Americans plan to shell out a lot of money this holiday season.
According to the National Retail Federation, the average consumer will spend more than $1,000 this Christmas season, a 4.1 percent increase from last year.
Experts say it’s important to create a budget in order to keep your holiday spending under control.
If you have some unused credit card reward points, now would be a good time to cash them in.
Also, avoid impulse shopping. Consumer experts say nearly seven in 10 shoppers blow their budget by as much as $300 during the seasonal rush, with 63 percent blaming their surplus spending on impulse purchases.