Lethbridge shoppers are looking to save money this Christmas

LETHBRIDGE -

Christmas is one of the most expensive times of the year for many people and with the added pressure of inflation, some Lethbridge residents are trying to cut back.

Shannon Kennedy, marketing and project manager for Consolidated Credit Union, says many Canadians are feeling the pinch when it comes to holiday spending.

"Especially this year, Canadians are feeling the impacts of inflation and prices going up all across the board. It is a busy time of year. Our members are starting to think about what next year's going to look like and how it will impact them," Kennedy said.

Deloitte’s Holiday Retail Outlook paints a similar picture.

The report says 33 per cent of Canadians are worried about how they will pay for gifts and projects an 11 per cent decrease in holiday spending.

The desire to save money is pushing many toward food banks.

Mac Nichol, executive director of the Lethbridge Food Bank, says this is making an already busy time even busier.

"This year, specifically, we've seen more clients than ever. Last month, we served 750 households, which is the record number this food bank has produced. The scary part of that is November isn't our busiest month every year. December is. We're anticipating 1,000 households this month," Nichol said.

The community has so far been able to step up to help meet the demand.

"It is getting a little bit dire here in that we're looking for more food and donations than we ever have before. Thankfully, we had a lot of great community supporters come in and help us to meet that goal," Nichol said.

Experts say it's still possible to not break the bank this holiday season.

Simple tips like taking advantage of cash-back deals from credit cards and saving money for holiday shopping throughout the year can help make it a merry Christmas.

"Start early. Now, we're in the month of Christmas, but for next year, if you can. Start saving early, start budgeting early every month if you're able to set some money aside. It can really help you come that crunch time when you're doing your holiday shopping," Kennedy said.