Key Points When Bernadette Joy and her husband were paying off their $300,000 in debt, she didn’t nix shopping altogether. Instead, she came up with her own measure for cost per use that helped her make better decisions. This holiday season, that same method may help consumers avoid regret purchases. can lead to regrets. A separate Bankrate survey on online purchases prompted by social media found 57% of consumers regretted at least one of those transactions. Consumers spend record $6.1 billion online during Thanksgiving daywatch now VIDEO02:28 Consumers spend record $6.1 billion online during Thanksgiving day It’s OK to indulge occasionally, so long as you have made room for it in your budget ahead of time, said Ted Rossman, senior industry analyst at Bankrate. “You don’t want to still be paying off this holiday season a year from now,” Rossman said. To that point, 28% of people are still paying off credit-card debt from the 2023 holiday season, NerdWallet found. Overspending can still be a reality for many households, since prices have gone up 20% since the beginning of 2021, while wages have only gone up an average of 17% in that time, he said. While interest rates have come down, the average credit card rate is still about 20.4%, according to Rossman. Take a pause before buying To help avoid expensive purchases that may lead consumers to carry credit card balances from month to month, it can help to take a moment and pause before making a purchase, Rossman said. Meanwhile, other shopping tips can help you get the most for your money this holiday season. Choosing an experience instead of material things can make the holidays more memorable, Joy said. For example, instead of a “Secret Santa” gift exchange, friends can plan a group outing.