Facts are facts. When it comes to holiday planning, lists are long and time is short. If you’re one of those mythical people who has already finished your Christmas shopping, this article may not pertain to you. But you can still share it with the normal people in your life…that’s right you prepared people are the weird ones. Now, if you’re part of the 53% of people who wait until the last minute to tackle your holiday shopping, you’ll want to keep reading.
Ever Ascending Holiday Spending
Every year, Americans spend more on winter holidays than any other occasion in the calendar year. Staying in line with this upward trend, shoppers are expected to spend more during the 2018 holiday season than ever before. According to the National Retail Federation: “Consumers say they will spend an average $1,007.24 during the holiday season this year, up 4.1 percent from the $967.13 last year.” And that figure doesn’t even include travel expenses!
Regardless of whether your seasonal spending will top the national average or you skate by just under the line, we want to help you save money. While there may not be enough time to implement a long-term plan, here are five practical tips to help you stretch your holiday dollars a little further this year: