5 effective ways to curb your credit card spending this fall, according to experts

As inflation and interest rates remain a concern, the cost of carrying credit card debt continues to weigh on household budgets. With average APRs still hovering around 22%, even small balances can quickly snowball into serious burdens. 

Adding to the pressure, upcoming seasonal expenses may pile up as retailers launch aggressive sales campaigns to encourage impulse purchases. For millions of Americans already struggling to make ends meet, this combination risks accumulating high-interest debt that can take years to pay off. The psychological pressure to make purchases often overrides budget-conscious intentions.

So, what steps can you take this fall, specifically, to keep your credit card usage in check? We asked some experts to share practical strategies to help you navigate fall spending without hurting your financial health. Below, we'll take a look at five of them.

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5 effective ways to curb your credit card spending this fall

"Fall brings increased spending with parents preparing for back-to-school, end-of-summer travel and early holiday shopping," Ronnie Allan, head of consumer credit card and personal lending at PNC Bank, says.

Here are five expert-backed strategies to keep these expenses under control:

Create (and stick to) a seasonal budget

"We always suggest setting a realistic baseline by looking at last year's fall spending to get a sense of what to expect," Allan explains. Revisit last year's credit card statements and add up everything from Halloween costumes to early holiday presents. Then, list both your regular monthly expenses and upcoming seasonal costs to see the full picture.

With those numbers in hand, separate needs from wants and set clear spending limits for each category. "Your budget isn't about restriction," Linda Ta Yonemoto, a financial wealth coach and founder of Good For You Money, stresses. "It should be a spending plan that feels good for you and funds your priorities." 

To make budgeting easier, Allan suggests tracking your spending in real time. "There are excellent financial tools for this, and they often come integrated within a bank's mobile app for free," he says. This way, you'll know where you stand before hitting your limits.

Learn about the effective ways to reduce your existing credit card debt here.

Use debit or cash instead of credit for everyday purchases

"Credit cards create emotional distance from spending because a swipe, tap or click feels like nothing until you see it a month later," explains Yonemoto.

This is why financial advisors encourage switching to debit or cash for dining out, entertainment and impulse purchases. "One client switched to a $100 weekly 'fun money' cash envelope and immediately cut their monthly overspending by 40%," says Michael Foguth, founder and president of wealth management firm Foguth Financial Group.

You can still use credit cards for planned, budgeted expenses where you'll pay the full balance immediately.

Remove saved cards from online shopping accounts

One of the simplest ways to curb impulse spending is to add friction back into online purchases. "If typing in 16 digits feels too burdensome for a purchase, that's probably your gut telling you it's not essential," emphasizes Yonemoto.

One of Foguth's clients initially resisted removing saved cards from their Amazon account. But once they made the change, they cut impulse buys in half because pulling out their physical card created a crucial "pause moment."

Set up transaction alerts or spending limits

According to Foguth, the most effective approach is setting alerts at your spending midpoint rather than your limit. "For example, if you've budgeted $500 for discretionary fall spending, set an alert at $250," he explains. 

One client was shocked to discover they hit their halfway point in two weeks, he says. That early warning gave them time to adjust their habits before overspending became a problem.

Avoid "buy now, pay later" (BNPL)

"BNPL is designed to make you spend more, not manage money better," Yonemoto warns. "'Four interest-free installments' make spending feel painless, but it creates unsustainable habits." She points to one client, an MBA graduate, who accumulated over $9,000 in BNPL debt for business courses he couldn't afford upfront. Now, he's digging out of debt while managing other payments.

This example illustrates the real danger: how easy it becomes to lose track of payment plans. "Buy now, pay later feels harmless, but I've seen clients juggling five or six payment plans without realizing the total," Foguth highlights. "That fragmentation makes it easy to overspend."

The bottom line

These strategies work best together rather than in isolation. Start with one or two changes, like removing saved payment information and setting up spending alerts. Then, add others as they become habits. The goal isn't to eliminate all spending enjoyment, but to ensure your fall purchases align with your budget and priorities.

Finally, know when to seek debt assistance if these steps aren't enough. "If you're only making minimum payments for three months in a row, that's a red flag," Foguth cautions. And if thinking about your finances makes you feel unwell, professional support can provide personalized guidance to regain control. "Money should feel empowering, not overwhelming," Yonemoto says. "There's no shame in getting support."