MARQUETTE, Mich. (WLUC) – As holiday shopping ramps up, we have some tips for saving money as stores prepare for more customers.

The National Retail Federation expects more than 183 million U.S. people to shop in-person or online from Thanksgiving Day through Cyber Monday this year.

Marquette stores are already seeing an increase in traffic.

L&M Fleet Supply Store Manager Tyler Riutta says his store is anticipating a busy first holiday shopping season after opening in April.

“We’re anticipating a good turnout, we’ve seen an influx of customers already just with some of our sale flyers going on and doing some early shopping for the holiday season, but, we’re definitely hoping for a good turnout from our community,” Riutta said.

As shoppers begin checking off their lists, financial experts have tips for avoiding overspending. Range Bank Executive Vice President Benjamin Wood says the first step is to know your budget and make a plan.

“I think it’s a good thing to have a plan before you go shopping, so have an understanding of what your budget looks like, especially if you know you’re going to be stopping at a number of different stores, you don’t want to get ahead of yourself at one stop when you know you’ve got several places left to go afterward, having a budget and just thinking about your plan ahead of time can be really helpful,” Wood said.

Wood says there are apps that can help you keep track of your bank accounts in real time.

“There are a number of different things you can use as far as tools for budgeting, certainly a variety of apps are out there on the market and our bank has some great digital banking tools so you can really take a look at what your account balances are,” Wood said.

Wood also recommends shopping locally to support smaller businesses and to find more unique gifts for friends and family.

Copyright 2024 WLUC. All rights reserved.