SAN FRANCISCO – Christmas is 10 weeks away, but holiday shopping is still a distant thought for most Americans.

That wait-and-see attitude can mean consumers end up spending more on gifts, and can help contribute to higher levels of credit-card debt, some say.

This year, the December sales that in years past enabled retailers to purge excess goods may be less common: Some stores are likely sticking to tighter inventory levels.

“If I’m a retailer … I’m probably going to go a little easy on inventory this year, particularly if I was burned last year, which means there may not be as much clearance merchandise available before Christmas,” said Lewis Mandell, professor of finance and managerial economics at the University at Buffalo.

Here are some tips on what to do now to plan for the holidays.

n Start saving now. If you put away $50 each week starting today, you’d have $500 for holiday shopping. Putting aside money now “is a great way to help pay off Christmas so you don’t start the year in debt,” said John Oldshue, chief executive at BillSaver.com.

n Make a list of recipients and dollar amounts. Figure out who you’re buying presents for, including your child’s teacher and the newspaper delivery person, and write down how much you plan to spend on each person. Then, detail what you actually buy and how much it cost. That provides a record of what you’ve already bought, gives you a clear picture of your estimated vs. actual budget, and helps you budget next year. “You can be really clear about what Christmas actually cost you and you can start saving for it each month,” Bross said.

n Keep track of other holiday expenses. “People usually anticipate about half of what Christmas costs … They forget the food, the extra decorations, the tips for the hairdresser and the cleaning lady,” Bross said. “If you think you’re spending $1,000 and you’re spending $2,000, how can you decide to cut down if you don’t know how much you’re spending?”

n Research gifts by window-shopping. Whether at the mall or online, start looking now at presents that fit your budget for each person. That way you’ll know how much, say, a DVD player usually costs, and you’ll recognize a good deal when you see one.

n Buy holiday cards, wrapping paper and decoration now. If you’re having cards printed, there’s often a discount for ordering now, before the busy season, Bross said. Plus, discount sores such as Costco will have a wider assortment of wrapping paper and holiday decorations now compared with December, Bross said.

n Prepare the kids. Let your child know that gift lists are suggestions, not mandates. That way you’ll be less likely to use a credit card to keep your kids happy. Many kids “believe that if they sit down and put on a list that they want this particular item, that they’re automatically going to get it,” Oldshue said. “It’s important for the parent to make sure the child is realistic.”

Finally, Oldshue suggested approaching your personal finances as though it’s your own company. “When you’re at your job, you probably have a great plan about what you want to do” and what you need to get done, he said.

“In our personal lives, we get caught up in emotion, procrastination or panic when it comes to Christmas. If people ran their personal life like a company, their personal finances would be a whole lot smoother and probably a lot more debt free.”

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AP-NY-10-09-03 1808EDT