As the 2026 festive season approaches, many families are worried about how much they will be spending.
A new report has found that 43.8 percent of shoppers surveyed at Walmart are most stressed about not being able to afford the festive season. The report found that 70.2% of shoppers would find shopping easier if prices were lower and 33.1 percent expect to be spending more on food and meals.
Holiday Costs Are a Major Concern for Shoppers
As per the report, 60.9 percent of shoppers are affected by how much they are spending on gifts and festive shopping. 52.6 percent are feeling impacted by their household finances.
A large number of shoppers are hoping for reduced prices. 70.2% want prices to be lower and 57.4 percent want to see more offers and deals on festive shopping.
This shows that families may be looking for good deals and offers on their festive shopping. Shoppers may be looking for sales on gifts, food and essential items to save them money.
More Families Plan to Spend on Holiday Food
Despite worries about spending, 33.1 percent of customers surveyed expect to be spending more on food.
The report found that 42.4 percent expect to be having between three and four events. Those planning to have events are looking to keep costs down. Around 40.7% want to have affordable events and 40.3 percent want to have easy cleanup. Meanwhile, 39.4 percent want to share the load by having potluck meals.
This shows that families may be looking for ways to make their events easy on their pockets. Sharing the food and having ready-to-serve meals can help.
When Are Shoppers Planning to Do Their Holiday Shopping?
The report also shows how customers expect to be shopping. Around 27.5 percent are planning to shop earlier this year. The main reason for this is to avoid the last-minute rush and to spread out the cost.
When asked when they expect to do most of their shopping:
- October through the first half of November: 38.4 percent
- Thanksgiving weekend through Cyber Monday: 19.9 percent
- December 1–15: 10.2 percent
- December 16 or later: 1.9 percent
However, Walmart’s report also notes that half of its customers had not finished their holiday shopping one week before Christmas last year. This suggests that even families who plan may still have last-minute purchases to make.
Ways Families Can Manage Holiday Spending
As affordability is a big concern, families may want to plan what they are going to buy and where they are going to spend their money.
Here are a few ways to keep holiday expenses manageable:
- Decide how much to spend on gifts, food and celebrations before shopping.
- Shop early and spread purchases across several weeks to avoid a large expense close to Christmas.
- Check prices across retailers before buying gifts or household essentials.
- Consider potluck meals or asking guests to bring a dish.
- Make a shopping list and look for discounts on ingredients and seasonal food.
- Allow room in the budget for unexpected guests or last-minute purchases.
