Survey: 47% Expect Holiday Debt, 64% Under-35s

Holiday shopping can lead to debt through repeated small purchases, and an October 2025 AICPA survey found that 47% of people expected to go into debt over the holidays, rising to 64% among adults under 35. The article also reports that 39% regret past holiday overspending and that some people set budgets they already doubt they will follow. Its advice is to make a realistic total spending limit before browsing and account for all holiday-related expenses, not just major celebrations.