Holiday deals arrive early this year as experts urge shoppers to start saving now

CHICAGO (WGN) — With summerlike warmth still hanging on, holiday shopping might feel far away, but experts say now’s the time to start thinking ahead.

Budgeting expert Andrea Woroch says early planning is more important than ever this year.

“A lot of consumers are concerned about how tariffs are going to impact prices, how they are going to afford the holidays given that everything is costing more in their everyday essentials,” Woroch said.

To avoid post-holiday debt, she recommends creating a detailed budget that goes beyond just gifts. That includes factoring in smaller costs that add up quickly, like extra groceries for gatherings, postage and gift wrap.

Narrowing down your gift list can also make a big difference.

“Maybe you don’t buy gifts for everyone in your family or friend group, maybe do a secret Santa exchange or focus just on the kids,” Woroch suggested.

And there’s good news for those ready to shop early. Major retailers are rolling out holiday deals this week.

“Target Circle Week is launching from Oct. 5 to Oct. 11, Amazon Prime Big Deals Day is going to be on Oct. 7 and Oct. 8, Walmart Deal Days is all week,” Woroch said.

Still, not every purchase needs to happen right away. Woroch says some retailers secured their holiday inventory before tariffs went into effect, meaning bigger savings could come later in the season.

“Like TVs, which is always a big one for Black Friday, gaming consoles so you’ll see a lot of great deals on those,” she said. “Winter apparel and also those small kitchen appliances from the big brands like Instapot or KitchenAid, Dyson vacuums.”

But for certain items, waiting could cost you.

“Toys is kind of a big category that you want to start shopping early because we are worried that tariffs will impact toy prices later in Dec.,” Woroch warned. “If you do have something specific on your list, getting it for around 30% off or more next week, buy it early because chances are, it won’t get any cheaper.”

Early sales may not feel festive yet, but for shoppers looking to stretch their budgets, getting a head start could pay off by the time the holiday rush arrives.