The holiday season may still be several months away, but many consumers are already planning and preparing for what is, for many, the most expensive time of the year.
Some 41% of shoppers expect this holiday season to be more expensive than ever this year, according to Bankrate's 2025 Early Holiday Shopping Survey.
About 79% of U.S. adults plan to holiday shop in 2025, the survey found. A significant portion of those adults– about two in five– expect that prices will be higher than usual, but only 27% plan to actually spend more to accommodate those price hikes.
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"Tariff concerns are likely a prominent reason why more than two in five holiday shoppers fear higher prices this year," Bankrate Senior Industry Analyst Ted Rossman said in a statement.
Notably, it's middle-income households that are the most concerned about holiday price increases. Almost half of households that earned between $80,000-$99,999, and 45% of households that earned between $50,000-$79,999, said that they're worried about the extra strain on their wallets.
Compare that to just 38% of the highest earners, households with an income of $100,000 or more, and the lowest earners, households with an income of $50,000 or less.
Rossman says this can likely be attributed to the fact that higher earners have more disposable income, and lower earners have slowly adjusted over the past few holiday seasons, while middle earners are newly disenchanted and feel as though their paychecks simply aren't stretching as far in today's economy.
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In order to help offset the anticipated higher costs of the upcoming holiday season, many shoppers are planning to get a head start on their buying.
Of those surveyed, 13% told Bankrate they started shopping in August. Another 11% say they plan to start this month, while 25% will begin checking gifts off their lists in October.
Rossman co-signs this early-bird strategy.
"While some consumers shake their heads that holiday shopping seems to start earlier each year, the early start gives you more time to spread out your cash flow and find the best deals," he said. "You don't have to wait until Black Friday anymore. Nowadays, those kinds of deep discounts typically start to appear in early October."
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In addition to starting your shopping early, experts have a handful of tips for saving some cash this holiday season.
While only 24% of those surveyed plan to budget for the holidays, setting money aside for the express purpose of buying gifts for loved ones is the best way to ensure you don't spend more than you can afford. Establishing a sinking fund before you start shopping can help keep you from going into debt.
Using credit cards with good rewards programs is another way to stretch your budget a little farther.
"Combine a store promotion with a rewards credit card, an online shopping portal and/or a card-linked offer," Rossman suggests. "You might be able to combine all four money-saving techniques on the same purchase."
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