ARE SET TO MAKE IT WORSE. BUT THERE ARE WAYS TO GET OUT OF THAT HOLE. BRIAN CHUNG REPORTS. >> Reporter: WITH THREE WEEKS TO GO, THE HOLIDAY RUSH IS WELL UNDERWAY. WITH EVERYTHING NEARLY 8% MORE EXPENSIVE THAN LAST YEAR, SHOPPERS ARE PAYING WITH PLASTIC TO BUY GIFTS THIS HOLIDAY SEASON. >> YEAH, I GOT SOME THINGS OFF OF AMAZON. I GOT A KARAOKE MACHINE FOR ONE OF MY DAUGHTERS. AND I GOT MY SON A BIKE. >> Reporter: WITH THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN DEBT, THE MOTHER OF THREE NOW FACES A SERIOUS CHALLENGE. >> I THINK IT'S KIND OF AN OUT OF SIGHT, OUT OF MIND KIND OF THING. >> SHE'S NOT THE ONLY ONE. JAMIE FELDMANN WAS ONCE $20,000 IN DEBT. >> EVERY TIME YOU DO A MINIMUM PAYMENT, THE NEXT MONTH, IT'S LIKE YOU DIDN'T PAY ANYTHING WITH THE INTEREST AND THE FEES. I'M JAMIE. >> Reporter: FELDMANN POSTED STORIES ON TIKTOK, ENGAGING OTHERS IN SIMILAR SITUATIONS. >> THERE WAS SOME MISMANAGEMENT OF MONEY.

>> Reporter: AMERICANS ARE HEADING INTO THE PEAK HOLIDAY SHOPPING SEASON WITH RECORD DEBT AS THEY BUY THINGS LIKE DEBT OR EVEN CHRISTMAS TREES, BUT THEY ALSO FACE RECORD HIGH INTEREST RATES IF THEY MISS A PAYMENT. >> CREDIT CARD DEBT HAS SOARED TO RECORD $866 BILLION AND THE AVERAGE INTEREST RATE NOW NEARING 20%. AT THAT RATE, MAKING MINIMUM PAYMENTS ON A $1,000 BILL WOULD TAKE OVER NINE YEARS TO PAY OFF, WRACKING UP ABOUT $990 IN INTEREST. >> I GOT A LOT OF EMAILERS FROM THE CARD ISSUERS JUST STATING THAT THE TERMS HAVE CHANGED, AND NINE TIMES OUT OF TEN, IT'S THE INTEREST RATE THAT'S INCREASING.

>> IT HASN'T STOPPED YOU FROM SPENDING THE WAY THAT YOU'RE SPENDING? >> NO. ONLY BECAUSE I FEEL, LIKE, PRESSURE TO, YOU KNOW, HAVE A GOOD CHRISTMAS FOR MY CHILDREN. >> Reporter: EXPERTS RECOMMEND PRIORITIZING 0% BALANCE TRANSFER CARDS AND CONSOLIDATING YOUR DEBT. >> IF THIS DESCRIBES YOU, NO SHAME. YOU HAVE PLENTY OF COMPANY. BUT LET'S FOCUS ON BRINGING THAT INTEREST RATE DOWN. >> Reporter: THERE'S OTHER STRATEGIES TOO. THIS HANUKKAH, JAMIE IS JUST FOCUSED ON SPENDING QUALITY TIME WITH LOVED ONES. >> THIS YEAR IT'S .