Mainebiz

W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 11 D E C E M B E R 2 , 2 0 2 4 F O C U S B A N K I N G / F I N A N C E / I N S U R A N C E Discover a credit union near you at mainecreditunions.org A Banking Partner Focused On Your Success. As a business owner, you've got big plans—and every decision counts, including where you do your banking. Maine Credit Unions share your values and offer the products and services to help you reach your goals. Running a business is demanding, but your finances shouldn't be. Choose a partner that understands your needs and is invested in your success. With the holiday season right around the corner and consumers struggling with inflation, the personal-finance website WalletHub released the results of a national survey. Shoppers want to spend less this season, but more than half say they'll take on a new credit card to pay for holiday gifts. Some 55% say they'd like to outsource holiday shopping to a robot. 'Tis the season! BUDGET CONCERNS 68% of people say they'll be less generous in gift giving this year because of inflation. LINGERING HOLIDAY DEBT Nearly half of Americans still have debt from the holiday season last year. HOLIDAY SPENDING CUTS 31% of people say they'll spend less on holiday shopping this year than last year. UNCHARITABLE INFLATION Nearly 3 in 4 Americans say their charitable giving is affected by inflation. NEW CARDS FOR SHOPPING 52% of people will apply for a new credit card to help with their holiday shopping. TOP HOLIDAY SHOPPING MOTIVATORS 42% of Americans say their family influences their holiday shopping the most, while 37% point to social media and 17% say their friends have the biggest impact. AI SHOPPING ASSIST 55% of people would like to outsource their holiday shopping to an AI robot. S O U R C E : WalletHub HOLIDAY SHOPPING BLUES

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