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Holidays Feed

Tips for shopping on Cyber Monday

With an increase in the use of the internet for shopping, the lines between Black Friday and Cyber Monday are blurring. However, my biggest Black Friday shopping recommendation, compare prices, also applies to Cyber Monday. Cyber Monday continues to be the biggest online shopping day of the year, thanks to the deals and the hype the industry has created. Read more →


Remember to keep comparing prices and other Black Friday tips

In recent years, Black Friday sales have changed. They’re starting earlier and many are now online. That means fewer people are crowding to the malls. However, some people still love the rush and the doorbusters. In my weekly newsletter, sign up here, https://tinyurl.com/makeyourmoneywork, I’ve been saying for weeks to compare prices. Read more →


Happy Thanksgiving

Best wishes on this national holiday for gratitude and giving thanks. I hope you’re able to join with family or friends to celebrate. Ninety-seven percent of Americans say they’ll be celebrating Thanksgiving, with 26 percent saying they’ll be hosting, according to WalletHub.com, a personal finance website. About 40 million Thanksgiving meals will include a turkey being served. Read more →


Cost of Thanksgiving dinners goes down for 2023

As the holiday season approaches, Thanksgiving marks a day of giving thanks for American families. Despite recent inflation in the United States, the cost of Thanksgiving dinner is expected to be lower this year compared to 2022. The main reason is the falling of the average turkey prices in 2023 due to growth in production. Read more →


Facts and figures for Thanksgiving 2023

It’s that time of year again already. Thanksgiving, the American day of giving thanks, is this week. Ninety-seven percent of Americans are planning to celebrate Thanksgiving. The average person’s spending over the five-day Thanksgiving period is estimated to be $325. The average cost of a 10-person Thanksgiving dinner will be about $64.05. Read more →


Best wishes on Veterans Day

What are your plans for today? Visiting a national park? They’re free today. Attending a parade? Visiting a cemetery and putting flowers on the grave of a loved one? For Veterans Day, I’m remembering my family members who served in the military: Frank Gilliam, U.S. Army, World War II. He died in the Battle of the Bulge in Europe. Read more →


Should you limit your chocolate consumption since recent tests show high levels of toxins in some products?

On Thursday, I wrote about recent tests by Consumer Reports on high levels of lead and cadmium found in some milk chocolate products. Earlier tests last year by the advocacy organization found that a number of Hershey’s dark chocolate bars had some of the highest levels of lead or cadmium of all brands it tested.  Read more →


Many chocolate products have concerning levels of lead and cadmium, Consumer Reports says

Cocoa-containing foods – such as cocoa powder, chocolate chips, and milk chocolate bars – contain concerning levels of cadmium or lead in a third of the products tested, according to Consumer Reports. The organization is calling on the Hershey Co. to step up its efforts to reduce the levels of heavy metals from its chocolate products after its latest tests. Read more →


What to buy and not buy at Black Friday deals for 2023

Although Black Friday is a few weeks away, you can find lots of deals available so you can start comparing prices now. Like last year, the 2023 holiday sale season started early, with major retailers such as Amazon, Best Buy, and Target offering big sitewide events in early October. A difference is this year prices will remain steady through Black Friday. Read more →


Happy Halloween

Are you celebrating Halloween this year? More than 70 percent of Americans are going about it today and estimates are they’ll be spending an average of $108 per person. About a third will be hosting or attending a party, nearly half will carve a pumpkin, and more than half will be decorating their homes. Fifty percent plan to dress in costumes. Read more →