases,” said Kimberly Palmer, a personal finance expert at NerdWallet.
Palmer also recommended these tips:
- Make a list and figure out exactly how much you want to spend.
- Start shopping early.
- Talk to family and friends about expectations and possibly scaling back.
- And sign up for price-drop alerts.
“Using some kind of browser add-on, like Honey or The Camelizer browser extension, just to track those prices can just help make sure that you’re getting the best deal possible,” Palmer said.