Holiday shopping and budgeting tips

SALT LAKE CITY – Holiday shopping can be stressful, but we have tips that can help you shop smart.

In the latest Let’s Get Moving with Maria podcast episode, Maria Shilaos spoke with Ted Rossman, Senior Industry Analyst at Bankrate, to learn the best time to shop, budget tips to prevent overspending, and more.

 

After conducting surveys with frequent holiday shoppers, Rossman has found that an early start is a big deal.

“We actually saw half of holiday shoppers kicking off their holiday purchases prior to the end of October. I feel like that’s something we’ve seen in recent years, but the motivation has changed a bit,” he said.

A few years ago, the motivation had to do with supply chain issues. Now, Rossman calls this motivation a cost-saving story.

“People are worried about inflation. They’re looking to spread out the impact of their purchases,” he said.

When it comes to timing, Rossman says there’s not one specific day that’s better to shop over another.

“I think that Black Friday and Cyber Monday … they’ve become more of a movement than a specific time on the calendar. I feel like October through the holidays marks a good discounting season this year,” he said.

One reason why he suggests starting early is because it gives you the opportunity to spread out your cash flow.

Some other tips that can help you prepare for holiday shopping include organizing a budget, putting together a gift list, and setting some money aside every paycheck.

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