With a pandemic still lingering, inflation still rising, and the supply chain still tightening, many people are stressed about how those factors will affect this year's holiday shopping. According to the 2021 Debt.com survey, the answer seems to be: Half of Americans will spend less than usual, and they'll do it sooner than ever.

Nearly 4 in 10 respondents said they started "shopping early due to news reports of price increases and shipping delays." Fifteen percent of respondents started gift-buying over the summer. In all, more than half had begun holiday shopping before Halloween.

These results don't surprise Debt.com president Don Silvestri, who says they're related. "Shopping earlier also should mean stopping sooner. Nearly 3 in 10 people who took our survey said they would spend less money this year than last year – and last year was already a record low for holiday spending due to the pandemic," Silvestri says. The 2020 Debt.com poll revealed for the first time in a decade that Americans forecasted spending less on the holidays.

While 18% of respondents said they would spend more money this holiday season, 53% said they'd spend pretty much the same as last year and 29% actual said they would spend less money. Just over half said they'll spend less than $500, 31% said they'll spend up to $1,000 while 12% will spend up to $1,500 and 6% is spending more than $1,500. (The national per-person average is $792, according to a recent LendingTree survey.)

Debt.com's holiday shopping tips:

• Shop in-person so shipping isn't a concern.

• If you are easily enticed by sales, then consider ordering online but use curbside pickup. This will help you avoid the temptation to make impulse purchases.

• For no-hassle gifts consider purchasing app subscriptions, annual club memberships, meal subscription services or a national parks annual pass.

• To help with cash flow while avoiding credit card debt interest, investigate Buy Now Pay Later options. These are usually easy to come by, but just be sure you understand the terms, so you don't end up owing avoidable fees.