Spending money will not be a problem in the coming weeks, but making sure you still have plenty left over will be the real challenge. The National Retail Federation said a record 196 million people shopped in stores and online last weekend, the official kickoff of the holiday spending. Almost a third of Americans said they overspent last during the holidays, going more than $1,000 in debt in some cases. Leslie Boden from Money Management Counselors says many shoppers get carried away when they think they are taking advantage of a good deal, while others forget about the additional costs that can accrue while shopping.

Boden encourages people to stick to a holiday spending plan and look to other giving strategies like making your own gifts. According to Investopedia, holiday spending could reach as high as $960 billion despite the average American planning on spending $47 less than last year ($832 in 2022 compared to $879 in 2021).