The biggest shopping season of the year has begun and Canadians have admitted they feel pressured to overspend, says DollarsDirect.ca via a new survey.
In fact, most (77%) bust their budgets and feel buyer’s remorse once Christmas has passed.
Read: Holiday retail sales expected to grow 3.3%
Still, more than half (68%) already have a budget or say they’re likely to set one up, and you can help them stick to them. This may be easier this year, adds the survey, since many shoppers (64%) admit they want to cut back on or eliminate gift giving altogether.
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The main problem is less than half of Canadians (45%) set money aside throughout the year for holiday spending. This is particularly important for households with children, given they’re twice as likely to spend more than households without children (64% versus 38%, respectively).
Holiday spending habits, by province
When comparing provincial trends, the survey found:
- In Western Canada, B.C. residents are significantly more likely than Albertans to have a budget (19% compared to 9%);
- However, Albertans (39%) are more likely to include “donations to charities and/or religious organizations” in their budgets than residents of Manitoba and Saskatchewan (19%) and B.C. (22%);
- On a wider scope, B.C. and Ontario residents (78%) are significantly more likely than those in Manitoba and Saskatchewan (57%) to plan and research their purchases.
Additional findings
In Canada overall, the survey found the following trends.
- Almost half of holiday shoppers (48%) only buy goods on sale
- About a third (36%) use coupons
- To be able to afford presents, many (43%) cut back dining out, while others cut back on clothes (25%), vacations (13%) and entertainment (35%)
- A fifth of shoppers (21%) plan to work overtime before the holidays
Read:
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