Want to get the best deals and save the most money on Black Friday? Elissa Sanci for Smarter Living, The New York Times offers tips and shopping best practices in her article: 5 Things to Avoid on Black Friday
Black Friday is a money- and time-sucking vortex. Here’s what not to do this year. She highlights her list with entertaining anecdotes of those who fell victim to the seemingly needed purchases and makes recommendations for how to avoid these pitfalls.
Category: Holidays
As American As…
In this holiday season many families gather around traditional meals to celebrate. Sharing food that has cultural significance from recipes passed down through the generations. One fascinating aspect of the American landscape is the (across the board) popularity of Chinese food on Christmas Day. Lillian Li sheds light on this phenomenon in her article, Nothing Is More American Than Chinese Food on Christmas. She explores the history of cultural diversity during a time in American history of great segregation, all centered around the Chinese restaurant. During this time, many were open on Christmas because early immigrants from China were not Christian and saw no reason to miss a day of business. What started as a simple monetary decision has made Chinese food part the Christmas, American fabric.
It’s All Relative
Remember the holidays when you were little? Lots of hugs, kisses and breath taking squeezes from relatives, not to mention that one aunt who always wore bright red lipstick and left an impression on your cheek for all to see. Navigating the holidays with small children can be difficult, especially when they appear shy or snub the advances of loved ones. Sue Shellenbarger for the Wall Street Journal offers a variety of ways to help both your children and the relatives connect and enjoy their time together.
When Your Child Won’t Hug the Relatives
The Thought That Counts?
Ever gotten a bad gift and wondered if it was meant to hurt your feelings? Deborah Y. Cohn, associate professor of marketing at New York Institute of Technology explores the many reasons people select certain gifts for others, often to the detriment of relationships. Are we really that mean? Apparently so, or we find that gifts are an easy and quiet way to tell someone what you really think. Food for thought when shopping for next Christmas!
This is why people give bad Christmas gifts
Resolution: Budget
Is one of your New Year’s goals to better manage your money? Do you often find yourself stressed about your budget, or lack there of? Want to make a real go of saving, paying-off debt and creating financial solvency? Stephen B. Smith for Young Money offers nine suggestions to better manage your finances and to achieve your goals. 9 Nifty New Year’s Resolutions .
May you have health, wealth and happiness in 2017.
A Little Bird Told Me
So it’s the dead of summer, at least here in Texas and not really anywhere near Easter but I thought we could all use a little #FridayFun in our lives.
Anyone else love Peeps candy? They were created by the Just Born company of Brooklyn in 1953 and have been an Easter delicacy ever since. Enjoy the Peeps trivia in this article from the AARP magazine, 11 Things You Didn’t Know About Peeps and don’t worry, if reading this makes you crave that soft, sugary treat, they sell them year round!
This Just In
Workers at the Bethlehem, PA plant where they make Peeps have walked off the job in protest of a proposed change from a pension plan to a 401K. Might want to get your Peeps sooner rather than later. Although, the company is reportedly hiring replacement workers to keep production up and running.
‘No pension, no Peeps:’ Strike threatens holiday candy supplies
Beg, Borrow or Buy?
Invest or borrow? Kim Myles offers great advice about when to purchase or borrow eight key items in her article, Save Money, Save Space: 8 Things to Borrow Instead of Buy. From air mattresses to tools to serving dishes, consider her wisdom about storage space and necessity before you make that next impulse buy for a weekend guest or dinner party.
Turkey, Mashed Potatoes, Stuffing and Apps?
Got turkey on your mind? Or how you will deal with thirty guests in your house ranging from ages two to ninety-two? Wondering how you’ll juggle all those people as well as the pots on the stove? Well, Kit Eaton for the New York Times offers solutions in this video feature: Apps to Streamline Thanksgiving at Every Step of the Process. This Thanksgiving, your phone can be the key to celebratory bliss with apps ranging from multiple cooking timers to creative games of charades.