As the holiday season approaches, financial stress is heightened by inflation and economic uncertainty, prompting experts to offer strategies for managing spending and avoiding debt.

Dr. Dipayan Biswas, a professor of marketing at the University of South Florida, suggested, "So maybe instead of going for a well-known brand, go for the store brand or value brand."

This trend is evident in Walmart's Thanksgiving meal package, which lowered its cost this year but included fewer items and more Walmart brand foods. Despite the uncertainty, Deloitte estimates that holiday retail sales will grow between 2.9% and 3.4% in 2025, totaling $1.61 trillion to $1.62 trillion. Last year's holiday shopping season saw a 4.2% growth, totaling $1.57 trillion.

To avoid deep debt this holiday season, experts

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