Fifty-seven per cent of shoppers identify fall clothing as the category they will spend the most on this season, a US survey has shown.

Credit card firm Discover Financial Services questioned more than 1,000 American adults last month, asking them about their spending plans for the upcoming fall season.

They found that 31 per cent of consumers plan to spend at least $300 on essential fall items such as clothing, home décor and school supplies, while 16 per cent intend to spend over $500.

When asked what they liked least about fall shopping, a quarter cited difficulties staying within their budget, while one in five said they purchase more than they need.

"Fall is one of the highest spend shopping seasons of the year, second only to the holidays. This can be both exciting and stressful for consumers trying to stick to a budget," said Margo Georgiadis, executive vice president of Discover Financial Services.

"Consumers want to make sure that they're spending their money wisely as they prepare for this busy time of the year."

The survey revealed that school supplies will be the second most popular purchase after clothing, with 15 per cent of consumers saying they will spend the majority of their fall funds on back-to-school gear.

Within the group of respondents who have children, this figure jumped to 26 per cent.

Sixty-eight per cent of consumers surveyed will pay for their fall purchases with cash or checks, while 31 per cent will use credit cards, the survey found.

When asked what they liked most about fall shopping, 27 per cent of shoppers cited "simply getting it over and done with".

According to the survey, tuition continues to be a significant expense in the fall, and one that's rising with 62 per cent of consumers saying the cost is skyrocketing.

The report also found that almost 40 per cent of adults in households with a child under 18 noted a simple, polite request from children as the single best way to get parents to spend more.