Expert tips for early holiday shopping

(InvestigateTV) — A recent report from Bankrate found half of people shopping for Christmas will start before the Halloween season ends.

The survey also found 54% of holiday shoppers have at least one of these negative views toward holiday shopping:

• Worried about inflation
• Stressed about the cost of holiday shopping
• Anxious about the strain on their budgets
• Feeling pressured to spend more than they are comfortable

Ted Rossman, a senior industry analyst with Bankrate, suggested consumers start shopping earlier to combat their angst.

“I think these worries could grow as the holidays get closer because everything’s expensive, there’s a cumulative effect,” Rossman said. “There’s a spillover effect where if you’re paying more for rent and gas and groceries, it just leaves less for other things.”

Bankrate’s survey found women and parents of small children are more likely to start shopping early, which Rossman feels is smart.

“I think a lot of the best deals are going to start in early October. That’s a trend we’ve seen in recent years where you don’t have to wait until Black Friday or Cyber Monday. We see things like Amazon’s Prime, early access sale, copycat events from Target and Walmart and others. A lot of times that gets going in early October,” Rossman said.

Rossman suggested that those who do start shopping make sure they don’t overdo it with impulse purchases.

He said to be mindful of credit card debt, track your purchases, and stick to your budget.

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