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Don’t let holiday shopping tangle your tinsel

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With Black Friday just around the corner, shoppers across the U.S. are preparing for the 2019 holiday shopping season. Last year, the average American shopper spent over $1,000 on gifts, decoration, food, and other holiday items. Total retail spending increased 4.3 percent in 2018 to $717.5 billion.

The National Retail Federation expects more than 165 million people will shop over the five-day Thanksgiving weekend, and spending is predicted to increase about 4 percent this year.

Many shoppers save up or use credit cards for their holiday shopping. Regardless, sticking to a budget is important. To help manage shopping expectations, WalletHub calculated the maximum holiday budget for each of 570 U.S. cities.

Three Texas cities ranked in the top ten cities with the biggest holiday budgets. Flower Mound spenders have the third-largest holiday budget in the nation, totaling $2,937. Residents of No. 6 Frisco and No. 7 The Woodlands spend $2,836 and $2,833, respectively. Sugar Land, Cedar Park, and Allen also made appearances in the top 25.

How can Texans avoid breaking the bank this season?

Research your prices. Many websites post Black Friday ads a few days before Thanksgiving. Compare and contrast prices, and remember that just because something is on sale does not mean it’s a good deal.

Budget for yourself. Avoid impulse shopping by setting aside money to treat yourself. You’re tackling the Black Friday crowds, so you deserve something, too! Just make sure your treat doesn’t push you over budget.

Prioritize your shopping list. When compiling your shopping list, write items out first by store then by order of importance. That way, you can focus on your “must find” items.

Avoid using a cart. You’re less likely to pick up unnecessary purchases if you’re carrying around reusable shopping bags instead of a cart. You can’t pick up that impulse-buy item if you can’t haul it around the store.

Follow your budget. Use cash and leave your credit cards at home to prevent overspending.