Whatever your celebrations look like, it’s easy to go above and beyond your normal budget during the holidays. The average American consumer spends about $1,778 on gifting throughout the season, with holiday spending increasing every year since 2009.

However, entering the season with a plan can save you the pain of debt once the gifts are given and feasts are enjoyed. Here are some expert ideas to help you avoid overspending and landing in debt after a festive holiday.

5 Tips To Avoid Going Into Debt During the Holiday Season

Holiday spending doesn’t have to be stressful. Using a few simple strategies can save you money and time while helping you keep a balanced budget.

Follow these suggestions to curb your spending, stick to a budget, and thrive financially during the holidays and beyond.

1. Set a Spending Limit

The most important step to prevent holiday overspending is to set a realistic budget and stick to it. Determine your discretionary spending limit by subtracting all essential payments from your monthly income and using whatever is left over. However, gifting and hosting within your means usually requires cutting expenses elsewhere.

Find ways to put more of your discretionary spending toward holiday purchases. This might mean cutting back on eating out, entertainment, and excess grocery store items. Supplement your routine with free events hosted by community venues, and aim to eat things from your pantry to clear it out for the new year.

2. Start a Holiday Savings Fund

Some consumers dedicate a small portion of their earnings to a savings account for holiday spending. Consider starting a direct deposit to automatically transfer the funds. Setting aside even $50 a paycheck gives you $1,000 for gifts or other needs after saving all year.

If you can find a high-yield savings account, you’ll have even more after putting money into the account. Check with your bank or credit union to learn about your options.

3. Strategize Gift Giving

Practical gifting is an effective way to stay on a budget. Ramsey Solutions recommends the “Four Gift Method” as a way to plan and limit your purchases. The method includes buying one of the following for each significant individual on your list:

  1. Something they want. 
  2. Something they need.
  3. Something they can wear.
  4. Something they can read.

You could even tweak this plan to include only two or three gifts or supplement it with homemade items like baked goods or crafted presents. Batch items like hot cocoa mixes or sugar scrubs are budget-friendly and fun to pass out to loved ones.

4. Shop Smarter

Many Americans are already savvy at using discounts to spend less on holiday goods. According to Investopedia, consumers are still more focused on Black Friday sales than snagging Cyber Monday bargains. More consumers are also shopping online for presents, with 58% of American consumers picking out gifts digitally compared to 48% going to retail stores.

Plenty of retailers offer discount codes, free shipping, and paired discounts like buy-one-get-one sales. Taking advantage of these deals while comparing bargains is essential to curb holiday spending. Not every sale is a deal, but online and in-store shopping may help you leverage the best prices.

Another way to budget for the holidays is to spend a little throughout the year instead of buying everything within a few weeks. If you see something your loved one would like, buy it, even if it’s June! Shop mid-year sales or other bargains as you encounter reduced prices, stashing holiday goodies until the season arrives.

5. Streamline Debt Repayments

If you’re already strapped with debt, avoid adding more to the balance by managing your repayments before the holidays. Reduce what you already owe using a professional debt relief organization like TurboDebt. Starting a debt settlement program can eliminate up to 50% of your current debt (before fees), freeing up more cash for future spending.

Consumers typically pay off debts faster using this type of plan, claiming financial freedom in 12-24 months. Browse over 17,000 5-star TurboDebt reviews to learn more from clients who’ve successfully cleared thousands of dollars in unsecured debts, such as credit card balances, medical bills, and personal loans.

How To Create a Budget

Here’s a deep dive into budgeting strategies that balance your monthly income with your expenses and financial goals.

Find Your Debt-To-Income (DTI) Ratio

Your debt-to-income ratio represents how much money you have in debt compared to your income. To calculate a DTI, divide your total monthly debt payments by your total monthly gross income. Multiply that number by 100 to get a percentage, which is your DTI ratio.

For example, let’s calculate a DTI ratio based on a monthly debt payment of $2,000 a month with a gross monthly income of $5,500. First, you’d divide your debt of $2,000 by your gross income of $5,500 to get .36. When you multiply this number by 100, you get a DTI of 36%.

This number represents that 36% of your monthly gross income goes toward debt repayments, a modest amount acceptable to most lenders and reasonable for you to balance paying both living expenses and debts.

The lower your DTI score, the better. Lenders look for a ratio of 43% or less to indicate a strong likelihood for repayment and a well-managed monthly budget. If your DTI is too high, it indicates that you may have trouble paying back a loan.

Once you calculate your DTI, you’ll get a better sense of the kind of budget you need to set up. You’ll see how much you have coming in each month versus what needs to go toward repaying debt. This also gives you an idea of how much you have left over for discretionary purchases like gifts.

Use the 50/30/20 Method

Create a budget that allocates 50% of your income toward your needs, 30% toward your wants, and the remaining 20% toward saving and repaying debt. This is a holistic look to shape how you manage your finances throughout the year. While you may need to move more toward debt payments, ideally, you’d use only half of your income to meet living expenses and bills such as cell phone payments, home energy, and grocery costs.


The 50/30/20 Method

Many consumers set up a digital spreadsheet to list and calculate each monthly bill and expense, using it to track payments and remaining funds. Financial apps and programs offer tools to help you set up a monthly and yearly budget, giving you a better look at how much you can spend over the holidays without leading to debt.

Eliminate Debt Any Time of Year

While the holidays often elevate your spending, falling into debt can happen any time of the year. That’s why choosing a trusted partner for debt relief can change your financial situation. Contact TurboDebt today to find out if you qualify for a customized debt relief plan that reduces your debt and helps you pay it off faster.

Enjoy the season knowing you’re on your way to becoming debt-free!