The Top Ways People Are Paying for Holiday Expenses This Year: Experts Weigh In on Which Is Best

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October 30, 2025 – In an article for GoBankingRates.com, Michelle Smoley director of personal and college finance at Bright Horizons College Coach, weighs in on what payment methods are the best for holiday spending. 

Michelle Smoley, director of personal and college finance at Bright Horizons College Coach, said gift cards can even be more secure than cash. “They can curb spending as card balance amounts are preloaded,” Smoley wrote in an email. “They offer consumer protection, and most can be replaced if lost or stolen.”

Read the full article here.