Here are some ways you can reduce financial stress during the holidays

Holiday shopper crosses First Avenue in the Cherry Creek North shopping district late Friday, Dec. 15, 2023, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

The holidays are supposed to be a joyful time, but they can also be financially stressful. With gifts, social gatherings and plane tickets home, the costs can start piling up.

Household expenses continue to rise and many Americans are expressing concern about their financial futures, according to a poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

“Financial concerns are the number one anxiety-provoking issue (for the holidays),” said Dr. Petros Levounis, president of the American Psychiatric Association.