Maritimers curb holiday spending | CTV News [Video]

It is the season of spending and it has become a lot for Maritimers living on a budget.

“We have a lot of people to buy for. I’ve got three kids and they have pretty significant Christmas lists,” says a Halifax man.

People tend to spend money they may not even have out of a feeling of obligation.

“If someone gives us something, we have to give them something and it’s almost a tit for tat kind of approach we feel we have to give them whatever they have given us,” says Steven Smith, a psychology professor at Saint Mary’s University.

Smith says many Canadians are already in debt and this pressure to purchase just piles on.

“The average Canadian has over $4,000 in credit card debt and debt in Canada is quite high, I think $180,000 per person, that includes mortgage debt, but still, that’s a lot of people …