NEW YORK (AP) \u2014 The holiday season means time with family and new memories, but it can also mean lots of spending \u2014 sometimes too much.<\/p>\n
From gifts to travel plans to grocery shopping, costs can pile up and become overwhelming, especially in a difficult economic environment<\/a>. Holiday shopping can bring joy, but it\u2019s important to stick to a budget and avoid going into debt, said shopping expert Trae Bodge.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m really emphasizing that shoppers look for ways to save as much as possible this season. So we don\u2019t bring that debt into the next year,\u201d Bodge added.<\/p>\n Here are some expert recommendations to make the most out of your budget this holiday season: <\/p>\n Plan your gift list and shop around<\/p>\n Planning your gifts<\/a> as far in advance as possible can be a great way to save money, since it gives you more time to compare and shop around, said Kiersti Torok, a social media content creator known on Instagram and TikTok as Torok Coupon Hunter<\/a>.<\/p>\n Torok plans her shopping months in advance. She buys the chocolate and candy for her children\u2019s Christmas stockings right after Halloween, when they\u2019re on sale. And it\u2019s not too early to think about next year \u2014 her Christmas decorations are always bought on clearance, especially after Christmas.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you wait until two, maybe three, days after Christmas. Things will start to hit 75% off. And that\u2019s when I shop for my kid\u2019s birthdays, because they\u2019re in July,\u201d Torok said. <\/p>\n Compare prices<\/p>\n When you\u2019re looking to buy a gift, Bodge recommends comparing prices with other stores, looking for coupons, and signing up for emails from your favorite stores. That way, you can buy the item when it\u2019s at its lowest price.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m always looking for maybe a coupon code, so I can save a certain percentage off. Or I can earn cash back or get a free shipping offer. I really believe in those tools and use them every single time I shop,\u201d Bodge said.<\/p>\n To find deals more easily, Bodge recommends installing browser extensions on your computer. Some of her favorites are PayPal Honey and Rakuten.<\/p>\n Lately, Bodge has also noticed the increasing use of artificial intelligence<\/a> to both find holiday gift ideas and sales. However, AI search engines are not very good at finding up-to-date deals, she said. Bodge recommends that you search for deals on the store\u2019s website or on sites like RetailMeNot.<\/p>\n If you can\u2019t find an item on sale, find a coupon, or wait to see if you can find it cheaper somewhere else. <\/p>\n Save on groceries by using coupons <\/p>\n If you\u2019re the host of your family\u2019s holiday celebration, you might be rushing between going to the grocery store, cooking a large meal and decorating your house. But, it\u2019s best if you don\u2019t let the holiday rush distract you from saving on groceries<\/a>. Coupons are a great way to reduce costs so you can keep your meals on budget, and possibly use that money for other expenses. Most grocery stores offer coupons, either in paper form, on their website, or in their apps. <\/p>\n Couponing can be time-consuming, but the tradeoff can be saving hundreds of dollars on groceries, according to Torok. If you\u2019re trying couponing for the first time, she recommends taking small steps.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you\u2019re looking to save money and you never couponed before, my biggest advice is to pick your favorite store you\u2019re most comfortable with and download their app,\u201d Torok said.<\/p>\n Once you feel comfortable using coupons with your preferred store, Torok recommends that you start comparing prices with other stores near you. This way you can shop for the best deals and save money. <\/p>\n If you\u2019re looking to maximize your savings, she also recommends taking advantage of websites that give you cash back on your grocery shopping. Examples include Top Cash Back and Ibotta. <\/p>\n Buy in bulk and stock up on groceries<\/p>\n When preparing for your big holiday meal, a useful tactic to save is to buy in bulk and then freeze it for when you need it, recommended Alli Powell, grocery shopping expert.<\/p>\n \u201cAnything that you can stock up on and freeze at a (lower) price point, then take it out of the freezer to use later, it\u2019ll be such a benefit. This is something I try to do year-round,\u201d said Powell, who hosts Grocery Getting Girl<\/a>, a blog and Instagram page dedicated to budget-friendly grocery shopping.<\/p>\n Large grocery stores typically offer sales around Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year\u2019s, and this can be a perfect opportunity to buy in bulk and put it away for another time, Powell said.<\/p>\n Be careful with store credit cards and buy now, pay later deals<\/p>\n Proceed with caution when it comes to acquiring store credits cards<\/a> or making purchases using buy now, pay later. If you\u2019re shopping in person this holiday season, you\u2019ll likely be offered a store credit card at checkout, often paired with a large discount on your current purchase.<\/p>\n Bodge recommends that you only get a store credit card if you know you can pay it off in full each month and have good credit card habits.<\/p>\n \u201cIf there\u2019s a retailer that you shop with regularly and you are responsible with your credit cards, opening a credit card can be very beneficial,\u201d Bodge said.<\/p>\n If you decide to acquire a store credit card, it\u2019s important that you know how much interest will be charged. Store credit cards, like traditional credit cards, affect your credit score.<\/p>\n Similarly, making purchases using buy now, pay later<\/a> is only recommended when you are sure you can afford to make all the payments on time. Buy now, pay later loans were not previously reported to the three major credit reporting bureaus, but consumers will soon see the them impact their FICO credit scores<\/a>.<\/p>\n When it comes to travel, flexibility pays <\/p>\n A common mistake when making travel plans is to not allow yourself much flexibility on your flights, said Kyle Potter, editor of Thrifty Traveler, a travel and flight deal website. To save money on your travel, first book the flights and then the rest of the accommodations, that way you can allow yourself to be as flexible as possible with the dates of your flights. <\/p>\n \u201cStart with the flights first, because that gives you the freedom to shift your travel dates by even just a day. Especially over the holidays,\u201d Potter said. <\/p>\n Potter recommends that you track prices and set alarms for flights on Google Flights. <\/p>\n ___<\/p>\n The Associated Press receives support from Charles Schwab Foundation for educational and explanatory reporting to improve financial literacy. The independent foundation is separate from Charles Schwab and Co. Inc. The AP is solely responsible for its journalism.<\/p>\n