Survey: Many gift-buying parents pressured to overspend this holiday season

By Erin El Issa, NerdWallet

Holiday shopping season is upon us, and the pressure is on, or at least it feels that way for some parents. A new NerdWallet survey, conducted by The Harris Poll, finds that 48% of parents with children under 18 feel pressure to spend more money on holiday gifts than they’re comfortable spending.

According to NerdWallet’s annual holiday spending report, Americans are spending quite a bit more on holiday travel and gift shopping than last year. And parents plan to spend more than those who are not parents of kids under 18. Parents of minor children who plan to purchase gifts this holiday season say they’ll spend $1,070, on average, compared to $860, on average, among those who are not parents of minors. And parents of kids under 18 who plan to spend on flights or hotels this holiday season will spend a whopping $2,610, on average, for these travel expenses, compared to those who are not parents of minors who plan to spend $2,131, on average.

Having kids can be expensive any time of year, but the holidays may up the ante. Here are five tips for parents trying to keep costs in check this holiday season.

1. Create a budget with stability in mind

According to the survey, 13% of minor parents who plan to buy gifts this year will likely need to use some of their emergency savings to pay for them, and 12% will prioritize gift buying over paying some of their regular bills this holiday season. Also, 38% of parents of minor children who plan to buy gifts this year say they will probably go into more debt than usual to make these purchases.

There can be a lot of pressure to make the holidays magical for your kids. However, if you do so at the expense of stability — money set aside for emergencies, bills paid on time, a manageable debt load — it can set you up for future money stress. This doesn’t only impact parents: kids may sense the unease or anxiety that financial precarity is causing the family. Instead, aim to make a gift shopping budget that’s realistic for you and provides consistency for your household, instead of financial highs and lows.

2. Consider shopping secondhand

The survey found that 15% of parents of minor kids who plan to buy gifts this year will purchase some gifts secondhand.

Buying previously loved gifts for children is a savvy way to shop, particularly since kids often outgrow things fast — clothing and toys alike. Though some parents may be uneasy about shopping secondhand, young children very likely won’t know the difference between a new toy or a thrift store treasure. Check out your local secondhand shops, Buy Nothing groups and Facebook Marketplace, or swap like-new toys with friends who have kids around the same age as yours.

3. Declutter your holiday gift list

Nearly 3 in 10 parents of children under 18 who plan to buy holiday gifts this year (29%) say they’ll purchase gifts for fewer people than they did in years past.

Consider paring down the number of people you get gifts for. Maybe you want to buy presents just for the kids in your family or friend group this year, or perhaps you can organize a Secret Santa swap with the adults. Talk to your loved ones about possibly not exchanging gifts — or exchanging less expensive gifts — to free up funds to cover your immediate family’s gift and travel expenses this holiday season.

4. Don’t forget caregivers in your budget

This is less of a money-saving strategy and more of a planning one, but if you plan to give gifts to teachers or caregivers, make sure to factor that into your holiday spending budget. That gives you an opportunity to snap up deals when they arise and also gives you a clearer picture of how much you need to set aside for gift spending.

5. Travel off season

Nearly 2 in 5 parents of minor children who plan to pay for flights or hotels this holiday season (38%) say they’ll keep their usual holiday travel plans this year, regardless of expense. But if you can be flexible, you may be able to save money by avoiding the busiest travel days around the holidays.

This isn’t possible for everyone, as work and school schedules may mean your only travel window is limited to the busiest — and priciest — of the year. But if you can spend quality time with loved ones during a less peak travel time, you’ll likely enter the new year with more of a financial cushion.

The complete survey methodology is available in the original article, published at NerdWallet.

Erin El Issa writes for NerdWallet. Email: erin@nerdwallet.com.

The article Survey: Many Gift-Buying Parents Pressured to Overspend This Holiday Season originally appeared on NerdWallet.