Americans are dreading the financial hangover…
Holiday procuring is nicely underway, but for many Americans, a financial vacation hangover is ready for them in 2026.
This was revealed in a survey of 2,000 Americans who have a good time a winter vacation, which discovered that 35% of respondents are planning to use a credit card for vacation purchases.
With only 17% of these respondents saying they always pay their credit card invoice in full and keep away from curiosity, many will enter the new 12 months with revolving balances.
According to new research from Affirm carried out by Talker Research, 70% of credit card customers count on to carry a steadiness into 2026, and 18% count on to still be paying off their credit card from vacation purchases into next summer season, June or later.
Holiday procuring is nicely underway, but for many Americans, a financial vacation hangover is ready for them in 2026. Alliance – stock.adobe.com
The survey of 2,000 Americans who have a good time a winter vacation discovered that 35% of respondents are planning to use a credit card for vacation purchases. SWNS
“The issue isn’t just timing, it’s cost,” said Vishal Kapoor, Head of Product at Affirm. “Credit card curiosity that compounds month to month could make purchases considerably more costly over time. That is likely to be why 47% said they’ve been caught off guard by how a lot curiosity and/or charges elevated the price of their vacation procuring in the past.
“Those extra charges, not the act of paying over time itself, are what introduce unwanted financial surprises after the season has wrapped and the new year has started.”
Even so, many customers are still attempting to keep considerate and disciplined with their spending.
In fact, the top “holiday spender” sorts Americans establish with are The Giver, with 35% saying they intention to be beneficiant while staying sensible about their spending, and The Planner, with 27% saying they make lists, set a price range, and stick to it.
With only 17% of these respondents saying they always pay their credit card invoice in full and keep away from curiosity, many will enter the new 12 months with revolving balances. SWNS
According to new research, 70% of credit card customers count on to carry a steadiness into 2026. SWNS
These more intentional spending habits are now being strengthened by AI instruments. Forty-four p.c of Americans surveyed have used or plan to use AI for their vacation procuring.
Younger adults are notably doubtless to do so: 60% of Gen Z and 55% of millennials, in contrast with about 39% of Gen X and 21% of boomers.
Among those who use or plan to use AI, motivations are rooted in practicality, with respondents turning to AI for a selection of causes, including to save time (46%), keep on price range (45%), or to discover more significant or inventive presents (37%).
18% of respondents count on to still be paying off their credit playing cards from vacation purchases into next summer season, June, or later. SWNS
For many customers surveyed, AI isn’t just sensible, it’s also reassuring.
Among those who use or plan to use AI for vacation procuring, 89% said they trust its suggestions.
The new survey data also reveals that shoppers want that vacation procuring didn’t come with sudden surprises in the type of hidden prices.
If every vacation buy clearly confirmed its whole price over time, 44% said they might really feel assured, and 39% would really feel relieved.
And for many customers, this sort of upfront readability is immediately tied to feeling more in control of their spending.
The new survey data also reveals that shoppers want that vacation procuring didn’t come with sudden surprises in the type of hidden prices. shintartanya – stock.adobe.com
If they might select precisely how and when to pay every time they checked out — with whole readability — 40% said they’d really feel more assured about spending, and 32% would plan forward more.
“Shoppers are telling us something simple: they don’t want holiday bills to come with surprise costs,” said Vishal Kapoor, Head of Product at Affirm.
“When people know exactly what they’ll pay upfront — with no hidden fees and no compounding interest — they feel more confident and in control. That confidence helps them make spending decisions that align with their budget, rather than reacting to unexpected costs later. That’s the kind of clarity we aim to deliver, especially in a season when expenses add up.”
Methodology:
Talker Research surveyed 2,000 Americans who have a good time a winter vacation (and are planning on spending money to have a good time upcoming winter holidays) who have access to the web; the survey was commissioned by Affirm and administered and carried out online by Talker Research between Nov. 13–19, 2025. A hyperlink to the questionnaire might be discovered right here.
Stay in the loop with the latest trending topics! Visit our web site daily for the freshest lifestyle news and content, thoughtfully curated to inspire and inform you.
