Hunting for Holiday Deals? Here’s What To Know Before You Shop

It’s the most wonderful time of the year — but the credit card bill is gonna be brutal. So why not try to snag a deal or two? Before you dive back into holiday shopping, we offer an escape chute to make the season of the spendthrift more like the season of the saver.

• Our resources for saving more: Yes, there are coupons — but also cash back, creditor offers, and resources that can help you compound deals into potentially big savings.
• When in doubt, gift card: Buying a gift card on an exchange like GCX could be even better than using a credit card — and it might double as an easy gift for the “hard to shop for” in your life.
• Use your credit card credits: With year-end right around the corner, it might be smart to use up credits on premium cards like the Amex Platinum or Chase Sapphire Reserve.
• Budgeting tools you need: If you’re not sure how much you’re spending — or whether you’re using the best card for a purchase— apps like Kudos can help you track spending and optimize rewards.

But what about the deals? We defer to some experts for 2025. PCMag and CNET have pretty exhaustive lists of deals on laptops, monitors, TVs, and other electronics. CNTraveler has a solid roundup of travel deals on cruises, hotels, flights, and experiences. And when in doubt, try Google — or Gemini — to hunt down specific buys.