5 Tips to Avoid Credit Card Debt This Holiday Season

Typically, credit card balances follow a seasonal pattern, increasing significantly in the fourth quarter and coinciding with holiday shopping. This year is no exception; unfortunately, it coincides with higher credit card interest rates. With more people than ever depending on credit cards to cover basic expenses due to inflation, this could lead to an ever-increasing debt load. In fact, credit card balances are approaching pre-pandemic levels, increasing by $38 billion (a 15 percent increase year-over-year) since the second quarter – the largest increase in more than 20 years (Federal Reserve Bank of New York).

Got Debt? How To Improve Your Financial Situation

Being debt-free is a worthwhile goal; unfortunately, for most people, it is unrealistic – especially for those of pre-retirement age with children, a car payment or two, and a mortgage. As such, most people need to focus on managing their debt first since it’s likely to be there for much of their adult life. With inflation on the rise (and subsequent interest rate hikes), your credit card debt could be even more difficult to pay off.